Irish Rail lodges plans for DART+ South project

Gary Ibbotson 31 Mar 2023
Jim Meade CEO Irish Rail 20.3.23 Paul Sharp Photographer.

Iarnród Éireann has lodged a Railway Order application with An Bord Pleanála to seek permission to extend the DART network from Hazelhatch and Celbridge to Heuston Station and further south via the Phoenix Park Tunnel.

As part of the scheme, a public consultation period will begin on Wednesday, March 29 and will run until May 16.

This is the second DART+ line to reach this stage in the planning process following the DART+ West Railway Order in July 2022.

Funded by the National Transport Authority (NTA) the DART+ South West will provide a “greatly enhanced and more sustainable transport option for communities in Hazelhatch and Celbridge, Adamstown, Clondalkin & Fonthill, Parkwest & Cherry Orchard, a new station at Heuston West and Drumcondra,” a spokesperson says.

This will be achieved through infrastructure works resulting in “higher frequencies and electrification.”

New trains will also be introduced and passenger capacity will increase from the current 5,000 to 20,000 per hour per direction.

Some of the planned works include the construction of a new station at Heuston West, electrification of 20km and re-signalling of train line from Hazelhathch to Heuston and the south city via the Phoenix Park Tunnel, and the upgrading of the Phoenix Park Tunnell

The NTA says that new DART carriages will be deployed and four-tracking of the rail line from Park West and Cherry Orchard to Heuston will take place to accommodate the increase capacity.

Chief executive of Iarnród Éireann, Jim Meade said that “today is a great day for the communities of North Kildare and South Dublin, and the provision of DART services will transform commuting for the existing and new communities along this railway corridor.

“It will make travelling with us more sustainable, more frequent and more reliable.

“This is the second DART+ project to submit a railway order, with DART+ Coastal North & South to follow.”

Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan said the lodging of the Railway Order is means “we are one step closer to linking commuter communities with Dublin City Centre with a fast, frequent new train service, transforming how people travel.”

Anne Graham, chief executive of the NTA said the scheme is proof “real progress” is being made on the DART+ project and “developing a public transport service that will meet the transport requirements of people in the Dublin region for years and decades to come.”

Members of the public, prescribed bodies and directly impacted landowners and occupiers are welcome to make submissions from until May 16 on the DART+ South West website

It is anticipated when the consultation period closes, an oral hearing will be held into the application by An Bord Pleanála.

Subject to receiving An Bord Pleanála approval and funding allocation it is anticipated that construction will begin in mid-2024 and be completed in late 2029.

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