Report from Europe: Dublin Commuter Electrification Project Proceeds to Procurement

IRELAND’s Planning Commission has approved a planning order for the Dart+ Coastal North project, which will extend the electrified Dublin Area Rapid Transit (Dart) commuter network by 37km from Malahide to Drogheda.

As well as electrification, the project includes resignalling of the line from Malahide to Drogheda MacBride station, which is used by Irish Rail (IÉ) diesel mainline services.

Reconstruction of the existing track will take place at Drogheda MacBride, Malahide, Clongriffin and Howth Junction & Donaghmede stations. In addition, a new platform will be constructed at Drogheda MacBride along with the infrastructure to support both Howth – central Dublin and Howth – Howth Junction Dart services.

Other associated work approved includes:

• civil, bridge and ancillary works
• improvement of Howth Junction & Donaghmede station
• modification of Fairview and Drogheda depots to support the new Dart fleet that Alstom is supplying, and
• reconfiguration of track layout north of Malahide to provide a turnback facility that does not move operations closer to adjacent housing.

IÉ says the procurement process will now begin to appoint design and build contractors. Once this is completed, detailed design of the project will commence followed by construction, which is anticipated to take three years.

“The provision of Dart services will transform commuting for the existing and new communities along this railway corridor,” says IÉ chief executive, Jim Mead. “It will make travelling with us more sustainable, more frequent and more reliable.”

This is the third Dart+ project to project to receive planning consent. The Dart+ West Railway Order was granted in July 2024 and that for Dart+ South West in November 2024. Work is underway on preliminary design for Dart+ Coastal South and for new Dart+ fleet maintenance depot at Maynooth, Mead confirmed.