With the population for Meath projected to rise to 250,000 by 2040, Irish Rail confirmed that the Navan rail line project is within weeks of starting.
Speaking on LMFM radio, Barry Kenny from Irish Rail said: “It is in the NTA’s Greater Dublin Area Transport Strategy. It’s the early 2030s that it’s earmarked to be completed, but we are starting the project.
“So that’s the planning process, the design and planning process to let us go to the public, as was designed the scheme, go to the public to get their views and apply for a railway order, which is the railway equivalent of planning permission.
“So that process is literally about to start. We have our own team in place internally. We’re about to appoint consultants to help us with that. And I expect we’ll be talking to you about that within the next couple of weeks.”
The project will start in early stages with consultation, environmental reports and planning approval needed before works officially begin.
Back in February 2024, Environment Minister Eamon Ryan said provided funding requirements are met, it is envisaged the project will be delivered by “2031, 2032 or 2033.”
Mark Gleeson, a spokesperson for Rail Users Ireland, a commuter representative group spoke to IrishCycle.com.
He noted that it seems wasteful that the project has to start from scratch.
“We welcome the news that consultants are to be appointed to commence the very initial stages of planning for reopening Dunboyne Navan,” he said.
“There was already, in the late 2000s, a draft railway works order prepared; it appears wasteful to throw this away and start from scratch.
“As it will be the mid-2030s at best, assuming financial appraisals are positive, other options such as use of the battery Dart fleet to link Drogheda and Navan using the existing line should be looked at as an interim measure.”
