Irish Rail passengers face disruption of up to 21 months on the busy western commuter lines to Dublin during the construction of MetroLink which was granted planning permission this week.
Partial closures are required on the Western Commuter Line and the South Western Commuter Line, from Maynooth and M3 Parkway near Dunboyne, to Connolly and Docklands, to facilitate the construction of the MetroLink at Glasnevin.
An Coimisiún Pleanála inspector Niall Haverty said in a report on the MetroLink that there would be a “significant negative impact” on the lines, but added this would be outweighed by the long-term public transport benefits.
MetroLink is expected to begin operation in the mid-2030s and will run mostly underground from Swords in north Dublin to Charlemont, close to Ranelagh, serving the airport and the city centre. Of the 16 stations along its 18.8km (11.6 mile) line, MetroLink will interchange with Irish Rail services at Glasnevin and Tara Street.
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At Glasnevin, the existing tracks will need to be lowered by two metres which will result in the closure of the western line through the area for up to 21 months. Trains coming from the M3 Parkway will be unable to continue to the Docklands and will have to terminate at Broombridge in Cabra.
The southwestern line will be subject to closures for five months, but with a greater length of the line affected. Trains on this line from Maynooth to Connolly and trains using the Phoenix Park Tunnel to reach Connolly will instead terminate in Heuston.
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In its submission on the MetroLink application, Irish Rail said the closures would have a “significant disruptive impact” on passenger, freight and maintenance services.
“They contend that this closure period is excessive and that a shorter closure period should be feasible,” Mr Haverty’s report said.
Irish Rail also raised the issue of its Dart+ programme to electrify the lines and upgrade them to Dart standard service frequencies “which they state may be completed or under way prior to MetroLink construction commencing,” Mr Haverty said.
In response Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), which is developing MetroLink, acknowledged disruption to services and impacts on customers, but said the planned closures represent a “worst case impact” and it was working to reduce the overall duration and impact of the closures.
It was “somewhat surprising” the two public transport bodies, “have not reached an agreed position in relation to the proposed Glasnevin Station” prior to making their MetroLink and Dart+ applications Mr Haverty said.
“This is intended to be an interchange station between the MetroLink and the heavy rail network, and it would have been reasonable to expect that matters relating to how the interchange would be built and operated and the amount that the railway tracks would need to be lowered and would have been agreed, at least in principle, in advance of the applications being made.”
Irish Rail said it had “engaged and continues to engage extensively with TII/MetroLink to minimise impacts to our customers and services during the construction phase of MetroLink”.
During the periods of disruption “any alternative transport arrangements required, with options within our own network, and with bus and Luas services” would be “considered and determined, in consultation with the NTA”.
Labour TD Marie Sherlock, who represents the area, said she was concerned about potential “escalating traffic” throughout Glasnevin, Phibsborough and Drumcondra if adequate measures were not put in place during the period of closures.
