MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT Eamon Ryan has secured agreement from the Cabinet for the DART+ South West rail project to enter the planning system by the end of March.

This public transport project will extend DART trains from Dublin city centre to Hazelhatch and Celbridge train station in Co Kildare, as part of a wider expansion of DART services in the coming years. 

The project will provide electrified rail service to communities along the route at Islandbridge, Park West and Cherry Orchard, Clondalkin, Adamstown, and Celbridge and Hazelhatch. 

Following Government approval today, a Railway Order (planning application) for DART+ South West, covering 20km of new electrified rail infrastructure, will be submitted to An Bord Pleanála by the end of March.

Subject to planning permission and final funding arrangements, construction works for DART + South West could commence in 2025, with delivery of the infrastructure by the end of the decade. 

Train services along the route are planned to at least double in frequency, with up to 11 trains each way per hour at peak times serving stations upon completion of the project.

This will increase the number of passengers that can travel to and from Dublin city along the route from circa 5,000 each way at present to 20,000 in future.

The project will also see the construction of a new station, Heuston West, at Islandbridge, and the quadrupling of rail track between Park West and Heuston.

The project involves electrification of the Phoenix Park Tunnel along with the wider route, allowing DART trains to operate between Hazelhatch/Celbridge and Connolly station (and beyond), as well as Heuston station.

DART+ South West is part of the multi-billion euro DART+ Programme which will treble the current DART rail network from 53km to 150km, extending the DART to Drogheda to the north and Maynooth to the west.

The number of people living within 1km of a DART station will increase from about 250,000 at present to 600,000 in future.

Minister Ryan said today:

 “The Government’s approval of DART+ South West today highlights our commitment to invest in high-quality public transport and decarbonise Ireland’s transport system. This rail project will transform the lives of people living in communities along the route, giving them a fast, reliable and frequent train service into Dublin.”

“It also means that we can move ahead with good, transport led planning, facilitating vital affordable new housing along the route. I look forward to the DART+ Programme rolling-out further in the coming years.”

“We’ll start this with the delivery of the first batch of 90 new DART carriages arriving next year. This will see new DART services between Drogheda and Dublin city from early 2025, before then expanding to other areas including Hazelhatch and Celbridge.”