Bid to suspend work on rail system fails

Suspending a plan to close half of Dublin’s busy suburban rail system while upgrading work is carried out would add millions of euros to the cost of the project, it was claimed today.

The Government expressed concern last night over the plan to close half of the DART network every weekend over an 18-month period to permit an essential €176m upgrading programme.

Transport minister Seamus Brennan asked state-backed rail company Iarnród Éireann to suspend the project until the New Year.

But Iarnród Éireann claimed it would not be possible to postpone the plan, although work will be halted on the two Saturdays before Christmas.

Company spokesman Barry Kenny said: “We don’t want to start a major project with a cost overrun.

“Obviously, in terms of deferring the entire works until after Christmas, you are talking about a multi-million euro overrun from the start.”

He said the Department of Transport had been fully aware of the project, and that the company had distributed leaflets giving notice of the plans.

It was claimed that the DART’s 87,000 regular weekend passengers were given just four days’ notice of the plans, although Iarnród Éireann said it had warned earlier this year that the improvements were scheduled.

Pat Delaney, director of the Small Firms Association, said the decision would be a disaster.

He doubted whether enough promised extra buses would be provided for people who would normally use the DART.

Dublin City Centre Business Association also criticised the decision.