Extension of Interconnector Tunnel To Inchicore Welcomed
April 6th 2009
Irish Rail's announcement that the proposed interconnector tunnel will now surface at Inchicore was today welcomed by Rail Users Ireland. The original proposals to have the tunnel portal in Heuston where impractical and would have resulted in a substandard arrangement not to mention several years of disruption to rail services to/from Heuston. In fact the Heuston Hazelhatch electrification scheme was to be deferred until sometime post 2015, today it appears to be fully back on the agenda for completion at the same time as the interconnector tunnel.
Speaking on behalf of Rail Users Ireland, Mark Gleeson said: This change which we had been pushing for represents a win win scenario for all rail passengers both current and future, elimination of significant disruption for rail passengers during construction, a further station and increased overall capacity
As a result of the extension of the tunnel to Inchicore, the option to use the Phoenix park tunnel route for passenger rail services is retained, under previous plans it would not have been possible to operate services through the Phoenix park tunnel.
Rail Users Ireland members had raised the issue of the difficulties of the Inchicore Heuston section at the public consultations held in both 2007 and 2008. On both occasions our recommendation to extend the tunnel to Inchicore was rejected.