A major report into the future strategy for the national rail network has recommended that improvements in speeds and capacity on Intercity lines be prioritised. The AECOM/Goodbody Strategic Rail Investments Needs Review was presented at Rail Vision 2030, a seminar on the future of rail transport in Ireland in Dublin on Wednesday.
The report, commissioned by Irish Rail, also envisages longer-term electrification of key sections of the network on sustainability grounds, and calls for connections for Dublin Airport to be progressed – initially via a major M50 Park and Ride station, with a spur from the existing DART line to the Airport to follow.
While focused on the national network, the report also endorses key elements of the Dublin rail strategy, including DART Underground, and the extension of the DART network to Commuter lines in the Greater Dublin area.
