Public consultation on DART+ West route begins

The first phase of public consultation for DART+ West, the project which provides for the electrification of services on the Maynooth and M3 Parkway lines, was launched by the Minister for Climate Action, Communication Networks and Transport Eamon Ryan TD on Wednesday, 26 August.

The public consultation is designed to give local communities and stakeholders an opportunity to provide feedback on the emerging preferred option.

DART+ West is the first phase of the DART+ Programme (formerly DART Expansion), which aims to significantly increase capacity on all the rail corridors serving the Greater Dublin Area.  

The programme involves the electrification of services on the Maynooth, Drogheda and Celbridge lines, the purchase of new DART trains and the upgrade of the existing South/ East line to Bray/ Greystones.

DART+ West will introduce electrified high capacity trains on the Maynooth Line, increasing the current passenger capacity of 4,500 per hour to 13,750 per hour and increasing the capacity of services from seven to 15 per hour, subject to demand.

Additional planned infrastructure improvements include:

• 40Km of electrification and re-signalling of the Maynooth and M3 Parkway lines to the city centre
• capacity enhancements in the city centre to increase capacity and improve integration with LUAS
• closure of six level crossings on the Maynooth line with provision of replacement access where required
• construction of a new DART depot facility west of Maynooth Station
• interface with the Metrolink interchange station at Phibsborough/Glasnevin
• all civil, bridge and ancillary works as necessary to accommodate the project

Speaking at the launch, Minister Ryan said:

“DART+ West will have a hugely positive impact, not just at its terminal points in Maynooth and Dunboyne, but in areas like Glasnevin, Broombridge, Pelletstown, Ashtown, Castleknock, Coolmine, Clonsilla, and Leixlip, all of which will now be on an integrated, electrified, fast and reliable, rail network. If we are serious about reducing greenhouse gas emissions – and I know I am – this is precisely the kind of project that should be happening.”

ROD has, as sub-consultant to IDOM, worked closely with Iarnród Éireann and the National Transport Authority (NTA) to manage the preparations for the public consultation.  The process was led by our Associate, Barry Corrigan, who ensured the successful completion of key tasks including:

• notifying the local community of the commencement of the consultation process through an information leaflet which was delivered to over 12,000 properties along the corridor
• preparing a public consultation brochure, in both the Irish and English languages, presenting the key details of the DART+ West project and the emerging preferred option
• presenting the relevant project information, together with the Preliminary Option Selection Report, on the project website www.irishrail.ie/DARTMaynooth

The phase one consultation will remain open until 23 September.  The Preferred Option consultation is planned for later in 2020.  The Railway Order application is expected to be submitted in Q2 2021.

Full details of the DART+ West public consultation – first phase are available to view at www.irishrail.ie/DARTMaynooth