DART Tunnel/Interconnector

[ThomasJ]

In Todays Independent
http://www.independent.ie/national-n...n-1300328.html

City to get its own 'tube' in new plan


By Treacy Hogan Environment Correspondent
Wednesday February 27 2008


It dwarfs the scale and impact of the Port Tunnel.


The €2bn underground Dart through the heart of Dublin city centre will run every three minutes and carry up to 70,000 commuters an hour.

New images showing the scale of what will be one of the biggest ever infrastructure projects in Ireland, due to open in 2015 and comprising two entirely new Dart services, were also released yesterday.

The 5.2km line, an underground tunnel from the Docklands to Heuston station, will increase rail capacity from 33 million passenger journeys annually now to over 100 million.

Dr John Lynch, Iarnrod Eireann and CIE chairman, yesterday described the Dart underground line as "the missing link, not only in our rail infrastructure, but in our transport infrastructure".

"It will be the most critical project under Transport 21 in enabling people to switch from private transport to public transport, and will transform the capacity of the greater Dublin area rail network."

As part of the exciting plans, the northern line Dart services from Balbriggan and Howth will branch off the existing line after Clontarf Road, going underground at Docklands station, where they will connect with the red Luas line.

The Dart interconnector will continue underground to Pearse Station, before connecting with the green Luas and Metro at St Stephen's Green, and proceeding to Heuston. The Dart will go overground to Adamstown and Hazelhatch in Co Kildare.

A second new Dart line will connect Maynooth -- and a massive M3 park and ride at Pace -- to the existing Bray/Greystones Dart line, stopping at Glasnevin and Drumcondra.

Crucially, the new links join all rail modes -- Dart, commuter rail, intecity, Luas and the proposed Metro. A railway order application is being submitted for the project in 2009.

Timetable for underground link
- 2001: Project included in blueprint for integrated greater Dublin transport.

- 2006: Scheme is approved under the massive €34bn Transport 21 package.

- 2007: Public consultation.

- 2008: Detailed site investigations.

- 2008: Iarnrod Eireann will apply for a Railway Order for the project -- equivalent to planning permission.

- 2009: Public hearing into the underground, followed by an inspector's report. The many parts of the project will then be put out to tender.

- 2010: Construction work will begin involving a twin-bore tunnel at 30 metres depth. Some stations will be mined (Christ Church, St Stephen's Green), with others built using 'Cut and cover' methods (Heuston, Docklands).

- 2015: Underground open.

- Treacy Hogan Environment Correspondent

[Mark Hennessy]

I love the comments from the ordinary punters who are well used to pie in the sky promises:

Comments

Can anybody blame them for being skeptical?

[ThomasJ]

But the first comment asks the question is it really needed considering they have Broadstone and old Docklands. Well Broadstone will not be a rail station and I'll reserve judgement on whether docklands will be permanent?

[al2637]

How do you get a frequency of 3mins or less then the Balbriggan -> Kildare line will share the Northern line with non stop commuter and Enterprise services? Won't we still have the 20min+ gaps between services at certain times?

[James Shields]

Until the loop line across the liffey was built in the 1880s, Connolly and Pearse were terminating stations. Imagine how the DART would function if it hadn't been built? Both halves would be useful, but joining them up vastly increases the possibilities. The same is true of the interconnector.

[al2637]

Not disagreeing on the merits of the interconnector, just wondering if anything will be done to try and reduce this problem? With both governments talking about more frequent Dublin-Belfast services, and increased commuter services, how are the DARTs going to feed into the interconnector every 3 minutes?

Will there be a turnback facility at Docklands to stop the problem propogating onto the Kildare line?

[Colm R]

Not wanting to paraphrase Willie O'Dea, because I just don't like the man, but the Northern Line is a victim of its own success.

It travels through one of the most heavily populated areas in the Greater Dublin area. So how can it be fixed. 4 tracking it could be an option, albeit very difficult from Clontarf Road going North.

[weehamster]

Thats why the DART has to go all the way to Drogheda, not just to Ballbriggan.

This would take away the Drogheda Commuter service Diesel Trains and only leave the Dundalk Commuter and the Belfast Enterprise Diesel Trains to share the Northern Line with the DART.

[Brian Condron]

Originally Posted by al2637

Not disagreeing on the merits of the interconnector, just wondering if anything will be done to try and reduce this problem? With both governments talking about more frequent Dublin-Belfast services, and increased commuter services, how are the DARTs going to feed into the interconnector every 3 minutes??

Quick bit of crayonism here, somebody tell me why this is impossible, but why can't we remove the Belfast trains from Connolly and send them to Heuston. Cut and cover from Heuston through the Phoenix Park, bit of a bored tunnel to the M50, and then surface alongside the M50, interchange at Metropark and then on to the northern line through that supposed "reservation" to connect the airport to the northern line. Maybe even have a junction with the Maynooth line on the way and take the Sligo trains to Heuston as well.

This is a top of my head idea so no slagging my lack of engineering considerations.

[Garrett]

Originally Posted by Brian Condron

Quick bit of crayonism here, somebody tell me why this is impossible, but why can't we remove the Belfast trains from Connolly and send them to Heuston. Cut and cover from Heuston through the Phoenix Park, bit of a bored tunnel to the M50, and then surface alongside the M50, interchange at Metropark and then on to the northern line through that supposed "reservation" to connect the airport to the northern line. Maybe even have a junction with the Maynooth line on the way and take the Sligo trains to Heuston as well.

This is a top of my head idea so no slagging my lack of engineering considerations.

Yep, you're completly mad! Just kidding cos I haven't a clue myself but sure I love the aul crayonism anyhows. As Derek says, we have to be wary about acting out railway fantasies from behind our computers in the comfort of our bedrooms.
Having said that, and before anybody thinks that I've finally copped on and have started talkin sense, my bit of crayonism would be to branch the Belfast line off somewhere near Donabate and link to to the metro stop at Lissenhall or Swords - 5 km of pure greenfield - and bingo, you've got a rail link from Dublin Airport to Belfast, and an alternative Dublin city centre to Belfast route via the metro.

First though, build the interconnector.