23
Line capacity will increase from 12 trains an hour to 23
DART+ South West
DART+ South West is the second of five projects to be delivered under the DART+ Programme. Covering a distance of 20km, this rail improvement project will provide a greatly enhanced and more sustainable transport option for communities in Hazelhatch and Celbridge, Adamstown, Clondalkin and Fonthill, Park West and Cherry Orchard, and Islandbridge with the construction of a new station at Heuston West.
We are providing multidisciplinary consultancy services on the project, including planning, environmental and project communications, while acting as Project Supervisor for the Design Process (PDSP) and coordinating the Railway Order application.
Key details
Project name
DART+ South West
Client
Irish Rail
Location
Dublin, Ireland
Services provided:
- Coordination of Railway Order Application
- Planning, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
- Appropriate Assessment (AA)
- Project Communications
- Project Supervisor Design Process (PSDP)
Challenge
Infrastructure works will deliver higher frequencies, electrification, and new trains, increasing passenger capacity from the current 5,000 to 20,000 per hour per direction. This will ensure we reduce our carbon emissions through the deployment of more efficient electrified rolling stock and by reducing dependency on private cars in Dublin City.
The main challenges revolve around upgrading live rail infrastructure while minimising the impacts on the environment, rail users and those living in close proximity to the development.
While the project sought to confine the railway improvement works within the existing corridor, some widening of the railway corridor and land acquisition will be required.
The proposed upgrade will see increased rail traffic movements thereby increasing the potential for operational phase impacts.
Solution
To ensure that project information was effectively communicated, we reached out to all stakeholders via two non-statutory public consultations, over 24,000 information leaflets were distributed to communities along the route during each consultation. We briefed locally elected representatives, holding public information webinars and a series of face-to-face meetings with those potentially impacted by the proposed development. We also managed the operation of a project information phoneline.
We completed a robust Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), covering noise, landscape and visual, biodiversity, air quality, population, and human health impacts. The outcomes of the EIA informed the design of comprehensive mitigation measures to ensure that potential impacts were minimised where possible.
Effective stakeholder engagement and robust environmental assessment ensures that the proposed development complies with the Planning and Development regulatory framework, strengthening the project's position to receive the necessary statutory consents and help meet Ireland’s transport and climate demands.
The option selection process and the design development undertaken forms the basis of the Railway Order application. The feedback received during public consultations has been considered in the design submitted in the Railway Order application.
Key statistics
20000
Increased line capacity will quadruple passengers per hour
20 km
of rail to be electrified
Reduction
in carbon emissions
