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New rail tunnels beneath Dublin moved a step closer last
week when Irish Rail began seeking firms to design, construct
and operate the system.
The company has published a notice asking for submissions
from firms interested in taking on the €2.5bn project.
The proposed twin tunnels will route DART trains underground
from the Docklands to Inchicore. They will be 7.6km long and
will run 24 metres below the surface for much of its east-west
route.
A planning application will be made next month for the proposed
public-private partnership project. It is planned to begin
DART services through the tunnels in 2016. More than 7,000
construction jobs may be created during the project along
with many more in supply services.
The DART underground is an integral part of the Government's
10-year transport plan, which also includes the provision
of a Metro rail service in the city and an extension of the
LUAS tram service. The new networks would be linked to Intercity
rail services. The current DART north-south coastal route
would be split in two in the city centre.
The underground DART service would consist of two rail lines
operating in side-by-side tunnels. The tunnels would have
20 trains running in each direction every hour carrying a
total of 64,000 passengers.
The new DART line will run from Docklands to Heuston Station
and Inchicore via St Stephen's Green.
Irish Rail has already begun public consultation on the line
and proposed stations.
Trains will run every six minutes along the underground line,
with stations at Inchicore, Heuston, Christchurch, St Stephen's
Green, Pearse Street and Docklands.
The increased frequency will see the number of passengers
carried on the Greater Dublin rail network triple from about
33m journeys in 2008, to 100m journeys. Construction is due
to begin next year.
The new system will require northside DART passengers heading
south to change at Pearse Street to access stations from Grand
Canal Dock to Greystones - and their trains will no longer
stop at Connolly or Tara Street.
Southside passengers heading north will have to change at
Pearse Street to reach any stations from Clontarf.
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