Dart extension plans ‘lack vision for the future’

As public consultation on the extension of the DART service to Maynooth and the M3 Parkway continues, Cllr Damien O'Reilly is calling for the service to be extended as far as Kilcock and says the proposals show a 'lack vision for the future'.

He is urging the public to engage with the consultation process and to make submissions for the extension to Kilcock, which he says would be a huge benefit to residents in the Kilcoon, Batterstown, Summerhill, Enfield and Trim areas.

Iarnród Éireann last week commenced the second round of public consultation on DART+ West, which will see the electrified DART network extended from Connolly/Spencer Dock area to west of Maynooth and to M3 Parkway.

"The current proposals lack vision for the future. There is a growing population in Meath around Maynooth, Kilcock, Enfield, Summerhill, Batterstown and Trim," Cllr O'Reilly pointed out.

Funded by the National Transport Authority, under Project Ireland 2040, DART+ West is expected to provide a greatly enhanced and more sustainable transport option for communities in Maynooth, Leixlip, Clonsilla, Coolmine, Castleknock, Navan Road, Ashtown, Broombridge and Drumcondra on the Maynooth line, as well as Hansfield, Dunboyne and M3 Parkway on the M3 Parkway line.

This current phase of public consultation follows on from previous public engagement which took place in autumn 2020. A spokesperson for the NTA said the project team has analysed and used the feedback received to inform the current design of the DART+ West Preferred Option. Feedback on the Preferred Option is now invited during this period of public consultation.

"The major change from the first to second round of public consultations is the removal from the design of the proposed vehicular bridge at Coolmine. The Preferred Option now being put forward will re-route the vehicles currently passing through Coolmine level crossing onto the existing road network and a new pedestrian and cyclist bridge will still be constructed at the site of the current level crossing.

"A new station is proposed at Spencer Dock to improve connectivity with other transport modes and to bring commuters into the heart of the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC).

"Following more detailed railway modelling, the total number of services that can be accommodated will go from six to 12 trains per hour per direction throughout the day. This is a change from the information presented at the first round of public consultation.

However, the capacity increase will remain similar due to the additional capacity of the new DART vehicles, increasing from current 5,000 to 13,200 passenger journeys per hour.

Once the design work is complete, a railway order will be submitted to An Bord Pleanála in late 2021 or early 2022. A statutory consultation period will take place after lodging of the application and it is expected that An Bord Pleanála will hold an oral hearing on the application, which will be open to all members of the public.

Chief Executive of Iarnród Éireann Jim Meade said: “We listened to feedback from the first round of consultations and we believe that the Preferred Option presented in this phase of public consultation has succeeded in addressing the concerns that were raised by communities along the route and will ultimately make the project even better for those that it will serve.

This is your railway that we are future proofing for generations to come.”