Project Specific FAQs

DART+ Coastal North is seeking to increase the frequency and capacity of train services between Drogheda and Dublin City Centre. This can be achieved by introducing electrified, high-capacity DART trains and increasing the frequency of these trains. Delivery of this project will support the existing communities along the railway and support future sustainable development. DART+ Coastal North will serve all existing stations along the route using electrical power that has a lower carbon footprint than the existing diesel trains. The frequency and quality of service will provide a viable transport alternative to communities along the route and will encourage people to switch from private car use. This will assist in Ireland reducing transport related greenhouse gas emissions and help combat climate change. The electrification of the rail line will predominantly follow the existing railway corridor and works will mostly be carried out within the extents of the existing railway corridor. 

The main objectives of the DART+ Coastal North project include delivering a higher frequency, higher capacity, reliable, electrified route to enable an increased DART service frequency between Drogheda and Dublin City Centre. Further information can be found in the project brochure or the project website.

The first public consultation period is closed (as of April 2022)
The second public consultation is scheduled to be held in Spring 2023. 

This consultation is our way of asking you, as potential users of the service or those likely to be affected by its development, for your views on our plans. Your local knowledge will inform the emerging design, help us to improve the scheme and ensure it will be a beneficial for you and the communities the route will serve. 
 
You can engage with us via the following means: 
Website | www.dartplus.ie 
Email | DARTCoastalNorth@irishrail.ie 
Phone line | 01 233 4515 
 
Postal Address 
Community Liaison Officer 
DART+ Coastal North 
Iarnród Éireann 
Inchicore Works 
Inchicore Parade 
Dublin 8 
D08K6Y3 

The Railway Order application is essentially an application seeking statutory consent (planning permission and acquisition of land) for the DART+ Coastal North railway infrastructure. The project is categorised as a Strategic Infrastructure Development (SID) and Iarnród Éireann applies directly to An Bord Pleanála for permission. The Railway Order application process is set out in the Transport (Railway Infrastructure) Act 2001 as amended by the Strategic Infrastructure Act 2006. Following the proposed two phases of non-statutory public consultation, Iarnród Éireann will submit the Railway Order application. Any person or body may make a submission or observation in writing to An Bord Pleanála in relation to the application. The Railway Order application will include a number of technical documents and project drawings as well as an Environmental Impact Assessment Report and Appropriate Assessment documentation (AA screening / Natura Impact Statement (NIS)). All these documents and drawings together with any feedback/submissions received from the public as part of the statutory public consultation process will be reviewed and considered by An Bord Pleanála before a decision on the application is made. We expect that An Bord Pleanála will conduct an Oral Hearing before a decision is made. At an Oral Hearing the authors of relevant reports and experts will give evidence on the submissions received and will be available for questioning. Further information on making a submission / observation in writing to the Board and Oral Hearing procedures are available from the An Bord Pleanála website. 

The primary objective of the DART+ Coastal North project is to deliver increased train frequency and capacity between Drogheda and Howth and Dublin City Centre. To support this objective, the project is proposing infrastructure that would enable the use of a shuttle train service on the Howth branch line. If a shuttle service were to operate, the priority would be to maximise capacity during the morning and evening peak 3 hour period, where passengers from Howth, Sutton and Bayside would be required to change trains at Howth Junction and Donaghmede. This proposal has been developed to remove the conflicts currently experienced at Howth Junction & Donaghmede Station which limit the frequency and capacity that can be achieved on the Northern Line. The proposed infrastructure will not prevent a direct service running and it is envisaged that direct services would run at off peak times and weekends. Final operational decisions will be made at a later stage and are subject to passenger demand and train frequency on the Northern Line and Howth Branch.