DART gets the green light to go to Celbridge

THE Government has agreed to go ahead with plans for a new DART line from Dublin city centre to Celbridge, Co Kildare.

DART + South West will provide a “fast, high-frequency and electrified rail service” from Dublin city centre to Hazelhatch and Celbridge via Islandbridge, Park West and Cherry Orchard, Clondalkin, and Adamstown.

Following cabinet approval, a planning application for DART + South West covering 20km of new electrified rail infrastructure is expected to be submitted to An Bord Pleanála by the end of this month.

The project will see construction of a new station, Heuston West, at Islandbridge, and the quadrupling of rail track between Park West and Heuston.

The project involves electrification of the Phoenix Park Tunnel along with the wider route allowing DART trains to operate between Hazelhatch/Celbridge and Connolly station as well as Heuston station.

Subject to planning permission and final funding arrangements, construction works for DART + South West could commence in 2025, with delivery of the infrastructure by the end of the decade.

Train services along the route are expected to at least double in frequency with up to 11 trains each way per hour at peak times.

The Department of Transport said the number of passengers using the route would quadruple from 5,000 at present to 20,000.

Commenting on the plans, Transport Minister Eamon Ryan said: “The Government’s approval of DART+ South West highlights our commitment to invest in high-quality public transport and decarbonise Ireland’s transport system.

“This rail project will transform the lives of people living in communities along the route, giving them a fast, reliable and frequent train service into Dublin.

“It also means that we