Dart work starts Friday night to extend line toward Kildare and Meath

Work begins this weekend to extend Dart services toward Kilcock, Co Kildare, and M3 Parkway in Co Meath.

The first work starts after the final Friday evening train to M3 Parkway. Around 140 Irish Rail staff are assigned to the weekend shift. Crews will lower track and adjust two bridges near Hansfield to make room for overhead power lines. Regular service resumes Monday. Irish Rail said bus transfers will run Saturday and Sunday between Clonsilla and M3 Parkway.

Minister for Transport Darragh O'Brien set out the plan Wednesday at Dunboyne station. Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers and Minister for Further and Higher Education James Lawless also attended. O'Brien said he would bring business cases to Government shortly so the Dart+ West and Dart Southwest rail expansion projects could go to tender. He said Dart+ West is the first major piece of the Dart+ programme to enter construction, adding rail capacity, a new depot, and electrification works. O'Brien said compulsory purchase work has started on property needed for the projects and that Irish Rail was in contact with about 200 landowners. He said railway orders, which he described as planning permission, exist for most of the work, with a further application still needed for the depot. Asked when passengers would see Dart service at M3 Parkway and Kilcock, O'Brien said the buildout would take six, eight, or 10 years depending on the section, delivered in stages.

A memo is due to Cabinet in the coming weeks for approval to move to full tender and procurement.

The work near Hansfield involves changing track formation and adapting bridges so overhead lines can be installed later.