DART+ depot confirmed for Maynooth-Kilcock area of Kildare

The Government has for the first time officially confirmed that a depot to service DART+ trains will be situated in the Maynooth-Kilcock area of Co Kildare.

Speaking in the Dail on Tuesday night, January 20, on behalf of the Minister for Transport, Minister Jerry Buttimer told Deputy Aidan Farrelly (Social Democrats) that the new depot will be in the Maynooth-Kilcock area and “will provide essential stabling and maintenance facilities for the expanded fleet for the entire DART+ programme, which is a prerequisite for supporting service patterns across the entire DART+ network, including DART+ South West”.

Deputy Farrelly welcomed the statement.

“Finally we have confirmation from a Minister after years of locals people - and my councillor colleagues Nuala Killeen and Peter Melrose - campaigning tirelessly for this,” he said.

READ NEXT: Primary schools across Kildare invited to enter Coillte's National Schools Photography Competition

Deputy Farrelly also revealed that the NTA has also confirmed to Deputy Farrelly that a non-statutory public consultation will be initiated in respect of the new proposed site for the Kilcock-Maynooth depot.

The Minister also revealed that the Compulsory Purchase Obligation (CPO) processes for DART+ South-West will commence this year and that much of the work done on the West project will also progress the South-West project.

“DART+ West will deliver the critical electrification of the city centre rail network and the necessary city centre capacity upgrades,” the Minister told the Dail.

“This is a prerequisite for future trains coming from DART+ South West to enter the city centre network at Glasnevin Junction from the Phoenix Park Tunnel. 

“Upgrades delivered under DART+ West such as re-signalling, and electrification, are also vital for accommodating increased frequency envisaged for DART+ South West.”

For instance, he revealed that a new station at Spencer Dock, introduced as part of DART+ West, will be a key piece of infrastructure for the South West by helping to address capacity issues around Connolly Station.

Deputy Farrelly urged the Minister to make sure that when the depot is established there should be a stop for passengers.

“People in Kilcock will have the noise of a depot, the lights and they’ll even be able to smell it, but won't be able to use it. If we can deliver a station as far as the depot, that would make massive sense from a future planning perspective.”

Meanwhile in a discussion at the Public Accounts Committee last week,  the CEO of the National Transport Authority Hugh Cregan told Deputy Farrelly that it was expected that it will be five or six years before DART+ West will be carrying passengers - with construction expected to start in 2027.

Mr Cregan also said that certain works related to DART+ South West, such as purchasing land and some design work, can progress even though the government has put the start date for construction back until after 2030.

But he added that “a lot of effort is going into seeing whether that can be brought forward”.

Mr Cregan said that because much of the work being done for the DART+ West project will benefit the South West project, the progress of the latter will be quicker once construction starts.

As a result, he told Deputy Farrelly, the length of time between the start of construction and when passengers can travel on it will be quicker than is the case for the DART+ West project.