Interconnector to go ahead?

Occidental

I'm pretty sure I heard the end of a piece on the radio this morning that the interconnector is to be given government approval.

Anyone?

ishmael whale

It only seems to be proposals for a plan – with interconnetor having a lower priority than airport metro.

http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=9&si=1324721&issue_id=11979
10-year plan for underground and rapid rail will cost €3.4bn

A €2.4BN metro-style rapid rail link for Dublin's northside and a €1bn underground rail link connecting Heuston and Connolly stations are included in a 10-year Government transport investment plan to be brought to the Cabinet.

Incinerators and other major infrastructure projects are also to be fast-tracked by a Strategic Infrastructure Board to be established shortly.
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said the country will have to embrace incineration because it is no longer acceptable to export waste to other countries. His Environment Minister Dick Roche also came out in favour of incineration.
The ambitious investment package has been finalised by a team of senior civil servants in the Department of Transport and will be put before the Cabinet Infrastructure Committee in March by Transport Minister Martin Cullen.

For the first time, the package will give the National Roads Authority a 10-year guaranteed funding programme.

……A proposal for re-opening the Navan rail line between Clonsilla and Dunboyne has also been presented by Iarnrod Eireann. …….

Government sources said last night that the plan will include a new rapid rail line which will run between Dublin city centre and the heavily-populated centres of the northside, taking in the airport. It is expected to run via Drumcondra, Finglas or Ballymun.

The underground rail interconnector, which will link Heuston and Connolly stations, will be the next significant project after Dublin Port Tunnel, Luas and the planned metro line to Dublin Airport. It will link all mainline and suburban rail services. …..


http://www.examiner.ie/pport/web/ireland/Full_Story/did-sgJ-wuy-NzDTMsg7IQHSmeYhNE.asp

21/01/05
“Cullen to unveil 10-year transport plan in March
By Harry McGee, Political Editor
TRANSPORT Minister Martin Cullen will bring his 10-year plan for investment in transport infrastructure to a Cabinet sub-committee in March, he said yesterday.

The plan will detail major road, rail and other public transport projects.

It is expected to include details of a tunnel between Dublin’s Heuston and Connolly stations, as well as additional commuter rail networks in greater Dublin. There is increasing speculation that plans for a metro may no longer be a high priority.

Mr Cullen said the plan is designed to facilitate sustainable economic growth, competitiveness and balanced regional development.

Launching the National Road Authority’s environmental guidelines, he defended the prioritisation of road building.

“The Government is not building roads to admire them - we are building them because they make it possible to protect and grow job opportunities,” he said. …………..”

BrianD

As long as the new rail projects are connected to the existing rail network and not stand alone lines it makes sense. Any more details on this plan? Does it include electrification of existing lines and more tram lines?

Personally, I am in favour of the Irish Rail proposal for Dublin rail. At the same time I would have no problem if some of these lines are built or operated by other parties.

One of the key things is that as well as the infrastructure being built the whole system must be branded under the one name. DART is the logical choice. The public don't need another transport sub-brand. One name that is visible everywhere should impress that public transport is a viable means of getting around.

weehamster

BrianD wrote:

As long as the new rail projects are connected to the existing rail network and not stand alone lines it makes sense. Any more details on this plan? Does it include electrification of existing lines and more tram lines?

Personally, I am in favour of the Irish Rail proposal for Dublin rail. At the same time I would have no problem if some of these lines are built or operated by other parties.

One of the key things is that as well as the infrastructure being built the whole system must be branded under the one name. DART is the logical choice. The public don't need another transport sub-brand. One name that is visible everywhere should impress that public transport is a viable means of getting around.

There are too many conflicting reports as to what exactly is going ahead. I think that this report is more about fast tracking projects rather than the building of any specific project.

I’m also in total favour of Irish Rails plan but it would be madness if a 3rd party built it. Irish rail have a excellent record when it comes to keeping the cost of a project either very close or below the budget. If a private company got their hands on it, you can easily add another €500m to the cost of the project.

But if they do go ahead with the stupid airport ‘metro’ line then you can then kiss goodbye to a complete and integrated rail system for the greater Dublin Area for about 20 years. This is a major white elephant and will suck up funding from other rail projects, which have higher priority and actually deal with getting rid of the traffic once and for all.

As for the name, I agree. DART is a known name for over 20years. Why change it? The ‘metro’ system in Dallas is also called DART.

Genghis

BrianD wrote:

Personally, I am in favour of the Irish Rail proposal for Dublin rail. At the same time I would have no problem if some of these lines are built or operated by other parties.

Me too. Does anyone know if the Cullen plan is based on the IR plan or is it another idea altogether. If I was describing the IR plan I would be spinning it as a "an underground loop for Dublin City centre that will also link up Heuston, Connolly along with Luas services". The way the news story calls it, it could easily be a straight tunnel that allows services to practically by-passs Heuston and terminate at Connolly but without any further integration between services - i.e. Connolly becomes Grand Central Station where all lines terminate.

Occidental

Genghis wrote:

"an underground loop for Dublin City centre that will also link up Heuston, Connolly along with Luas services".

Irish Rail's plan is for the tunnel to run from Heuston to Spencer Dock (not Connolly) and then north towards Dundalk.

invincibleirish

any news on if there will be anything new and shiny for us in the provinces(aside from stuff already annoounced) in this plan.

weehamster

"for us in the provinces"

Victor

invincibleirish wrote:

any news on if there will be anything new and shiny for us in the provinces(aside from stuff already annoounced) in this plan.

Yes, you will be able to get direct services between different parts of the country without doing a Heuston-Connolly shuffle.