Kishogue train station delays causing frustration, says councillor

The lack of progress on the opening of the long-awaited Kishogue train station is causing frustration among commuters, and would-be-commuters, says a local councillor.

Sinn Fein councillor Derren Ó Brádaigh says that the promised announcement of a definitive opening date for the station has not been delivered upon and the delay is causing disruption.

Councillor Ó Brádaigh was speaking following separate responses that he received from both the National Transport Authority and South Dublin County Council regarding the matter.

“Kishogue train station continues to be the subject of controversy with lots of local residents now demanding a clear date for the opening of this vitally important piece of local infrastructure,” he said.

“People are told that this station, forming part of the Kildare Route Project, will be delivered in tandem with the Clonburris SDZ and housing development, however the population has grown significantly regardless, a new Kishogue Community College is long open and the nearby Clonburris Phase One development is due to commence imminently.”

Ó Brádaigh says that millions of euro has already been spent on developing the station but more works are required to bring it up to standard.

“This station has remained idle now for 14 years with the original cost of construction €6.35m and every week people continue to ask me the same question “When is Kisogue opening?” he says.

“Works will now be required to upgrade the station, and this will have to include lift replacement, internal and external wall works, renewing all mechanical, electrical and telecom cables, up to date signage, paths and paving with a further projected cost of €3.8m

“The most recent correspondence that I received from the National Transport Authority states that ‘assessments’ took place in 2021 when a series of inspections, conditions surveys, and studies were undertaken, and stakeholders were consulted on the requirements for bringing the station into service.

“Works need to be undertaken by Iarnród Éireann before the station can open.”

Ó Brádaigh says that at the current rate of progress, the train station may only be formally opened late next year.

“Even with funding already approved, these works will take at least a year and that is taking us toward the end of summer 2023 if they began now, and that’s without an actual opening date being confirmed beyond that timeline,” he says.

“This is a project that should be prioritised fully now in my view.

“Let’s get the upgrades completed, open the station, and move on with other important transport solutions for the rapidly growing new communities of Lucan South and West.”