[ThomasJ]

http://www.irishrail.ie/news_centre/...ew&news_id=866

Wednesday 4th August

Iarnród Éireann has confirmed that the new Dunboyne (M3) to Dublin commuter rail service will commence this September.

Construction is now complete on the 7.5 kilometre double track rail line and driver training has commenced. Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey TD today joined with Iarnród Éireann on one of the first driver training runs.

The new line will branch off the Maynooth line at Clonsilla and serve Dunboyne and M3 Parkway Station, a major park and ride station at the interchange with the M3 north of Dunboyne.

All trackwork, signalling, station and bridge works are now complete, and testing and driver training will be complete to allow for a September commencement of services. The precise date will be confirmed subject to testing progress.

Service pattern upon opening will be at half hourly intervals, and the infrastructure will allow for greater frequency as demand increases.

Journey time from Dunboyne to Dublin will be as little as 27 minutes at peak, with a 31 minute journey time from M3 Parkway Station to Dublin.

The service will be operated by Commuter trains, and services will run to and from Docklands Station on weekdays, and Connolly Station at weekends. Docklands Station provides easy access to the entire Docklands area, including the southside via the Samuel Beckett Bridge, and also allows for easy connections with Dublin Bus and Luas Red Line services.

The new M3 Parkway station will feature a 1,200 space car park, the largest park and ride facility in the country. There will be 300 car park spaces at Dunboyne Station.

A third new station will be provided at Hansfield, a developer led station, providing infrastructure for the Hansfield strategic development zone (SDZ). This station will be subsequently opened when a new link road to allow access to the station is completed by the developer.

The Clonsilla to Navan line was closed in 1963. Dunboyne has not been served by rail since 1947 when the station closed.

Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey TD said "This new commuter rail service is going to make a huge difference to Meath based commuters. People deserve reliable public transport options and that’s what this new service will provide here in Meath. I have no doubt that it will be a very popular service. This is a major milestone in the delivery of phase one of the much needed Navan rail line.

Work on phase two of this project (M3 Parkway to Navan) continues apace with planning permission for the line due to be submitted to An Bord Pleanala in May 2011.

The development and construction of the Navan rail line is a key part of the Government’s infrastructure investment programme. Even in these difficult times the Government continues to invest in world class transport infrastructure. This investment will create jobs and ideally position us to take full advantage of the economic recovery."

CIÉ and Iarnród Éireann Chairman Dr John Lynch said “we are looking forward to opening this new commuter route next month, which will make daily commuting so much faster and easier for thousands of commuters from Co Meath and beyond. With the M3 Parkway Station, customers from a wide catchment area will be able to eliminate congestion completely from their daily journey, by switching to rail before encountering the notorious bottlenecks from Clonee to the city.”



Further Developments on M3 Parkway to Navan Line

Iarnród Éireann has also commenced design on M3 Parkway to Navan. A Railway order will be lodged in May 2011 for the project.

Following public consultation with residents, landowners and stakeholders and the preparation of a feasibility study a proposed route has been chosen. Iarnród Éireann staff and their contractors have commenced topographical and geotechnical surveys along the proposed route to assist in the design process. Station and bridge design works have commenced.

The development and construction of the line is a key part of the Government-funded Transport 21 programme. The preferred route is mostly on the alignment of the old Navan Railway line.

The project involves:

• The provision of 34km approximately of double track.

• Four Stations in total are proposed as part of the project at Dunshaughlin, Kilmessan, Navan Town Centre, and a terminus station at the north edge of Navan.

• Associated infrastructural works including signalling, bridge and level crossing works