DART+ (DART Expansion)

For what it’s worth, I think IÉ will proceed with electrification, because it needs to be done eventually, they have the budget for it now, and there’s no guarantee that money will be available in future.

Also, DART+ Southwest depends on the section from Glasnevin Junction to Docklands being electrified, so that work must happen or SW will also be left incomplete. (According to IÉ, there is some depot space at Inchicore, but not enough for both W and SW)

Interesting, from the posts above I had expected it to be far more adversely effected, but as you say, maybe the flood predictions are out of date?

@prunudo , @Bodan - yes, it does seem that the depot itself is well clear of the predicted flood areas. Either there’s been a newer, and far more pessimistic, forecast done, or the real issue is not the depot, but running a new rail line from Maynooth to that depot through the middle of an area that floods regularly.

The existing line has the exact same problem, of course, but if IÉ are going to the trouble of moving the line here, it does seem a little odd to rebuild it within the same floodplain…

RTE updated it's article

In its decision An Bord Pleanála granted the Railway Order with a number of conditions including that the proposed depot west of Maynooth not be constructed due to concerns about flood risk.

However Iarnród Éireann said it will explore other options for the construction of a depot.

"We will immediately consider the requirements to progress this, to deliver the depot in line with the timelines to support the wider DART+ Programme."

It said work to get construction underway will now commence

"Iarnród Éireann, in collaboration with the National Transport Authority, will now progress the delivery of the DART+ West project into its construction stage.

"This will involve procurement processes to engage contractors to undertake the construction activities on the scheme."

I read the decision on Dart+ West on the RTÉ website earlier today. In one way; I was happy to read that most of the project got approval today by ABP and can proceed with construction with IÉ asap. However reading the news about the depot in Maynooth not going to be included in the project left me very surprised and disappointed. I actually couldn't believe that IÉ were trying to build the depot near a flood plain. Has there been any recent data to indicate that there has been significant flooding taking place on the site near Jackson's Bridge from any major storms within the past few months or even up to when the RO was submitted to ABP about 2 years ago?

It wasn't " a known flood plain" . The flooding risk on the site came to light after the design was done, when the additional environmental reports were being put together for the RO application. Of course it should have been done before, but unfortunately the engineers didn't have access to our genius at the time…

IÉ had two options : pull the depot from the plans and do another design effort and RO for that, or submit what they had to ABP and offer to add mitigations. The option they took had worked in the past, but in hinsight, they should have also started work on an alternative depot site the moment that the RO was sent in.

I'm not particularly pessimistic about this. The line works will proceed, and there is time for a new depot to be designed and approved before the line goes live... Worst case is the rail will be electrified but only at existing service levels for the first couple of years.

Yes the first two orders are BEMUs.

If you mean Fairview, it will still be a light maintenance depot and stabling point going forward.

There’s no intention to sell that site.

I meant the Freight Yard at North Wall which seems to be mostly empty anytime I pass by.

I share your lack of negativity.

If the problems with the depot were sufficient to render the project impossible ABP would have refused permission for the whole thing. The fact they didn't indicates that they knew the other options could be delivered in a similar timeframe.