Faster twin track rail line from Offaly to Dublin recommended in new plan

A TWIN track rail line between Tullamore and Portarlington which would speed up the journey to Dublin is a key recommendation in the Government's Strategic Rail Review.

Currently the line between Portarlington and Tullamore, and on to Athlone, is single track only which restricts the service.

In its long-term blueprint for the entire island of Ireland, the review also proposes a link between Tullamore and Derry and Letterkenny, via the towns of Athlone, Mullingar, Cavan, Monaghan and Portadown.

This would require building a new line between Athlone and Mullingar. The existing line has been converted to a greenway.

The line between Galway and Dublin would be electrified under the plan with trains running more frequently and at speeds of up to 200kph, compared to the current top speed of 160kph.

Offaly-based Minister of State Pippa Hackett welcomed the recommendations and said she sees a shift in policy taking place.

“Right now, most rail lines run to and from Dublin. The Rail Review recommendations shift the emphasis towards the Midlands. If implemented, there will be a ‘diamond’ of new and upgraded rail connections in the heart of Ireland,” said the Green Party representative.

“This diamond is formed by the welcome reinstatement of the Athlone to Mullingar route, dual track improvements from Mullingar to Maynooth, upgraded connections to Hazelhatch and on to Portarlington and finally, Portarlington to Athlone, via Tullamore.

“It is now a very real possibility that within the next two decades we will have fast, decarbonised rail connecting Derry to Cork without the need to travel further east than Portarlington.

“It makes sense that extending the dual-track between Portarlington – Athlone and Maynooth – Mullingar will allow more commuter services to serve intermediate stations while intercity services can deliver faster city-to-city journey times with proposed speeds of 200kph. These journeys will become more comfortable and frequent as new rolling stock is procured.

“These are all recommended improvements which will directly impact on commuters and leisure travellers. The planned electrification of the services improves the environment and air quality for everybody.

“I particularly welcome the recommendation for an investment in the skills to deliver this electrification and decarbonisation and I see huge potential for enterprise development in this area. Rail infrastructure is expensive to deliver and needs a short, medium and long term strategy and I am delighted, thanks to Green Party participation in Government, that we have one now.”

The review says overcrowding on trains – often a problem on the Tullamore to Dublin route – will be reduced by longer trains and more frequent services.

The Portarlington to Galway dual track and electrification through Tullamore would cost between €800m and €1.3bn and could be completed by 2040 if planning starts now.

Annual costs for operating and maintaining a larger rail network on the island are estimated to be €600m, which would be partly offset by increased revenue, the review says.

The total capital cost has been estimated at €31.8bn. The review authors said: “While significant, these costs would represent a similar annual spend as was committed in the middle of the 2000s when Ireland expanded its motorway network, and they would be shared across both jurisdictions. Some costs would be offset by future revenue, while others could be met by government funding. In addition, there would be other impacts arising from the delivery of some interventions, particularly during their construction. This includes potential disruption to communities, townscapes, severance, biodiversity, landscapes, noise, and carbon emissions driven by the construction of new railways.”

Minister Hackett also said that the proposed cycleway from Edenderry to Enfield was on hold pending the rail review and called for an “active travel proposal” joining the two towns along the disused railway.

“The approximate 20km cycle would expand options for commuter and recreational cyclists and be a huge boost for Edenderry,” said Minister Hackett, who noted that she had been working with Cllr Mark Hackett on the project.