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WORKS TO BUILD a second train track between two Cork towns should commence next month, according to Iarnród Éireann.
A €29.5 million contract has been awarded to BAM Ireland to twin-track the 10km stretch between Glounthaune and Midleton.
The works are due to start on 23 September and finish in 2026.
Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan said that the “major enhancement to this line will provide a faster, more reliable train service, encouraging more people out of their cars, which will ultimately benefit everyone because it will reduce congestion and make it better for those who do have to use their cars or vans in and around the city”.
In addition to building the second track, the project will involve associated track turnout and crossover works at Glounthaune, Carrigtwohill and Midleton, including two new crossovers at Midleton; new sidings / turnback facility at Midleton; level crossing works; and new cable containment routes.
Iarnród Éireann anticipates that the twin-tracking, along with works on a new through platform at Kent Station and new signalling across the full Cork Commuter network, will allow increased capacity and more frequent services to ultimately reach a 10-minute frequency on all commuter routes in Cork.
The works are expected to cause some disruption to evening train services while they are ongoing.
From Mondays to Wednesdays from 23 September to 18 December 2024, the final train from Cork to Midleton will be at 7.15pm and the final train from Midleton to Cork will be at 7.45pm.
Bus transfers will operate between Glounthaune and Midleton for later evening services.
Further works will be advised for 2025 and early 2026.
Separate essential maintenance works to Cork Tunnel will also take place in September and October 2024, resulting in bus transfers between Mallow and Cork from 22:00hrs onwards Mondays to Thursdays between Monday 9th September and Thursday 31st October 2024 inclusive.
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Why did they build a Greenway on the current track from Middleton to Youghal on one of the busiest and congested stretches of road in the county. Surely reopening the line would have been a better option considering the amount of commuters who could have potentially used it. That road is carnage morning and evening
@Paddy Up: It’s Ireland Paddy!!
Government motto……. ” If it’s logical and makes sense…. don’t do it”.!!!!
@Paddy Up: They built it because Iarnód Éireann couldn’t be bothered to reopen the old line and were only to happy to let Cork County Council put in the Greenway at the expense of resurfacing the shocking state of the roads around the county and particularly East Cork.Present Lord Mayor of Cork City who is a Green Party member even acknowledged that it was an opportunity missed.
@Paddy Up: If I remember there was a cost benefit analysis done and it was found not to be not cost neutral, ie taxpayer foot the bill.
And people can still get to Midelton and use the existing system.
And let’s be honest you could also argue that the train line to Crosshaven , or Bandon should have been kept too, but from an economical view they would have cost more than it would ever recover…..by fares or economical benefit.
@Paul O’Mahoney: If you remember? Can you possibly remember by any chance who exactly did the cost benefit analysis and where can one find the report?
@Paddy Up: haha. Are you joking? Irish are so car dependant that nothing would change their habit. They would moan about the ticket pricing and stick to their cars.
@Paul O’Mahoney: I also disagree with this outlook, time and again it’s been shown that if you built a track, things like Apts and shops and estates will build up near it. In time it would almost certainly rake in the money nevermind merely breakeven. Are these the same people that said the Luas would never make back the money or the M50 toll bridge would take 35yrs to breakeven?
Bam should get no more congracts after childrens hospital debacle.
@Thomas Linehan: contracts
@Thomas Linehan: exactly what I was thinking. They should not be allowed tender for any government or semistate contract until capitol projects like NCHI are completed and signed off on.
How does it take 3 years to build 10km of track alongside an existing track?!
@Anthony Ryan: Too many sleepers on the job
Bam and the price is 1BN
Sweet Jesus BAM awarded contract, do we ever learn.
Typical Ireland, almost 30 Million going to be spent on IMPROVEMENTS to Public Transport , and the Moaners are on
@Peter Byrne: There’s a few whingers as well.
We need a fully armed transport police unit
@Fintan Pox: Why?
@Jack Hayes: a lot of anti social behaviour on public transport, an armed police unit might be a deterrent
@Fintan Pox: armed nowhere but on Luas , bus and train?
When will IR Ann announce there going to build a second track from Wexford to Bray
@Nemethon: You really haven’t thought that through have you? The existing track has mostly sea on one side , Bray to Greystones how would you build a second track there?
Newcastle in Wicklow another example of how, with the sea on one side and marshes on the other.
The British built our lines and whatever you think about them their engineering skills were impeccable and probably would have built 2 tracks if possible.
@Nemethon: There’s barely enough room for the current single track between Bray and Greystones due to the proximity of the rock face on one side and the cliff edge on the other, so it’s highly unlikely a second track will ever be built on that line.
@Stephen Heffernan: they need to move the track inland and drill twin tunnels under Bray Head. Greystones, Delgany, Killincarrig, Kilcoole, and Newcastle need this to enable their continued expansion and development. The N11 is chaotic in the morning and evening, and can’t handle more traffic.
@Brian Keelty: And from Arklow to Wexford? What you are proposing would cost billions and I’m sure you have all the engineering, planning etc worked out……
What nonsense
I suppose it was a bad idea to open the new train station too, the moaners surely have something to say about that too
Pretty useless I’d say. If I lived in a Cork town I’d want to get out of it and out of the County altogether, not go to another Cork town!
@Padraig O’Brien: Reminds me of the old joke about the main road from Tipperary to Cork: the farther you go, the mainer it gets.
The pavel durov arrest “explainer” article was just so. I believe the Hebrew word for explaining is Hasbara. One might even call it propaganda.
Wam Bam thank you Bam. Brown envelope’s flying everywhere.
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