Rail expansion plan is pointless
Monday February 08 2010
Paul Melia reports that a spokesman for Iarnrod Eireann said: "The expansion of Tara Street station is a crucial part of our development plans for the capacity of the rail network in the greater Dublin area" (Irish Independent, February 4).
How would plans for "the construction of a 20,990sq m building rising 12 levels above the street" provide greater capacity to the rail network?
The plans do not make provision for extra platforms or rail lines, unlike Antwerp's impressive and compact multi-storey railway station.
Is extra office space in Dublin really necessary given the current 30pc office vacancy rate?
Is the revised 14,990sq m office block approved by An Bord Pleanala intended for administrators to come up with a timetable to improve the DART's frequency from the current train every 15 minutes at peak times?
Have projections for a growth in passenger numbers using Tara Street station from the current 14,500 to a projected 25,000 passengers per day taken into account the effect of the proposed DART underground interconnector?
Such growth in passenger numbers seems implausible given the diversion of southbound passengers away from Connolly and Tara Street stations to Pearse Street and St Stephen's Green stations via the interconnector tunnel.
I had hoped Iarnrod Eireann would focus on practical measures to improve rail transport and that it would not build a useless landmark monument in its own honour.
Andrew Lally
Trim, co Meath
Irish Independent
