Gaeilge

Search gov.ie

Press release

Minister Ryan secures approval of DART+ Coastal North

  • Government approves major extension of DART under the Coastal North Project, increasing passenger capacity
  • rail project to move into planning system by July
  • new battery-electric DART trains to enter service to Drogheda by 2026

The Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan, has secured agreement from the Cabinet today (21 May 2024) for the DART+ Coastal North rail project to enter the planning system.

This major public transport project will extend the overhead electric wires on the DART system by 37km, from Malahide in north Dublin to Drogheda in Co. Louth. It will allow for fast, high-frequency and fully electrified DART trains to operate between Dublin city and Drogheda. This will upgrade the rail service to growing communities along the route, including at Clongriffin, Donabate, Balbriggan and Skerries.

Following government approval today, a Railway Order (planning application) for the DART+ Coastal North project will be submitted to An Bord Pleanála by July. Subject to planning permission and funding arrangements, construction works on the route could commence later this decade, taking approximately three years to complete.

In the meantime, by 2026 there will be a significant boost to rail services between Dublin and Drogheda through the roll-out of 65 new battery-electric DART carriages. These new battery-electric DARTs will replace existing diesel services and provide sustainable modern trains to communities on the route. The development will also be a stepping-stone towards the Coastal North project involving overhead electrification and other capacity improvements on the route. For example, upon completion of DART+ Coastal North, passenger capacity between Malahide and Drogheda will increase from approximately 4,800 people travelling at peak hour in the busiest direction, to 8,800. This is an 83% increase.

DART+ Coastal North is managed by Iarnród Éireann (IÉ) and funded by the Department of Transport through the National Transport Authority (NTA). The project is part of the multi-billion-euro DART+ Programme which will almost treble the DART rail network from 53km to 150km. The DART+ Programme involves extending the DART to Drogheda to the north, Maynooth and M3 Parkway to the west, and Hazelhatch and Celbridge to the south-west. The Programme will encourage more people to travel conveniently and sustainably by public transport, with the number of people living within 1km of a DART station more than doubling from approximately 250,000 at present to 600,000 in future.

Minister Ryan said:

“The government’s approval of DART+ Coastal North today marks another milestone in our Commitment to develop sustainable public transport infrastructure for people and communities throughout the country. The DART+ Programme will see a major expansion in DART services across the eastern region, especially to the North, West and Southwest of Dublin. The Coastal North scheme will improve rail links to thriving and expanding towns and communities like Balbriggan, Gormanston and Laytown on the way to Drogheda, itself a lively, growing town. This is about giving more people, more transport choices, so that they can choose to leave the car at home more often. People will start to see changes quickly, with brand new battery-electric DART trains between Dublin city and Drogheda set to operate by 2026, ahead of the further upgrade planned through the Coastal North project. We want to put Ireland on track for a new age of rail. DART+ will help us deliver that.”

Minister of State Chambers added:

“I welcome the government’s approval today of the Preliminary Business Case for the DART+ Coastal North project. This will enable a significant expansion of the electrified DART rail network, providing a more frequent and better integrated public transport service for commuters and all rail users in villages, towns and communities across north Dublin, Meath, Louth and surrounding areas. Today’s announcement complements the work already underway as part of the wider overall DART+ Programme including DART + West which will massively enhance and improve rail services and frequency to stations between Dublin City and Maynooth. This significant investment will improve quality of life for families and households throughout commuter belt communities as well as support businesses and enhance connectivity.”

Anne Graham, CEO of the NTA, said:

“The DART+ Coastal North project is a key deliverable in the Greater Dublin Area Transport Strategy and will provide a major improvement to rail services for passengers between Dublin city and Drogheda. This project will be particularly beneficial to commuters living in growing areas such as Clongriffin and Donabate who will see more and better services as a result.”

Jim Meade, CEO of Iarnród Éireann, said:

“We welcome this decision from the government which shows clear progress in the roll-out of the ambitious DART+ Programme. DART+ Coastal North will have a significant beneficial impact on the quality of the service that we can provide on the route, increasing frequency, reliability and comfort for our passengers.”

Notes

DART+ Programme

The DART+ Programme will approximately treble the length of the existing electrified DART network, from 53km to 150km, and double capacity to/from Dublin city centre from approximately 26,000 passengers to 50,000 passengers each way per hour. The programme will provide for a step-change in the number of people that can avail of frequent, high-capacity and sustainable public transport in the Greater Dublin Area and Eastern region, increasing the number of people living within 1km of a DART station from approximately 250,000 at present to 600,000 in future.

The DART+ Programme comprises five inter-related projects:

  • DART+ Fleet, expanding the DART fleet under a 10-year framework agreement between Iarnród *Éireann and Alstom. There have been two fleet orders under the framework to date, totalling 185 carriages. Of these, 65 battery-electric carriages are to enter service on the Northern line between Dublin city and Drogheda by 2026, replacing diesel services
  • DART+ West, providing for DART services between Dublin city and Maynooth/M3 Parkway. This project received Decision Gate 1 approval from Government in December 2021, with a Railway Order (planning) application submitted to An Bord Pleanála in July 2022
  • DART+ South West, providing for DART services between Dublin city and Hazelhatch & Celbridge. In March 2023, this project received Decision Gate 1 approval from Government and a Railway Order application was submitted to An Bord Pleanála
  • DART+ Coastal North, providing for an extension of the existing DART service from Malahide to/from Drogheda and an increase in capacity between Dublin city and Howth/Malahide/Drogheda. The project received Cabinet approval at Approval Gate 1 of the Infrastructure Guidelines today and will enter the planning system by July
  • DART+ Coastal South, enhancing capacity on the existing DART line south of Dublin city to Greystones

A map of the DART+ routes is shown below. Further information on the DART+ Programme can be found at DART+ About Dart+ (dartplus.ie).

DART+ Coastal North

The DART+ Coastal North project involves an extension of the existing overhead electric wires on the Northern rail line to Drogheda in Co. Louth, along with other upgrades on the Northern route between Dublin city and Howth, Malahide and Drogheda. The route serves numerous towns and communities, many of which are growing substantially, including Clongriffin, Donabate, Skerries, Balbriggan, Laytown and Drogheda. The full DART+ Coastal North route is shown below.

The major infrastructural elements to the DART+ Coastal North project consist of:

  • extension of the existing overhead electric wires, which currently run on the Northern route between Dublin city centre and Malahide station, as far as Drogheda MacBride station, a distance of approximately 37km
  • reconfiguration of the track layout and associated infrastructure at the stations at Clongriffin, Malahide, and Howth Junction and Donaghmede, to enhance train capacity/frequency and to improve Howth Junction and Donaghmede station
  • construction of a new platform at Drogheda MacBride Station
  • upgrades to existing signalling, telecoms and power supplies to support the planned increase in train services, including new electrical substations at key locations
  • bridge reconstructions and civil works to support electrification and capacity increase
  • modifications to depots at Drogheda MacBride and Fairview to support the new trains

The project will provide for electrified DART trains between Dublin city and Drogheda and an improvement to the existing DART services between Dublin city and Howth/Malahide. The project will significantly increase the peak hourly capacity and frequency on the Northern route between Dublin city and Malahide, Howth and Drogheda, with the section between Malahide and Drogheda (as part of the service between Dublin city and Drogheda) increasing in capacity from approximately 4,800 to 8,800 passengers at peak hour/direction upon project completion.

Under the Infrastructure Guidelines, government approval is required for exchequer investment proposals with an estimated cost over €200 million. With today’s decision, the government has provided Approval Gate 1 approval for the DART+ Coastal North project in line with the Guidelines. This approval means the project will move to the planning stage in An Bord Pleanála, through a Railway Order application by July.

Part of

Policies