Rail line planning application won’t be lodged until 2025

A PLANNING application could be lodged for the Navan railway line within the next two-and-a-half years.

A dedicated team working on Navan Rail has been appointed by Iarnród Éireann and is aiming to have a planning application ready to lodge within 18 months of the appointment of a project team.

A spokesperson for Iarnród Éireann, said the rail company is currently engaging with the NTA on progressing the Navan Rail Project.

"While a dedicated project team is expected to be in place from 2024, the Capital Investment team will in the interim work to understand and assess key issues for the project, in cooperation with the NTA. From appointment of a project team, it is expected that a Railway Order application would be deliverable within 18 months," she said.

The National Transport Authority (NTA) has confirmed that it is likely to be next year before a design team will be put in place for the Navan Rail project, due to the number of projects already ongoing and resource constraints within the system.

According to the CEO of Irish Rail, Jim Meade, who held a meeting with local Senator Shane Cassells to discuss the project in Leinster House last week a team has been appointed to work on Navan Rail and funding has been put in place to advance the project.

The CEO informed Senator Cassells that a team has been appointed to work on Navan Rail and funding has been put in place to advance the project.

The team is currently working on route selection and identification of issues along the routes linking the M3 Parkway station at Dunboyne to Navan Central.

Senator Cassells described the news as "hugely encouraging" and stated that it showed that those charged with delivering the project were already working on expediting the timeline.

"Irish Rail had anticipated that Navan Rail would get the green light and so once it did the CEO put in place a team to get things moving," remarked Senator Cassells.

The Irish Rail CEO also updated Senator Cassells on the electrification of the existing line to Dunboyne and said the new electric trains will have the ability to continue on the tracks on a battery charge to the station in Navan.

The news that a design team for the Navan Rail project will not be appointed in 2023 has been met with disappointment.

Deputy Darren O'Rourke said while it was welcome that the Navan Rail line is included in the GDA Transport Strategy 2022-2042, he said the news was disappointing and the planning process should begin immediately.

Meanwhile at a public meeting of the Meath on Track Campaign last week it was agreed to up the pressure on the government.

"We need scoping and the route map to be complete before the next election. We need the funds agreed and ring fenced before the next election. We need construction to start by 2027. We will be ramping up a major people power campaign to make that happen, said chair, Deputy Peadar Tóibín.

Deputy O’Rourke said the Government will not commit to commence construction before 2031. "This is something that needs to change. It is equally important that the option selection, planning and design processes begin immediately."

"Sinn Féin, and I as Transport spokesperson, will continue to campaign for the earliest possible delivery for the Navan Rail project.

In response to a parliamentary question by Deputy O'Rourke, the Deputy Chief Executive of the NTA said: "The Navan rail line is phased for delivery post 2030. In order to be in a position to deliver the project during this period, the NTA has commenced discussions with Irish Rail in relation to the establishment of a design team to commence the option selection, planning and design phases of the project.

However, given the number of ongoing projects within the rail portfolio, coupled with resource constraints, it is likely to be next year before a design team could be put in place for the Navan Rail Line."

Deputy O’Rourke said this is very disappointing, but it is not surprising. "It reflects perfectly the project's standing within this Government's list of priorities. There are a number of rail projects of greater priority for this Government so they get the focus, they get the attention, they get the resources. Dart+ and the Luas Green Line Upgrade projects are examples.

"It is essential that the campaign to deliver Navan Rail continues. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael representatives in Meath should recognise the need to put a design team in place immediately and to provide additional funding in the NDP before 2030."

Deputy Tóibín said Meath on Track campaigned is 20 years old this year.

"We have campaigned consistently for the rail line to be built to Navan to alleviate the commuter hell that tens of thousands of people are in Meath.

"Ireland has the fourth longest commute time in Europe. Meath has the longest commute time in Ireland. Meath is the only county in the country where more people leave the county than stay in the county for work every day.

“The rail line is an essential step in alleviating this.

"The project would also offer significant economic benefits to Meath, providing much-needed infrastructure for businesses and enabling the creation of new jobs in the area".

"We welcome the inclusion of the rail line in the National Development Plan but we have been here before.

“The timescale is not acceptable at all. Construction is to start in 2031 with completion potentially between 2036 and 2042.

“At a public meeting of the Meath on Track Campaign this week it was agreed that we will ramp up the pressure on the government.

“We will be collecting petitions outside shopping areas and door to door. We will be organizing public demonstrations. We are asking members of the public to email, send letters, phone and visit elected representatives to tell them that we must speed up this project and assign funds now. We pull in other groups also, especially civic society groups, workers groups, business and sporting groups. We will not wait another 20 years for this project to be delivered”.