Latest news with #DART+West
RTÉ News
11 hours ago
- Business
- RTÉ News
Plans to extend DART network to go ahead as judicial reviews withdrawn
Two judicial reviews for the DART+ West project linking Dublin city centre and Maynooth and the M3 Parkway have been withdrawn, paving the way for work to begin on the project next year. An Bord Pleanála approved the Railway Order for the project in July 2024, but the court actions had delayed its progression. Iarnród Éireann said the project will double the capacity and treble the electrification of the Greater Dublin Area rail network, increasing it from 50km to 150km, extending to Maynooth, M3 Parkway, Hazelhatch and Drogheda. Last month, it invited applications for the first phase of the tender process for the project. Work is expected to begin at the end of 2026, while the first of 185 new carriages are due to enter service in the same year. Irish Rail is awaiting a decision from An Bord Pleanála on the Railway Order it submitted for the DART+ Coastal North, which will link the city centre and Drogheda. The planning process is still underway for the DART+ Coastal South route linking Greystones in Wicklow to Dublin city centre.
Irish Independent
12 hours ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
DART expansion plan gets boost after High Court hears objections withdrawn
Two separate judicial reviews were originally scheduled for hearing in the High Court this week relating to the DART+ West element of the plan. The court heard that the cases, taken by two businesses in the west of Dublin city, had been withdrawn. The move means that the project, which last July was granted a Railway Order, the equivalent of planning permission for rail developments, is now free to proceed – pending Government funding. Preliminary works are expected to begin next year with contracts for the more major construction projects to be awarded by the end of 2026. DART+ West will expand the high-frequency electric train service from Dublin city to Maynooth in Co Kildare and the M3 Parkway park and ride station in Bennetstown, Co Meath. It is one of four elements of the DART+ project which would collectively triple the length of the existing service from 50km to 150km and double hourly passenger numbers from 26,000 in each direction to 52,000. DART+ West is expected to see some of the biggest increases in passenger numbers with a doubling of train services along the Maynooth line. For that to happen will require works that include provision of a new station at Spencer Dock in the city centre and developments at Connolly Station, including a new entrance at Preston Street. One other part of the project, DART+ South West, was granted a Railway Order last November. It will extend the service from Heuston Station to Hazelhatch in Co Kildare and from Heuston to the city centre via the Phoenix Park tunnel.. ADVERTISEMENT Learn more An application for a Railway Order for DART+ Coastal North, which would extend services from Dublin to Drogheda, is awaiting a decision from An Bord Pleanála. DART+ Coastal South would see increased frequency on the existing Greystones to city centre route and an application is expected to be made for it shortly. The overall project also involves the provision of 185 new rail carriages, currently on order, with the option to order 750 in total if all aspects proceed. The first ten carriages have arrived and are due to be put into service next year. Early cost estimates for the complete project were put at around €3 billion several years ago but it is expected that figure will rise. The Government has only approved funding up to contract award stage and will have to make a decision at that point whether to back the project's further progress. The judicial review proceedings against DART+ West were taken by businesses on the Navan Road in Dublin, near Ashtown railway station. A sitting of the High Court heard the cases had been struck out after an agreement had been reached that was satisfactory to all sides. A spokesperson for Irish Rail said the terms of the agreement were confidential.
