Iarnród Éireann offers rail plan as alternative route to €2bn metro

IARNRÓD ÉIREANN says its plan for a Dublin commuter rail network will provide a far better and more cost-effective service than the €2 billion metro line proposed by Transport Minister Seamus Brennan.

The company’s Infrastructure Advisory Committee chairman Gerry Duggan says their €2.8 billion plan will get countrywide travellers through the capital city much quicker.

“If someone is travelling from Cork to Belfast they will be able to get a direct connection from Heuston to Connolly station and workers going from the north to south and east to west of the city will have new speedier service,” Mr Duggan said.

In contrast, the metro line proposed by Mr Brennan will only go from Dublin airport to St Stephen’s Green and will not benefit people from outside Dublin trying to get through the city.

“Our plan would also reduce the commuting time dramatically and house prices because it would open up a far wider area for development,” Mr Duggan said.

But Mr Brennan’s spokesman last night rejected the claim that the Iarnród Éireann plan was the best for Dublin.

“The Public Transport Committee came out very strongly in favour of Mr Brennan's metro plan last week - the airport link is only phase one,” the spokesman said.

He also rejected the claim that the airport metro would not be value for money.

It will provide a commuter link for people who currently do not have one and the Government will not have to start paying for it until the project is completed.

“Iarnród Éireann are proposing to use part of the Belfast to Dublin line for their service to the airport and there is a question mark over whether it will be able for that increased capacity,” the spokesman said.

A large part of the €3.5 billion that the minister has allocated to infrastructure will go towards upgrading many of the existing commuter rail lines coming into Dublin.

Iarnród Éireann’s proposed €2.8bn plan includes:

A five-stop underground linking the main stations of Heuston, Pearse St, and two new stations at High St, St Stephen’s Green and the Docklands.

A Dart line from Maynooth, via Clonsilla, through the city to the Phoenix Park and Connolly Station, St Stephen’s Green, Pearse St and Bray.

A dart line from the Docklands station to Dublin airport.

A Dart line from Kildare, Heuston, High St, St Stephen’s Green, Pearse St and the Docklands.

The €2bn metro that Mr Brennan is proposing would run underground from St Stephen's Green to Connolly Station, O’Connell Street, Ballymun and the airport. But this is only the first phase in the city’s metro plan.