Cross-border review of rail network officially launched

After the publication of the final AIRR, what is the next step?

Continue with the projects listed below?

Greater Dublin Area (GDA)

new DART fleet: framework order signed for 750 vehicles in Dec 2021, of which 185 ordered so far

DART+ west: design done, RO submitted to ABP in July 2022, permission rec'd from ABP in July 2024

DART+ southwest: designed, RO submitted to ABP in March 2023

DART+ north: designed, RO submitted to ABP in July 2024

DART+ south: design and public consultation in 2024

Am I missing anything in Dublin?

Cork city area

Three projects are actually under construction? Thanks to EU funds.

(1) extra platform(s) at Kent station = construction underway

(2) 10km double-tracking from Glouthaune to Midleton: RO granted by ABP in Nov 2023 - has construction started?

(3) re-signalling to ECTS = construction is underway since Jan 2024

Cork area: new stations, electrification = all at early design stage

Around Limerick

Line to Foynes - re-construction is well underway

LJ to Limerick re-doubling: I'm unsure as to its status

New station at Moyross = proposed design published

New station in suburbs of Limerick: I'm unsure about this? Ballysimon?

Other projects

Elimination of LC in north county Cork: huge delays with ABP

Oranmore passing loop 1km and new platform: still no planning application for such a simple project

Ceannt station re-development: construction started in early 2024

Do IE have the capacity to do more?

No moves on the Navan line?

DART+ West needs a new or modified depot plan, with a railway order. There has also been a commitment to deliver an extension to Kilcock at the same time, so that should already be under design (this will satisfy a tiny bit of the AISRR Maynooth to Mullingar dualling, as will DART+ West for that matter)

There has been a less solid commitment made to design two additional stations on DART+ South West to also be delivered at the same time.

Both of these will consume engineering time and resources.

Some level of design work is underway on Navan, allegedly. Consultation next year, possibly.

Not sure they'd want to build a bypass track for intercities, and immediately put commuter trains on it though.

Eventually biting the bullet and moving the Wicklow line inland should probably be part of the AIRR, otherwise it will just fall into the sea...

From the report, if the 32 recommendations were implemented , these are the new travel times traveling around the network.

Its hard to imagine from where we are now, to see Ireland's rail network as fast and efficient as this.

No movement on-the-ground on Glounthaune-Midleton yet.

Little Island station upgrade substantially complete, if not fully complete.

Page 69 seems to indicate and upgrade on Limerick Jnc or even a bypass

The infra has had SFA investment in the last X years.

The government decided to build toll roads instead as they were significantly cheaper.

All the freight moved to the roads and that was the end of that. moving freight on rail is a big money maker, It is difficult to expand when the roads got all the investment and the railway got none.

When I was a kid, freight trains used to pass by the back of my house very regularly, they are very rare to see now. I think there is an intermodal service from Dublin to Ballina and possibly a wood train.

Total cost of everything looks like its gonna €60b max (If I'm reading it correctly) Seems like a worth while investment given the price of the Metro and NCH.

What piece are you not clear on? To me it seems this is referencing opening the network for additional operators. The cost of running a private (competitive?) operation on the network is too high at present. Not sure if that's your question though.

That's initially what I thought.

But why are there references to DART, intercity and commuter?

Irish Rail pay Irish Rail these sums to operate trains?

There is no change of service involved in the projection: it's a journey from Waterford to Limerick Junction then directly onto the Cork line via a new chord. 1h30 seems a reasonable estimate if a 200 km/h line speed applies to both legs.

By road, the distance is 125 km, typically 1h45 travel time, with a possible 5 minute reduction on that if they ever bypass Castlemartyr. In nearly 30 years, my best time doing the journey is 1h25, and that was at night during the pandemic with no other traffic. I do not exceed the speed limit.

Limerick - Dublin was the fastest at around 70 minutes

Takes that long for some lads to find their seats 🤣

Was the invitation to tender issued?

Next Steps

A Railway Order application was granted by An Bord Pleanála in November 2023 to construct a proposed second rail track along the 10km railway line between Glounthaune and Midleton. Invitation to tender for construction works will issue in January 2024, with a construction start planned for summer 2024. This will enable twin-tracking to be completed by late 2026.