€15.5m funding clears way for new Navan rail service

Commuter trains could be travelling back and forth from Navan in as little as five years' time, as funding has been secured to prepare a railway order for the Navan to Dublin rail line. As Iarnrod Eireann prepares to open the Dublin to Dunboyne link to commuter traffic next September, work will now begin on preparing the railway order for the extension of the line to Navan. Iarnrod Eireann has secured €15.5 million for the preparation of a railway order (effectively planning permission) for the Dunboyne to Navan line along a route which will travel west of Dunshaughlin. Meanwhile the 7.5km rail link to Dunboyne will open in September, just three months behind schedule. A new park and ride facility at Pace, close to the M3, which is currently being built, will cater for 1,200 cars. A spokesperson for CIE said this week that the railway order would be made by mid-2011 and the railway line was scheduled for completion in 2015, subject to the phasing of funding. Concern has been expressed in the Ashbourne and Ratoath areas that the preferred route to the east of Dunshaughlin, which was put forward by Meath County Council, had been rejected by the rail company. At a meeting of the council on Monday, there was a broad welcome for the news and, while councillors in the south of the county wanted to continue effort to convince CIE to change its mind on the route, there were warnings from many not to jeopardise the current opportunity. There were also calls from councillors in north Meath to extend the rail link to the Cavan border. Councillors heard that director of services, Michael Killeen, who was liaison officer for the council on the Dunboyne rail link, would remain in that capacity for the Navan phase of the line. Cllr Nick Killian said the council had proposed a route to the east of Dunshaughlin as the vast majority of the people of the Dunshaughlin area lived there, while Cllr Brian Fitzgerald said there was no option but to write to the Department of Transport pointing out that this route was in complete conflict with what had been proposed by the council. Cllr Tommy Reilly said he understood Cllr Fitzgerald's concerns but it would cost an extra €100 to €150 million to bring it to the east of Dunshaughlin. Cllr Shane Cassells said there could be no hurdles put in the way of developing the Navan-Dubin railway line. "The letter from Irish Rail to Meath County Council is clear as far as the preferred rail corridor is concerned. This initiative is all about providing a transport solution for the town of Navan and other politicians should not try and influence the route for commercial gain elsewhere. "I am delighted that funding has been received to commence works on the preparation of the railway order to extend the line from Dunboyne to Navan. It shows that the realisation of the dream of a rail service from Navan to Dublin is getting closer and we can focus on preparing the way for this," he said. The Mayor of Navan, Cllr Joe Reilly, said it was a key piece of infrastructure for the town of Navan and was very important that the business community and people of the town got behind it. "I am delighted with this announcement and there are a number of meetings planned for the next few weeks to progress this," he said. Dunboyne Cllr Noel Leonard produced a photograph of an engine travelling along the new line to Dunboyne which was taken early last week. It was the first train to travel to Dunboyne since the old line closed in 1963. He recalled that, in 1997, he had predicted trains would travel to Dunboyne in 2009, and he was just 60 days out. "The opening of the Dunboyne train line will be hugely significant for Dunboyne people, particularly as some people believed it would never happen since the downturn in the economy. I am delighted also for people in the surrounding area who experience the challenges and pressures of getting to and from work/college every day and who will be able to use the park and ride facility at Pace." The progress was welcomed also by Cllr Bryan Reilly who called for the line to be extended to the Cavan border and Cllr Oliver Fox also called for its extension to north Meath. Deputy Mary Wallace welcomed the developments and said she had been focused on this project over many years to ensure that there was a real alternative for Meath commuters. "I am looking forward to seeing the first passenger train in Dunboyne in September. I have no doubt that this railway line will improve the quality of life of people in Dunboyne and surrounding areas," she said.