Dart expansion plan gets boost after High Court hears objections withdrawn

Two separate judicial reviews were originally scheduled for hearing in the High Court this week relating to the Dart+ West element of the plan.

The court heard that the cases, taken by two businesses in the west of Dublin city, had been withdrawn.

The move means that the project, which last July was granted a Railway Order, the equivalent of planning permission for rail developments, is now free to proceed – pending government funding.

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Preliminary works are expected to begin next year with contracts for the more major construction projects to be awarded by the end of 2026.

Dart+ West will expand the high-frequency electric train service from Dublin city to Maynooth in Co Kildare and the M3 Parkway park and ride station in Bennetstown, Co Meath.

It is one of four elements of the Dart+ project which would collectively triple the length of the existing service from 50km to 150km and double hourly passenger numbers from 26,000 in each direction to 52,000.

Dart+ West is expected to see some of the biggest increases in passenger numbers with a doubling of train services along the Maynooth line.

For that to happen will require works that include provision of a new station at Spencer Dock in the city centre and developments at Connolly Station, including a new entrance at Preston Street.

One other part of the project, Dart+ South West, was granted a Railway Order last November.

It will extend the service from Heuston Station to Hazelhatch in Co Kildare and from Heuston to the city centre via the Phoenix Park tunnel..

An application for a Railway Order for Dart+ Coastal North, which would extend services from Dublin to Drogheda, is awaiting a decision from An Bord Pleanála.

Dart+ Coastal South would see increased frequency on the existing Greystones to city centre route and an application is expected to be made for it shortly.

The overall project also involves the provision of 185 new rail carriages, currently on order, with the option to order 750 in total if all aspects proceed.

The first 10 carriages have arrived and are due to be put into service next year.

Early cost estimates for the complete project were put at around €3bn several years ago but it is expected that figure will rise.

The Government has only approved funding up to contract award stage and will have to make a decision at that point whether to back the project’s further progress.

The judicial review proceedings against Dart+ West were taken by businesses on the Navan Road in Dublin, near Ashtown railway station.

A sitting of the High Court heard the cases had been struck out after an agreement had been reached that was satisfactory to all sides.

A spokesperson for Irish Rail said the terms of the agreement were confidential.