Rail Users Ireland Forum - [Article] DART airport plan on track as Metro North hits the buffers

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No funds for Metro North plan

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...305001673.html

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No funds for Metro North plan
MICHAEL O'REGAN

MINISTER FOR Transport Leo Varadkar cast doubts on the Government giving the go-ahead to the Dublin Metro North rail project during its term in office.

He said it was a good project and would benefit his Dublin West constituency enormously.

â€œI would love to be able to deliver it to my constituents during my term in office, but it is the most expensive project by a mile and requires both private and public finances, neither of which are available, apparently, although this may change,â€ he added.

Mr Varadkar said the Government would not do anything to prevent Metro North, the Dart underground and the Luas BXD line going ahead in the future.

â€œIf it is not possible for all, or any, of those projects to proceed during the term of this Government, we will ensure they get to the end-of-railway stage and have planning permission so that they will be shovel-ready when it is possible to proceed,â€™â€™ he added.

Dessie Ellis (SF) said Metro North had so far cost â‚¬150 million. He said the Government was talking about raising â‚¬5 billion, some of which would go towards job creation.

â€œI am not necessarily saying I agree with the selling off of State assets, because I do not, but I believe this project would deliver a lot of jobs,â€ he added.

Mr Varadkar said he had previously expressed the view that he would favour the sale of State assets if the money could be reinvested in the economy.

If Dessie Ellis is worried about jobs from Metro North, we should not use TBMs but rather navvies.

Metro North gets final Bord PleanÃ¡la go-ahead

on RTE news website...

Metro North has been given the go-ahead by An Bord PleanÃ¡la despite doubts about the future of the project

Metro North has been given the final go-ahead despite doubts about the future of the project.

The Rail Procurement Agency was given permission for a 16.5-km track from St Stephen's Green to Swords last October.

But An Bord PleanÃ¡la had shortened the proposed route and asked that the rail depot be moved from Belinstown north of Swords to Dardistown south of Dublin Airport.

Today the board approved revised plans which would also involve permission for acquisition of lands.

Two plots are occupied by sports clubs Na Fianna and Whitehall Rangers. There is also land owned by Fingal County Council used as an aircraft viewing area and land belonging to the Dublin Airport Authority.

The permission will last for 10 years meaning these lands and others along the route cannot be developed by anyone else in the meantime.

It is reported that Transport Minister Leo Varadkar will announce before the end of the year the postponement of both Metro North and the Underground DART - the combined cost is estimated at â‚¬5 billion.

But the Rail Procurement Agency is reported to have already spent â‚¬200 million on the Metro project and is now due to select a winning bid to build and operate Metro North from two competing consortiums Celtic Metro and Metro Express.

It is also understood the successful company would be entitled to compensation if the project is deferred.

Mr Varadkar recently announced that the Metro West project would not be going through the planning process.

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It is also understood the successful company would be entitled to compensation if the project is deferred.

Sensationalism. While there may be special arrangements in place to keep them sweet, there is no entitlement to compensation for tenderers.

Indeed we always retain the right not to accept any offer at all.