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Monday, January 26, 2015

Irish Independent- New Irish Dublin Airport Rail Link

 
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Tuesday 27 January 2015

Irish Rail plan to link Dublin Airport with rest of country

PUBLISHED26/01/2015 | 02:30
  • 35COMMENTS
Iarnrod Eireann Chief Executive David Franks
Iarnrod Eireann Chief Executive David Franks
IRISH Rail is planning a new line to allow intercity trains to travel direct to Dublin airport from Cork, Galway and Belfast.

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Chief executive David Franks outlined his vision for the new route in an interview with the Irish Independent.
The company says the line could cost as little as €300m, but would open the entire rail network to air passengers and boost tourism.
The company could also run services from the regions direct to the airport - reducing the need for passengers to use expensive airport parking.
But the plan would risk pulling even more passengers towards Dublin and away from regional airports.
Decline
The loss of routes and declining passenger numbers at Cork Airport has already raised serious concerns about its future.
Traffic through Cork last year fell 3.8pc at a time when Shannon's figures rose 18.7pc and Dublin by 6.5pc.
Mr Franks believes that Irish Rail must work to connect with Dublin Airport for the first time.
"One of the biggest contributions we can make to the economy is moving people over long distances and into city centres fast," the chief executive told the Irish Independent.
"My vision is more a Manchester Airport connection where you can go all over the country using diesel trains.
"You could gain access to Cork, Galway or Belfast. We think it could be done for about €300m, but that's very rough and ready."
Irish Rail might run intercity services direct to the airport, or else link the airport and city by DART before switching to intercity trains.
The ambitious plan would involve building a spur line to the airport from Clongriffin.
This is already being considered by the Department of Transport, in the context of developing a new public transport option for north Dublin.
But the second part would involve a second line from the airport to Swords, before connecting back onto the main Dublin-Belfast line, which would also service commuters from Drogheda and Dundalk.
It would also serve commuters in Swords, north Dublin and Louth. Trains could run every 15 minutes into the city, with the trip taking 20 minutes. As the line is underneath the flight path, no property would be affected.
Irish Rail believes it could be built in less than five years, and carry three million airport passengers. Research suggests that 24pc of people travelling through airports use a rail link.
Underground
The scheme would also be enhanced if the proposed DART Underground project goes ahead, which will link the main lines between Heuston Station and Connolly Station.
The journey from Cork to Dublin Airport, via the Phoenix Park Tunnel expected to open next year, would take around three hours and 30 minutes.
With the DART Underground, the journey would be around three hours. However the plan is not dependent on this €4bn project going ahead.
Irish Independent

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Comments that are judged to be defamatory, abusive or in bad taste are not acceptable and contributors who consistently fall below certain criteria will be permanently blacklisted. Comments must be concise and to the point. The moderator will not enter into debate with individual contributors and the moderator’s decision is final. The comment facility is removed after 48 hours.

mesopelagic
There are perfectly good coach services already linking Dublin Airport with other towns and cities which are operated by private companies and by Bus Éireann. There are also excellent frequent coach services connecting the Airport with Dublin city centre via the Port Tunnel, and which serve Connolly and Heuston  railway stations. There is no business case for a rail link subsidised by the taxpayer. The DART extension from Clongriffin 5.5 miles north of Connolly station sounds attractive, as it is located just three miles or so from the Airport, however the DART Northern line is very congested as it is, having to share the same tracks with outer suburban trains to Drogheda and the Intercity. A coach shuttle link from Clongriffin would be an excellent short term solution. However, a similar privately operated DART LINK  from Howth Junction to the Airport went out of business some years ago due to lack of patronage, partially due to the fact that it was under promoted by Irish Rail. Its abandoned bus stops are still to be seen along parts of the N32 link road.
quiller
Must be an election coming up !  It all smells very much like Mr De Valera's plan to drain the Shannon.  Hopefully, the project, if it gets the green light,  will go better than Irish Water or Electronic Voting Machines, the Children's Hospital, etc.  Without being too cynical, it will be easier for our emigrants to get out and it will also provide a project board to be stuffed with friends and relatives.  Hopefully the railway boys will not go ahead and spend money employing consultants and friends before the government gives a green light for funding the project, other wise we will have more money wasted.  The concerned minister should tell the railway people - we support you enough as it stands, do not go ahead and start spending money you have not got.  If you do, it will come out of your salaries and expenses. 
Coldfilter1
You have to admire the brass cheek of these private sector blow ins from England..

His business plan for the spending of public money is as quoted in the article as follows:

"...... We think it could be done for about €300m, but that's very rough and ready."

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