Update on DART+ West Preferred Option at Coolmine

Dear Elected Representative, 

The main objective of the DART+ West project is to significantly increase train frequency and passenger capacity from Maynooth and M3 Parkway to the City Centre. The project will electrify the line enabling the introduction of DART trains, thereby reducing diesel trains and associated emissions. By increasing capacity and electrifying this route, both new and existing communities will benefit from a more sustainable public transport service for generations to come. 

One of the major constraints that limits train capacity is the presence of level crossings, where rail traffic and road traffic share the same space. The design team has assessed the viability of delivering the capacity requirements of DART+ West whilst retaining the level crossings. Due to the frequency of train passes, the level crossing gates would be permanently lowered, causing significant effects on road transportation movement for pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles. Therefore, DART+ West will seek to permanently close all existing level crossings along the scheme and provide new over or under bridge crossings at some locations or re-route traffic onto the existing road network at others. 

Iarnród Éireann launched DART+ West and conducted the first round of public consultations between August and October 2020, where the emerging preferred option for each level crossing closure was proposed. This included the Coolmine emerging preferred option, which consisted of:

1.    The permanent closure of Coolmine level crossing.

2.    Provision of a pedestrian & cyclist bridge at Coolmine Station, linking Coolmine Road to Carpenterstown Road.

3.    Provision of a new vehicular bridge, with pedestrian and cyclist facilities, approximately 200m west of Coolmine Station, linking Station Court & St. Mochta’s Grove (to the north) with Riverwood Court (to the south).

Throughout the course of the public consultation period, strong local opposition was raised to the Coolmine emerging preferred option, both by public representatives and residents. Of the total of 1700 submissions received, 900 related to Coolmine.

The DART+ West project team has carefully considered the submissions made and the alternative suggestions proposed at the numerous public information webinars, hosted during the public consultation process. Additional options have been considered and refinements have been made to previous options. A new multi criteria analysis (MCA) was conducted on all options taking account of the submissions received from the public, further studies and surveys undertaken and design development to determine the preferred option for the Coolmine level crossing replacement. 

Following the completion of the full multi-criteria analysis, the preferred option for the Coolmine consists of:

1.    The permanent closure of Coolmine level crossing.

2.    Provision of a pedestrian & cyclist bridge at Coolmine Station, linking Coolmine Road to Carpenterstown Road.

3.    As an alternative to the provision of a new vehicular bridge, the existing road network will be upgraded, and vehicular traffic re-routed to utilise the existing railway crossing points at Diswellstown Viaduct and Castleknock Bridge. 

Traffic modelling and road junction analysis has informed the selection of the preferred option. The upgraded road junctions, including change from roundabouts to signalised junctions, are proposed to accommodate the increase in traffic. The junction upgrade solutions proposed are considered adequate to accommodate diverted traffic volumes associated with the closure of Coolmine level crossing. The assessment have considered current year traffic volumes and also future traffic volumes up to 2043 when zoned lands have been developed.

Iarnród Éireann is now preparing for a second round of public consultation for the DART+ West project, which is due to launch in June 2021. Residents and public representatives will have the opportunity to view the data and plans once this public consultation goes live. The project team will host a series of public information webinars for residents along the route, to answer any queries or concerns. 

The public consultation process gives power to communities to voice their opinions of development proposals and, as you can see from our preferred option, we have listened to the concerns of the community raised during the first round of public consultations and assessed these in the continuing design development process. The DART+ West project team will continue to engage with you and your constituents throughout the next round of the DART+ West public consultations, to ensure that we can provide a sustainable public transport system to benefit the communities we serve. 

With every good wish 

DART+ West Project Team