Kent Station Through Platform
Project overview
Kent Station in Cork is an intercity and commuter station which initially consisted of five station platforms. It serves intercity trains to and from Dublin and Tralee, and regional commuter services to and from Mallow, Midleton and Cobh.
Service operations at Kent Station have been constrained by the lack of platforms which facilitate the through running of trains. Most services from Mallow, Midleton and Cobh terminate at Kent Station with passengers required to change service to continue an onward journey.
The new platforms 5b and 6 at Kent Station will support the introduction of through running services at the station. The new platforms can allow commuter trains to travel through Kent Station from Mallow and onto Midleton or Cobh without terminating or requiring passengers to change service. This means a better service while offering operational flexibility and the opportunity to increase passenger capacity on the network.
This project is part of the first phase of work undertaken by the National Transport Authority (NTA) and Iarnród Éireann to deliver the rail vision set out in the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy (CMATS) 2040.
Along with the completion of the Glounthaune to Midleton Twin Tracking, the Proposed Signalling and Communications upgrades and the delivery of a new fleet, the new platforms at Kent Station will allow to facilitate a tripling of service frequency along the line and will ensure a more reliable service.
Cad iad na buntáistí
The new platform 6 at Kent Station will ultimately allow through running services and offer a more accessible and improve customer experience for rail users. Works completed included:
- Construction of a 220m long, 6m wide, double sided extension to Platform 5 providing for the new platform 5b and the new Platform 6 and allow ease of integration and connectivity to the existing station.
- An extension of the existing new retaining wall between the new track six and the depot area on the south side.
- Track reconfiguration to support future through running services and proposed service increases
- Reinstatement of the eastern access to the existing station subway from Platform 5
Maoiniú an Tionscadail
Tá Céim 1 de Chlár Iarnróid Comaitéireachta Cheantar Chorcaí maoinithe go príomha ag ionstraim aisghabhála NextGenerationEU agus cuirtear leis le maoiniú státchiste ón Roinn Iompair, tríd an ÚNI.
Is é croílár NextGenerationEU an tSaoráid Téarnaimh agus Athléimneachta (STA) – ionstraim a thairgeann deontais agus iasachtaí chun tacú le hathchóirithe agus infheistíochtaí i mBallstáit an AE. Tá cistí STA á gcur ar fáil do na Ballstáit i gcomhréir lena bpleananna um Théarnamh Náisiúnta agus Athléimneacht (NRRP) – na treochláir chuig athchóirithe agus infheistíochtaí atá dírithe ar gheilleagair an AE a dhéanamh níos glaise, níos digiteacha agus níos athléimní.
Leis na dúshláin bhreise a tháinig chun cinn mar gheall ar an gcogadh san Úcráin, osclaíodh an tsaoráid seo tuilleadh chun tacú le leasuithe ar na NRRPanna faoi REPowerEU – plean an AE chun spleáchas ar bhreoslaí iontaise na Rúise a laghdú go tapa, neamhspleáchas agus slándáil sholáthar fuinnimh an Aontais a threisiú agus dlús a chur leis an aistriú glas.
Faoin NRRP modhnaithe, gheobhaidh Éire €1.15 billiún i ndeontais a chlúdóidh na tosaíochtaí maidir leis an Aistriú Glas a Chur Chun Cinn, Leasuithe Digiteacha agus Claochlú a Luathú agus a Leathnú, Téarnamh Sóisialta agus Eacnamaíochta agus Cruthú Poist agus REPowerEU.