Transport | DART+ southWest programme progress

To ask the Minister for Transport the steps that can be taken to accelerate the programme to upgrade the Hazelhatch and Sallins railway line; if plans are being advanced to connect the Maynooth line with Hazelhatch; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

REPLY

The scope of the DART+ SouthWest element of the DART+ Programme includes the upgrade of the railway between Hazelhatch and Dublin city centre. This includes for the completion of four tracking between Hazelhatch – Celbridge and Heuston and the electrification of the existing line from Hazelhatch to Heuston and also continuing through the Phoenix Park Tunnel to meet with the DART+West (Maynooth Line) at Glasnevin. The implementation of the DART+ SouthWest will have benefits for all train services along the Dublin to Cork line as DART services will be split from commuter and intercity services offering a greater number of train paths and allowing services with limited stopping patterns to travel at higher speeds. The next steps in delivering this aspect are the approval of the updated DART+ Programme Preliminary Business Case considering the DART+ SouthWest element of the programme and the subsequent submission of a railway order to An Bord Pleanála. It is currently planned to submit a railway order application to An Board Pleanála by the end of 2022. The requirements of the planning process is that there are statutory periods for consultation and assessment of the application and as such the opportunities for acceleration are limited at this stage.