DART Tunnel/Interconnector

[Derek Wheeler]

Just keeping it in the news and maybe introducing it to some new people throughout Dublin in a non-technical and easy to understand fashion.

Original article is here http://www.informer.ie/article007.html?&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=236&tx_ttnews[backPid]=12&cHash=214febff6a with graphics and usual "doubt" as expressed by Derek.

From the Dublin Informer.

Dublin's vitally important rail project

By Derek Wheeler

Another new station opened on Dublin’s rail network recently. Phoenix Park station, located on the Navan road, was funded and built by the developer in order to provide public transport facilities to the homes being developed on the old Phoenix Park racecourse site.

This is now an established trend in Dublin since the Adamstown development near Lucan became the first such example of providing train stations on adjacent lines. A similar plan is in place on the northern line near Baldoyle.

Struggling efficiency
At first glance the provision of these new stations appears to make absolute sense and is a far cry from the irresponsible development of the past. However on closer inspection these new stations have the potential to further curtail the already struggling efficiency of the lines they serve.

When the Phoenix Park station opened, commuters on the Maynooth line immediately expressed concerns about the existing overcrowding and unreliability of the line. These points were even accepted by the Minister for Transport, Noel Dempsey, who has promised longer trains for the route. But this is only part of what is required right across the Dublin commuter rail network. Building new stations and providing longer trains solves a small part of the problem. Adding additional train services to the network is the real solution.
But this cannot be done in any meaningful fashion until an important project is built. It’s a project that hasn’t received much publicity and one that has been the subject of various campaigns since 2004. Irish Rail calls it the “Interconnector”. It sounds like something from a sci-fi movie so I’ll simplify it and explain it in terms that we can all understand.

The Interconnector is a rail tunnel that would run from Heuston station to Docklands and connect the rail lines at Heuston with the rail lines running out of Connolly station. Of course, the Phoenix Park Tunnel route does something similar and I outlined its potential in a previous issue.

Potential to redefine
However, this new tunnel has the potential to completely redefine how Dublin’s commuter trains operate. The tunnel would be electrified and carry DART trains. This would mean that the vast majority of the commuter network would also be electrified. The proposed services are as follows. A DART service would operate from Hazlehatch/Celbridge to Balbriggan, serving Heuston, Pearse, Docklands and most stations on the existing northern line.

The Maynooth line would also have a DART service serving all current stations to Connolly and then onto Bray/Greystones. With this tunnel in place more capacity (that’s space for more trains to you and I) could be provided and other commuter services could be vastly improved. Further benefits include superior methods of integration with other public transport modes. It’s not an exaggeration to suggest that without this tunnel being built, Dublin’s rail network will grind to an unmerciful halt at some point in the not-to-distant future.

This new DART tunnel is included in the Government's Transport 21 programme of investment with an estimated completion date of 2015. Some commentators such as passenger representation bodies have expressed doubt about the Governments commitment to the project. I would be of the same opinion because the Governments performance in terms of public transport projects has been relatively weak and badly planned out.

This tunnel should have been the very first rail project to get the green light from Kildare Street. That’s how important it is. Without it, none of the other rail projects will perform to the best of their ability. It’s also true to say that this project is relevant to a larger area than just the city centre.

Even campaign groups outside the city recognise the potential of this DART tunnel. “It’s the single most important piece of infrastructure in Transport 21. On paper the project looks local to the centre of the city, when in reality it will benefit commuters throughout Leinster,” said a spokesperson from the Navan rail lobby, Meath on Track.

“The extra capacity created by the tunnel will take cars off the road and even benefit areas that aren’t served by rail. It’s a critical piece of national infrastructure”, he added.

Quality of life solution
Rail Users Ireland has campaigned for the tunnel since 2004. According to spokesperson, Thomas Stamp, it’s imperative that it’s built as soon as possible. “Many problems that exist on the Dublin suburban lines can be put down to the fact that we don’t have the DART tunnel in place yet. It’s not just an engineering solution; it’s a quality of life solution for the thousands of rail users throughout the Dublin area. We can’t believe it’s not a more urgent priority”, he said.

The project has gone through a public consultation phase and according to Irish Rail is at the detailed planning and design stage. With dark clouds gathering in terms of the economy many will be holding their breath in relation to this much needed solution.

Whether or not it survives any future cuts in spending is still wide open to debate. If it's not delivered then one thing is irrefutable, commuter rail services in Dublin will be in bigger trouble than they are already.

Further details about the project are available at www.railusers.ie