Transport Minister Eamon Ryan has given an update on several DART railway projects, including plans for a brand-new line to Kildare.
The update forms part of the new DART+ program which proposes to treble the rail network from 53 km to 150km.
Plans show this aims to be accomplished by expanding DART services from Drogheda to the north, Maynooth and M3 Parkway to the west, as well as Hazelhatch and Cellbridge to the south-west.
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On the new DART line to South West and Cellbridge, Minister Ryan said: "Train services will double in frequency with up to 11 trains per hour, each way. This will increase the number of passengers that can travel to and from Dublin City from circa 5,000 each way presently to 20,000 in the future."
The Green Party leader detailed that this will include the construction of a new station, Heuston West, the more frequent use of a tunnel under Phoneix Park and the electrification of 20km of the rail network.
For the DART fleet, a 95-carriage order was made in December 2021, while a 90-carriage order was completed in December 2022.
The update stated that the first carriages will arrive in 2024, and enter into service the following year, while a second order is expected to enter into service in 2026.
On the DART+ West, which includes Maynooth, M3 Parkway to city including a new depot west of Maynooth, a railway order application was submitted last July, with An Bord Pleanála looking to schedule an oral hearing.
On the DART+ South West line, spanning Hazelhatch to Heuston, also incorporating the Phoneix Park Tunnel, cabinet has already approved submission of the project to the planning system.
A railway order application is to be lodged to An Bord Pleanála by the end of March.
Irish Rail has stated that this will allow the line under the tunnel, which already has 50 scheduled passenger services every weekday, to have more services use it.
The DART+ Coastal north line, comprising of Connolly to Drogheda, has already held a public consultation, with a second one expected to take place in "early 2023" Minister Ryan's update stated.
The Connolly to Greystones DART+ Coastal South line is in early stages with emerging preferred option being developed, and a subsequent first public consultation due to take place in "early 2023."
The National Transport Authority (NTA) has labelled the DART+ programme as "transformative investment."
They added: "It will provide a sustainable, electrified, reliable, frequent rail service significantly increasing capacity on all the rail corridors serving the Greater Dublin Area.
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