Work has now officially begun on the formal land acquisition process for a set of 750 directly impacted landowners along Ireland’s DART+ South West route.
All landowners have been issued with a Notice to Treat – a statutory step that formally initiates the land purchase process and confirms CIÉ’s intention to acquire certain necessary property interests identified in the Railway Order.
A Dart train at Clontarf Road railway station, Dublin City, Republic of Ireland
© Alstom
Funded by the National Transport Authority under Project Ireland 2040 and the EU Structural Development fund; DART+ South West will seek to provide expanded transport options for communities in Hazelhatch & Celbridge, Adamstown, Clondalkin & Fonthill, Parkwest & Cherry Orchard, a new station at Heuston West and Drumcondra.
In order to deliver the project, infrastructure works will be carried out to increase service frequencies and allow for new trains, expanding overall passenger capacity from the current 5,000 to 20,000 per hour per direction.
Planned infrastructure improvements include 20km of electrification and re-signalling of the Hazelhatch & Celbridge Line to Heuston and the south city via Phoenix Park Tunnel; construction of a new station at Heuston West to serve the community of Clancy Quay and Island Bridge and act as interchange for those wishing to access Heuston station from Western Suburbs; four-tracking of the rail line from Park West & Cherry Orchard Station in order to Heuston to enhance capacity; all civil, bridge and ancillary works as necessary to accommodate the project; upgrading of the Phoenix Park Tunnel and the introduction of new electric DART carriages for the DART+ Programme on Hazelhatch & Celbridge services.
Chief Executive of Iarnród Éireann Mary Considine said:, said:
Today marks the commencement of the formal process to begin works on DART+ South West project. Although phasing for funding for the project is still under discussion, land acquisition must commence to complete the compulsory purchase orders within the statutorily allotted time within the railway order, which is 18 months from when the Railway Order received its approval.
The provision of DART services will transform commuting for the existing and new communities along this railway corridor. It will also have significant benefits for Intercity customers, as the project includes the completion of the four track section of the route between Hazelhatch & Celbridge and Heuston, which will deliver greater segregation of Intercity and DART+/Commuter services, leading to journey time improvements and greater operationally flexibility at Heuston.