A plan to transform the rail system on the island of Ireland through electrification, additional track capacity, increased speeds and more frequent services is to be published.
The final report from the All-Island Strategic Rail Review sets out a vision up to 2050 and was jointly commissioned by authorities north and south.
The cost of implementing the 32 recommendations in the review by 2050 is estimated to be between €35-37 billion.
Among them is a plan to increase the rail network across the island from 2,300km to almost 3,000km, with the opening of new lines and the reopening of former rail lines.
If all the recommendations were delivered, an additional 700,000 people would live within 5km of a train station.
New routes in the review would bring trains to the north midlands from Mullingar to Cavan, Monaghan, Armagh and Portadown, and also to the northwest from Portadown to Dungannon, Omagh, Strabane, Derry and Letterkenny.
The Western Rail Corridor between Claremorris and Athenry, and the South Wexford Railway connecting Wexford to Waterford would also be reinstated.
The vision also includes plans to connect Dublin, Belfast and Shannon airports with the rail network, and upgrade much of the single-track network to double tracks.
New 200km per hour intercity trains would see journey times reduced, and in some cases halved.
There would also be more frequent services, with hourly trains between cities recommended, while for regional and rural routes services at least every two hours are recommended.
The review provides for decarbonisation, with the provision of a net carbon zero system through overhead electrification of intercity routes and new electric trains.
The final report will be published by Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan and Northern Ireland’s Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd in Dundalk.
Minister Ryan said it was an “important day for the island of Ireland” and the “most ambitious vision for rail in a century, bringing us forward to a new age of rail”.
“Rail not only allows us to carry more people and freight in a more sustainable way, it is the great connector, enabling greater regional accessibility and balanced regional development”, he said.
He said he wants to see the recommendations implemented as soon as possible.
“I’m pleased that work is now well under way with the European Investment Bank’s assistance as to how we can move forward”.
Mr O’Dowd said the review was “historic” and an “evidence based framework to guide future investment in our rail network”.
The publication follows a draft report released last year and a public consultation.
The reports recommendations are in addition to other projects like the Dart+, which are progressing under the National Development Plan 2021-2030.
It is envisaged that this review will inform decisions on rail investment in both jurisdictions up to 2050, as well as the Department of Transport’s engagement on the next update to the National Development plan.
Article Source – Plan to transform rail on island of Ireland to be published – RTE
