Transport Projects in Ireland

[hcrosskey]

I thought it might be an idea to start a thread on all the big transport projects that are starting in Ireland, most of them are in Dublin.

Starting with Dublin Airport, where Terminal 2 is going up and Terminal 1 is practically doubling in size and a new runway is being built.

Terminal 1 Extension





Terminal 2







The New Runway

[Zim Flyer]

excellent idea for a thread.

Does anyone know what is happening regarding Dublin's Tram extensions are they definates or maybe's?

[hcrosskey]

Then there is Metro North which is due to be running by 2013 and will run underground from the city centre to the airport and the overground to some County Dublin suburbs. There is some urgency to get this up and running asap because at the momment the only links from the busy airport to the city centre are taxi's and a fleet of busses. In 2013 taking the Metro from the Airport to O'Connell St will take about 15 mins.. not bad at all!

Route Map



Example of Train going to the suburb of Swords



Also on the cards is Metro West which will run from the Airport to the large suburb of Tallaght cutting out the city centre though no firm start date has been set on this yet.

[hcrosskey]

from www.independent.ie


City to get its own 'tube' in new plan
By Treacy Hogan Environment Correspondent
Wednesday February 27 2008


It dwarfs the scale and impact of the Port Tunnel.


The €2bn underground Dart through the heart of Dublin city centre will run every three minutes and carry up to 70,000 commuters an hour.

New images showing the scale of what will be one of the biggest ever infrastructure projects in Ireland, due to open in 2015 and comprising two entirely new Dart services, were also released yesterday.

The 5.2km line, an underground tunnel from the Docklands to Heuston station, will increase rail capacity from 33 million passenger journeys annually now to over 100 million.

Dr John Lynch, Iarnrod Eireann and CIE chairman, yesterday described the Dart underground line as "the missing link, not only in our rail infrastructure, but in our transport infrastructure".

"It will be the most critical project under Transport 21 in enabling people to switch from private transport to public transport, and will transform the capacity of the greater Dublin area rail network."

As part of the exciting plans, the northern line Dart services from Balbriggan and Howth will branch off the existing line after Clontarf Road, going underground at Docklands station, where they will connect with the red Luas line.

The Dart interconnector will continue underground to Pearse Station, before connecting with the green Luas and Metro at St Stephen's Green, and proceeding to Heuston. The Dart will go overground to Adamstown and Hazelhatch in Co Kildare.

A second new Dart line will connect Maynooth -- and a massive M3 park and ride at Pace -- to the existing Bray/Greystones Dart line, stopping at Glasnevin and Drumcondra.

Crucially, the new links join all rail modes -- Dart, commuter rail, intecity, Luas and the proposed Metro. A railway order application is being submitted for the project in 2009.

Timetable for underground link
- 2001: Project included in blueprint for integrated greater Dublin transport.

- 2006: Scheme is approved under the massive €34bn Transport 21 package.

- 2007: Public consultation.

- 2008: Detailed site investigations.

- 2008: Iarnrod Eireann will apply for a Railway Order for the project -- equivalent to planning permission.

- 2009: Public hearing into the underground, followed by an inspector's report. The many parts of the project will then be put out to tender.

- 2010: Construction work will begin involving a twin-bore tunnel at 30 metres depth. Some stations will be mined (Christ Church, St Stephen's Green), with others built using 'Cut and cover' methods (Heuston, Docklands).

- 2015: Underground open.

- Treacy Hogan Environment Correspondent

Pearce St Station

[hcrosskey]

Just been reading that Metro West is due to start running in 2014 just one year after Metro North.. the infrastructure projects that are going on in Dublin are just amazing, so much happening!

from www.independent.ie again..

€30m for Metro site deal

By Con power
Wednesday December 12 2007


A strategic land holding adjacent to the proposed new Metro West line in the Dublin suburbs is changing hands in a major land development deal.


The 34-acre site is located at Dubber Cross on St Margaret's Road, just north of the M50 motorway.

Agents HT Meagher O'Reilly would not be drawn on the price. But market sources believe the consideration is close to the €30m guide.

The land is currently zoned "to protect and provide for the development of agricultural rural amenity", in the Fingal County Council Development Plan 2005-2011.

However, the majority of land surrounding the site is zoned either residential, general industrial or distribution/warehouse.

Large-scale developments nearby include the Charlestown mixed-used scheme.

Due to the fact that the majority of surrounding lands are zoned and the introduction of the Metro West route, it is expected that the new owner will seek to get the lands re-zoned in the next development plan to allow for residential and commercial development on this major transport infrastructure.

The proposed Metro West Meakstown stop is adjacent to the site.

Metro West is the new light rail system which will connect Tallaght to Dublin Airport via Clondalkin and Blanchardstown.

The development of this line is currently at route stage and it is proposed that the line will be operational by 2014.

- Con power

[hcrosskey]

Metro North on O'Connell St with Luas trams above.

[Leeds No.1]

It really is incredible to see how Dublin has got itself sorted, and public transport is being taken seriously. It puts this country to shame. The first time I visited Dublin which was 2002, there were buses only. Now there is all this; it's wonderful. It's a pity that the UK government dismiss public transport.

[NothingBetterToDo]

To be fair, its taken Dublin (Note Dublin, not 'Ireland') decades to get to this point, for far too long its been limping by with a shoddy bus service and infrequent DART trains (and in recent times a new Tram line). And not having the countrys main airport connected to a train/tram is crazy. Most of the UK's major cities already have trams/metros, and reasonably well integrated transport networks (Nottingham's is excellent). Although i do agree that the UK government should invest more in public transport throughout the country.

It's great to see Dublin finally getting the transport system it deserves - it's totally unsustainable for it to be expanding at the rate it is, and to carry on being almost completely reliant on cars. Hopefully we'll see public transport schemes extend further throughout Ireland, and even some high speed rail at some point - Ireland is small, but quite sparsely populated (with most cities/towns being very compact), so it would be ideal for some fast trains.

[sotonsi]

don't forget the massive road building scheme - Limerick, Waterford and Cork-Dublin motorways, plus a few others dotted about (eg Waterford bypass, M3, N18 upgrade) and the masses of bypasses being built on national primary and major secondary routes. Then there's the M50 widening to 8 lanes from than 4 (D4 from D2), which includes huge junction upgrades. Long term plans include a finishing off of the M50 ring, with a tunnel between the Port and Sandyford and a Dublin Outer Orbital from Drogheda to Wicklow.

all this, plus the Metro North/West and also the Crossrail type scheme for the DART. IIRC Metro North is a standard Metro, whereas Metro West is compatible with the Luas and Metro North - initially it'll be like a Luas line, but has provision to become a branch of Metro North (I think - it at least can become a similar metro line).

[hcrosskey]

More on the Metro

from www.independent.ie

Metro stations get the green light in fast-track decision
By Treacy Hogan and Paul Melia
Wednesday February 13 2008


WORK on the Metro from Dublin city centre to the airport is to start even though a builder has not been picked.


Transport Minister Noel Dempsey yesterday got Cabinet approval for Exchequer funding to be used to fast-track construction of stations at the new Mater Hospital and at Terminal 2 in Dublin Airport.

The RPA will now go ahead and build the station boxes at the Mater and Dublin Airport.

If they waited for the successful bidder to build these stations it would cause significant disruption at both the Mater and the airport as construction on the new hospital and new terminal would be already under way.

By giving the green light to the RPA now to get construction under way they minimise disruption at both locations.

Later this week the RPA will invite the four international consortia that have pre-qualified to tender for the Metro North project to engage in a technical workshop in advance of inviting them to formally bid for the project.

It is understood that the Rail Procurement Agency (RPA) will have to delay lodging its Railway Order Application to An Bord Pleanala by up to three months because the design for Metro North is not sufficiently detailed for the purposes of a planning application.

The RPA has planned to lodge the application to the Board early this year under new legislation which allows for the "fast tracking" of strategic infrastructure projects, but it could be the summer before the design is complete.

Completion

This could result in a delay in Metro coming on stream. Construction work was due to be completed by 2012, but informed sources have said it is likely to be 2013 before work is finished.

However, yesterday Mr Dempsey secured Government approval for the RPA to begin enabling works on the construction of the station sites at the new Mater Hospital and Terminal 2 in Dublin Airport.

The Government has now agreed the financing structure of the project so that the RPA can proceed with the bidding process.

The Metro will be the largest infrastructure project currently under way in Europe and Mr Dempsey said he was pushing to get it delivered as quickly as possible.

Mr Dempsey said the Metro was vital as a cost-effective public transport alternative to get people out of their cars.

"We can't let cars continue to pour onto our streets. It's unsustainable, it's causing traffic gridlock, costing the economy millions and people precious time," he added.

The proposed route for Metro North would serve areas where the population is expected to double in the next 20 years.

- Treacy Hogan and Paul Melia

[hcrosskey]

Let's hope they don't ask the same team that built the Dublin Port Tunnel to deliver the Metro! What a mess!

from breakingnews.ie

Port tunnel builders to be sued over repeated problems
28/02/2008 - 07:43:55
Two state bodies are reportedly suing the builders of the Dublin Port Tunnel over repeated system failures which they claim have led to frequent closures.

Reports this morning say the National Roads Authority and Dublin City Council have decided to take the action after a problem caused the tunnel to be closed for eight hours yesterday.

Dublin City Council had to lift its ban on heavy goods vehicles in the city centre, leading to severe traffic congestion across the city.

The NRA and Dublin City Council are reportedly seeking compensation from the consortium that built the €750m tunnel to recover all costs associated with the malfunctions.

[hcrosskey]

Will Metro North really be the largest project of its kind in Europe? Any other cities building subway lines or similar at the momment? What about London's Crossrail? Is it smaller?

[sarflonlad]

About bloody time!! Buses to and from the airport. A joke. Anyone who has done this will know just what a nightmare it is.

Originally Posted by Leeds No.1

It really is incredible to see how Dublin has got itself sorted, and public transport is being taken seriously. It puts this country to shame. The first time I visited Dublin which was 2002, there were buses only. Now there is all this; it's wonderful. It's a pity that the UK government dismiss public transport.

Ireland is having a "boom" (as Bertie Ahern put it). Standard of living and income per capita in Ireland is now higher than in the UK. Everywhere having a 'boom' is building like mad new urban infrastructure - Eastern Europe, China, India etc. etc.

The UK is not experiencing the same levels of growth as Ireland... and whilst it could do more to invest in our transport, comparing like for like is inappropriate because simply the expected additional income is not there... and well we've had our 'boom'.

[dronkula]

Originally Posted by hcrosskey

Will Metro North really be the largest project of its kind in Europe? Any other cities building subway lines or similar at the momment? What about London's Crossrail? Is it smaller?

"The Metro will be the largest infrastructure project currently under way in Europe and Mr Dempsey said he was pushing to get it delivered as quickly as possible."

Crossrail is not currently underway yet.

With all these claims from any project about being the 'largest/biggest' it's normally with some proviso that means 'well, it sounds good, but don't check the details too much because it's not actually 100% accurate'. Like in London with LBT still being called the 'Tallest in Europe' - because right now, there's nothing taller completed but by the time they build LBT there will be several others taller already.

[odlum833]

Good thread. I would say the Interconnector is the most strategically important public transport initiative in Dublin even more so then the
Metro because it will provide the vital link between all public transport options

DART - METRO - TRAM - BUS

The main link where all 4 will really come together will be St Stephens Green - which will have to have an enourmous trench dug into it to facilitate the Metro crossing the Interconnector underground.


www.transport21.ie

Most of these public transport projects are under the 'Transport 21 programme'.

The tram extension are definate. The first southward extension toward Bray (a southern suburb) is well U/C.

[CharlieP]

Originally Posted by hcrosskey

Will Metro North really be the largest project of its kind in Europe? Any other cities building subway lines or similar at the momment? What about London's Crossrail? Is it smaller?

I discovered at the weekend that Amsterdam is building a new metro line at the moment, opening in 2013(!).

[suburbansky]

Great to see all these public transport projects. Still, a few open questions remain, for me at least:

Who's gonna pay for it? Of course, Ireland is booming, but the boom won't hold until forever, and Dublin is not a metropolis - many urban areas in England or on the continent are larger.

And wouldn't it be smarter to connect the airport directly to the national rail network? There ARE in fact still some people living outside Dublin - approximately 3 million.

[Isaac Newell]

Dublin is closer to Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow than London is. Could be a great hub for Northern England/Scotland. Not a bad hub for transatlantic connections into Europe.

A better competitor to Heathrow than any airport in the UK ?

[suburbansky]

For a project outside Dublin: The planned new railway station for Galway (about time...) looks very promising, see the brochure and the statement by CIE.

Does anybody know whether this project is prospective enough and thought about the integration of trams possibly introduced in Galway some time in the future?

Plus, the first branch of the re-activated Western Railway Corridor is supposed to begin operation this year, allowing train services between Galway and Limerick, see West on Track. This is good news, of course, however, I wonder if it wouldn't be better to build a new line from Oranmore to Craughwell instead of taking the rather tedious detour via Athenry - this devours a lot of time indeed, and the new service should be faster than the bus to make sense.

[SELondoner]

Originally Posted by odlum833

Good thread.

Ditto

Originally Posted by odlum833

The tram extension are definate. The first southward extension toward Bray (a southern suburb) is well U/C.

They're doing very well, it's a great system. However, to be picky, the Bray end is not yet under construction, only the first part to Cherrywood. Bray will follow though