Kildare Route Service Frequency set to Double

Date: 13 August 2006

Today (Sunday 13th August, 2006) Transport Minister, Martin Cullen, T.D. announced that he has decided to grant a Railway Order in respect of the Kildare Route project. The Railway Order will allow Iarnrod Eireann to proceed with the land acquisition and construction of new tracks and stations along the route between Hazelhatch and Heuston station.

In making his decision the Minister considered the relevant documentation as required by him under the Transport (Railway Infrastructure) Act, 2001. These included the Report of the independent Inspector to the Public Inquiry, Mr Pat Butler, SC and all of the submissions made to the Minister.

The Kildare Route project involves doubling the number of tracks to four, with two dedicated lines for commuter services and two dedicated lines for Intercity and regional services. This will allow for more frequent running of commuter, regional and Intercity trains which currently compete for busy limited slots into Heuston. It will double the service frequency from Hazelhatch to Dublin, serving all stations. It will also double the service frequency between Dublin and Sallins, Newbridge, and Kildare, and continue to serve outer commuter towns including Portlaoise, Athlone and Carlow.

The existing service has a total capacity per day, per direction of 11,050 commuter passengers. This Project will see the capacity steadily increased to a total potential capacity of 36,400 commuter passengers per day in each direction.

Minister Cullen said: “This Transport 21 project represents €400 million investment to upgrade the railway infrastructure between Kildare and Heuston Station, aimed at significantly enhancing the frequency, capacity, reliability and accessibility of rail services between Heuston Station and commuter destinations in the Greater Dublin area as well as to InterCity destinations in the South and West”

New stations will be built at Kishogue and Adamstown, and Hazelhatch will be upgraded. In addition, the station at Cherry Orchard will be relocated to a new station at Parkwest and similarly the station at Clondalkin will be relocated 700metres from the existing station and will be known as Clondalkin-Fonthill. This new station will allow for bus interchange and will also allow for integration with Metro West.

“The investment in this project is also complementary to a number of other improvements made or currently underway on the railway network, including the upgrading of capacity and facilities at Heuston Station, the expansion of the Intercity and commuter fleets, and the development of the new Spencer Dock Station and the Train Depot in Portlaoise,” said the Minister.

The Report of the Inspector, Pat Butler, SC was published on 23 May, 2006 and is available on the Department of Transports website http://www.transport.ie/viewitem.asp?id=7575&lang=ENG&loc=845

ENDS