Kildare Route Project Fact Sheet

WHAT IS THE KILDARE ROUTE PROJECT?

The Kildare Route Project is a major capital investment project designed to increase the frequency of commuter and other services along the key Kildare to Heuston corridor, to allow thousands more commuters every day use rail services.

This will be achieved through increasing the number of tracks from two to four along the route from Cherry Orchard to the 10.5 milepost west of Hazelhatch, providing two dedicated lines for commuter services and two dedicated lines for Intercity and regional services.

Other major works covered by the project include the replacement or alteration of a number of road overbridges to facilitate the four-tracking; new and relocated stations; enhancement of existing station; and associated signalling between Inchicore and Cherryville Junction and other works.

WHAT SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS WILL IT DELIVER?

The Kildare Route Project will allow Iarnród Éireann to deliver commuter and regional services as follows at peak times:

Improvements Include:

• Doubling service frequency from Hazelhatch, Sallins, Newbridge and Kildare to Heuston.
• Significantly increasing the frequency of services between the outer commuter towns of Carlow and Portloaise to Dublin.
• Will also facilitate increased frequency and clockface timetabling on Intercity routes

The existing service has a total capacity per day, per direction of 11,050 commuter passengers. The Kildare Route Project will see the capacity steadily increased to a total potential capacity of 36,400 commuter passengers per day in each direction.

WHAT NEW STATIONS WILL BE BUILT?

The Kildare Route Project will facilitate the provision of new commuter stations as well as upgrading existing stations:

• Cherry Orchard Station will be relocated 900m west at Parkwest. It will be completed mid 2008.
• Clondalkin Station will be relocated 700m west to a new Station: Clondalkin-Fonthill. This will be completed by the end of 2008.
• A new station will be constructed at Kishoge, which will be completed by 2009.
• Adamstown Station opened on April 10th 2007 and is now fully operational.
• Hazelhatch Station will be significantly upgraded.
• All stations will be manned and fully accessible for those with mobility and sensory impairments.

It is proposed that all of these stations, new and upgraded, will be manned in the future and include improved facilities such as full accessibility, toilet facilities, sheltered seating, ticket vending machines and emergency call points.

WILL THERE BE DISRUPTION TO EXISTING SERVICES WHILE NEW TRACK AND OTHER ELEMENTS OF THE PROJECT ARE BEING BUILT?

There will be unavoidable disruption to existing services to and from Heuston at certain times during the development of the project. During the replacement and alteration of road overbridges, traffic diversions in certain areas will be necessary. Iarnród Eireann will endeavour to minimise this disruption. Local residents, businesses, community groups, public representatives and media will be kept informed of any planned disruptions as the project progresses.

WHAT IS THE RAILWAY ORDER AND WHEN DID THE PUBLIC INQUIRY TAKE PLACE?

The Railway Order is the equivalent of a planning permission process for new railway lines. It also covers Compulsory Purchase Order powers for Iarnród Éireann and gives Iarnród Éireann full operating rights over the new railway.

Under the Railway Order, Iarnród Éireann displayed the full plans for the Kildare Route Project at 12 different locations from 12th October- 21st November 2005.

This was to allow all interested parties the opportunity to view the plans and those who so wished had 14 days after the end of the display period to submit any views they may have had on the project to the Minister for Transport.

All submissions, including the original plans, were then the subject of a Public Inquiry, Chaired by Pat Butler SC, who was appointed Inspector to the Inquiry by the Minister for Transport. The Inspector submitted to the Minister a report in writing of the findings of the Inquiry and any recommendations he considered appropriate having regard to the inquiry.

On 5th December 2006, The Minister for Transport made an Order under Section 43 of the Transport (Railway Infrastructure) Act 2001. This Order authorises CIÉ, subject to conditions, to quadruple a section of track between Le Fanu Road, Inchicore to west of Cherryfield Junction in Kildare on the Heuston-Cork line, as well as associated ancillary works such as station developments.

WILL THERE BE COMPULSORY PURCHASE ORDERS?

Certain areas of land are required that were not in the ownership of Iarnród Éireann.

This includes land which to facilitate the project is being permanently acquired; land over which rights including rights of way may be acquired; public or private rights of way which may be extinguished; public or private rights of way which may be temporarily interrupted; and land of which temporary possession may be taken.

All affected landowners have been contacted directly by Iarnród Éireann to advise them of the scope of impact on their property.

WHAT IS THE TIMESCALE ENVISAGED FOR THE KILDARE ROUTE PROJECT?

The Public Inquiry took place from 24th January 2006 to 2nd February 2006.

On 5th December 2006, The Minister for Transport made an Order under Section 43 of the Transport (Railway Infrastructure) Act 2001.

Project construction commenced mid 2007, after enabling works took place. These included activities such as relocation of utility services, erection of temporary fencing, establishing site compounds and access routes, track realignment works, site preparation and consultation with stakeholders. It is anticipated that the project will be completed by early 2010.

WHAT ARE THE COSTS ENVISAGED FOR THE KILDARE ROUTE PROJECT?

The project will cost in excess of €350 million.

Please note - this fact sheet is a brief, simplified summary of the scope of the Kildare Route Project and the benefits it will deliver.

It is not intended to represent the full detail of the Kildare Route Project. Interested parties are advised to contact the project office for additional details.