Phil Hogan
Ceist:215 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Public Enterprise when a commuter rail service will be available between Kilkenny city and Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2027/02]
Written Answers. - Rail Services.
Phil Hogan
Ceist:216 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the timescale of implementation for the plans to improve rail services and reduce travelling times for persons from Waterford to Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2028/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 215 and 216 together.
The Government has embarked on an investment programme in railway infrastructure, which has already seen investment of 14 million under the EU Operational Programme for Transport 1994-1999 on the Waterford-Kilkenny to Dublin line.
Under the National Development Plan 2000-2006, launched in November 1999, 2.54 million was spent on the enhancement of the line during 2000 with a further 6.35 million during 2001. The work involves the replacement of life-expired jointed tracks, laid on timber sleepers, with continuous welded rail on concrete sleepers. Iarnród Éireann expect the work to be completed by the end of this year and passengers will see improvements of up to ten minutes on the total journey time.
The demand for services has increased year-on-year on all routes operated by Iarnród Éireann and the Waterford to Dublin line is no exception. To deal with this growth, Iarnród Éireann is acquiring new rolling stock for mainline and suburban services. Iarnród Éireann will shortly begin to take delivery of a new fleet of 80 diesel rail cars, which will start to enter service towards the end of this year. They will be used, partially to replace older rolling stock, but also to improve existing service and increase capacity. Additionally Iarnród Éireann is examining tenders for the supply of up to 67 new mainline locomotive hauled carriages. When the tendering and contract process is completed, it will take about two years for these carriages to be delivered and put into service.
The deployment of these new carriages on specific train services is a day-to-day operational matter for Iarnród Éireann to address and not within my remit.
Deirdre Clune
Ceist:217 Ms Clune asked the Minister for Public Enterprise her plans to improve the intercity rail link from Cork to Dublin and to other locations; the time scale she envisages for its introduction; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2029/02]
The demand for services has increased year-on-year on all routes operated by Iarnród Éireann and the Cork to Dublin line is no exception. Iarnród Éireann is examining tenders for the supply of up to 67 new mainline locomotive-hauled carriages. When the tendering and procurement procedures are complete, it will take about two years for their delivery and entry into service. These trains on entry into service will provide a significant improvement in the quality of mainline services between Cork and Dublin.
Iarnród Éireann also informs me that planning and design is continuing on the south/west rail corridor into Heuston Station. The project aims to separate long distance trains from commuter trains and allow faster journey times into and out of Heuston Station. In the meantime, work has already begun to improve the infrastructure at Heuston Station to allow it to handle trains more efficiently by rearranging the trackwork at the station and increasing the number of platforms from five to nine.
Iarnród Éireann state that, taken together, these two projects will provide increased trains paths and therefore allow them to increase the number of trains it can operate on the routes into and out of Heuston Station.
Question No. 218 answered with Question No. 193.