Cullen welcomes opening by An Taoiseach of Adamstown train station

Date: 16 April 2007

Transport Minister, Martin Cullen, TD today (Monday 16 April 2007) welcomed the official opening by An Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, TD, of the new Adamstown Train Station in West Dublin, the first fully privately-funded new station on the Iarnród Éireann network.

Built as a public/private venture between Iarnród Éireann and Chartridge Developments Limited, the station will deliver commuters to Heuston Station, Dublin in approximately 20 minutes. Kildare commuter services and outer commuter services will call at the new station, which was completed ahead of schedule and at no cost to the taxpayer.

The new station forms part of a fully integrated transport interchange that will accommodate the projected 30,000 people who will live in the new development of Adamstown, West Dublin. The station will have park and ride facilities and will also be served by bus.

Speaking today about Adamstown, which has been developed as a strategic development zone (SDZ) under the Planning and Development Act 2000, Minister Cullen said: “This new station, opened today by An Taoiseach, is in effect the first element of the Kildare line upgrade. This route upgrade project under Transport 21, the Government’s investment programme for transport, involves the quadrupling of the rail track between Cherry Orchard and Hazelhatch on the Kildare line and new or relocated stations at Fonthill, Kishogue, Park West and Adamstown - allowing for more frequency of intercity and commuter services. On completion of the Adamstown development and the Kildare route project, this new station will cater for 3,000 users per hour”. The Minister added: “The Adamstown project is an example of this Government’s progress in delivering public transport services in the Dublin and Kildare region. Together with the private partnership investment and exchequer investment, public transport is being progressed to accommodate travellers and provide them with attractive choices as they travel to work, to shop or go about their daily lives”.

A dedicated quality bus corridor (QBC) is planned through the centre of Adamstown. DART services will also be enhanced, leading to Adamstown commuters being able to travel directly to Dublin city centre and interchange with all modes (DART, commuter, Luas and Metro), on completion of the underground DART interconnector.

Investment in railways will be further increased under Transport 21. In addition to the Kildare line upgrade, other Iarnród Éireann projects which will benefit railway services in the Dublin area are the city centre re-signalling project; the Clonsilla to Navan rail link; the new 183 railcars to service routes out of Dublin to other locations around the country and the Luas light rail and Metro proposals which are being advanced by the Railway Procurement Agency.

Issued by, Michelle Hoctor, 087 8563070
Veronica Scanlan, 087 6430622