Re-open the Dublin to Navan & Kells railway NOW!

Home Forums Ireland Re-open the Dublin to Navan & Kells railway NOW!

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    • #708161
      West
      Participant

      New petition set up for Dublin Navan railway at http://www.meathontrack.com..

      🙂

    • #762136
      Anonymous
      Participant

      If you propose to open a railway to Kells you fall into the exact same trap as the NRA with M3 you are proposing huge expense to serve a population of 2,600 people.

      No disrespect but leave the Navan Route to the experts

      http://www.platform11.org

    • #762137
      West
      Participant

      What experts?

    • #762138
      Anonymous
      Participant

      I presume this is Brian Guckians idea

    • #762139
      West
      Participant

      You presume wrong. Maybe you shouldn’t presume, and try living in Meath.

    • #762140
      Anonymous
      Participant

      I suggest you log onto http://www.platform11.org and see what the engineers, planners and surveyor have put together for Meath; the platform11 plan if implemented immediately would result in Navan having a rail service in Navan in 12-18 months for a total cost of approximately 60m euro.

    • #762141
      West
      Participant

      Only good short term. Meath is already 10,000 people above 2011 estimates, as reported in Meath Chronicle last week, and Navan is set to increase in size bu 2/3’s.

      Short term solution yes, long-term no.

    • #762142
      Anonymous
      Participant

      If you propose a railway to Kells in the short-term you will scupper any chance of a rail service for Navan.

    • #762143
      West
      Participant

      No – consider it planning. Everyone in Meath is an M50 victim even if you don’t go on it. Everyone up here in Meath wants this choice, even more hungrily than they desire an M3.

      Meath is going to keep growing as if it has been feed weed-killer, and plans based on this population growth need to be put in place now.

      The blockage in the Blanch bottle-neck is just going to be rammed tighter and thicker if we don’t open the Drogheda link short term, and the Navan Dublin line long term

      It’s not environmnetalism, it’s pure blunt commuter realism.

    • #762144
      Anonymous
      Participant

      But what is your position on Kells?

    • #762145
      West
      Participant

      Kells will happen, probably a single line, but it lies well out side of the problem area. Long term Kells is going to need rail, but first express services are needed Navan – Drogheda – Dublin. Plans for Dublin Navan need to be agreed now. Long-term Kells has to come into it, because Meath is growing like rag-worth

    • #762146
      Anonymous
      Participant

      I admire your faith but your talk of single tracked lines flies in the face of current rail development practice. If you wish to set up a meeting with our engineer send me a pm.

    • #762147
      West
      Participant

      I personally am not in a position to offer any definatives other than to say that there is an appetite and a need for rail to Navan and eventually to Kells.

      You are right – if you are going to construct single line you may as well do double. But like most camapigns there is a list of needs and wants.

      The Navan rail link is a need and a want. The Kells issue is more of a want at this point, but that doesn’t change the likelyhood that it may well be feasible and probably nessessary at a later point.

      One of the major problems is the lack of foreplanning like as is happening with the M3 being built acrross the old Navan rail route without bridging at Cannistown. Just because something isn’t an imperative now, doesn’t mean it won’t be later, particularly with current growth rates in Meath.

      No-one can rule Kells out, because Kells may become the Navan of tomorrow, and should be treated as such..

      One thing cannot be denied and that is that you can’t rule anything out in Meath.

    • #762148
      Anonymous
      Participant

      The last thing anyone wants is Kells to develop like Navan has; the future planning for Co Meath will in my opinion be based on building up Navan to 60,000-80,000 people and developing the corridor a kilometre south of the Boyne along the rail line.

      The Greater Drogheda Area will have an equivelent population in this timeframe also. Why should two large towns with these population bases require a 67 mile rail journey whilst a road journey of 13 miles?

    • #762149
      West
      Participant

      I understand what you mean by south of the Boyne.

      But consider that the M3 is going to bring huge growth all the way to Cavan. It’s already happening, and that is just with an N3. Don’t mind Meath population figures alone, because you have to add Cavan figures too.

      Start from a given. Blanch is a no-go area at present. This is going to get worse. Economically, socially, etc etc the Dublin Navan line is a must. Kells and the Cavan hinterland (apologies Cavan) is breathing down Navan’s neck.

      Do realise how little employment is in Meath and Cavan? Most people work in Dublin, so from a practicle view point, and in the absense of planning carried out in a sensilbe fashion you have to assume most of the growth will be on the northerly M3 corridor, not easterly along the boyne

      You have to leave the door open to Kells long term, because no-one is sure where this growth is leading us. But yes you are right, Navan Dunshaughlin and Ratoath are the short term cosniderqations.

      Howeverm your plan is a start not an end..

    • #762150
      Anonymous
      Participant

      Of course it is only a start but critically it is a start that has the potential to move 3000 commuters at each peak time with no implications on the existing Northern Line traffic. Everything else is either medium or long term. Get a rail link into Navan and the population will ask why they don’t have a direct service. To sanction, plan, design, build and test a fully rebuilt rail line would take 6 years which is probably a little quicker than the M3 will take but it is still a long time.

    • #762151
      West
      Participant

      I actually agree with you completely – a couple of trains a day is what is being demanded as a start, plus the inclusion of bridges on the M3..

      A service which isn’t there at present, and not adding obstacles to opening the line long term.

      That is a fine start.

    • #762152
      Boyler
      Participant

      The government should also hurry up and reopen the Western Corridor. It is badly needed and would help envoirnmentally and visually.

    • #762153
      murphaph
      Participant

      @Boyler wrote:

      The government should also hurry up and reopen the Western Corridor. It is badly needed and would help envoirnmentally and visually.

      😮 badly needed by whom?

    • #762154
      anto
      Participant

      Do trains like roads facillitate commuter sprawl. I mean look at greystonse sence i t got the dart. If you accept the logic of people living all over leinster then I suppose rail is the best way to transport people into Dublin. However the improved road network has facilitated the spread of Dublin into the surrounding counties and improved rail will do the same. Of course other factors like councillors who like rezoning and cheaper housing with big gardens are pull factors.

    • #762155
      Boyler
      Participant

      The Western Corridor is needed for commuters to Galway, for example. People need other modes of transportation besides using cars or buses. While I do agree that the Navan and Kells’ line is the more important issue of the two due to the bigger population in the area, the Corridor is also needed soon
      .

    • #762156
      Anonymous
      Participant

      Boyler I think you will like this

      http://www.platform11.org/reports/2005/galway.pdf

    • #762157
      Boyler
      Participant

      Thanks, Thomond. It’s good to know about the report and it’s conclusion.
      Sorry for taking the point off of the Navan-Kells’ line if I annoyed anyone. 🙂

    • #762158
      Anonymous
      Participant

      Boyler;

      I’m glad you found it adequate 😉

      We’d better correct the thread back to Navan and start a Galway transport thread sometime soon:

      http://www.platform11.org/campaigns/navan/

    • #762159
      JPD
      Participant

      Good work lads very impressive on a value for money basis

    • #762160
      West
      Participant

      The proposal on the platform 11 site is excellent as it also encompasses Duleek.

      Fair play guys – effectively you would have reduced pressure from Slane etc on the N2 as well as the N3 if you follow that logic

    • #762161
      JPD
      Participant

      I like the Platform 11 ideas as they are usually fast patches that cost very little, Navan being the best yet

    • #762162
      Anonymous
      Participant

      Thanks guys a lot of work went into those reports from a number of people and perspectives,

      it is very easy to call for lines to be reopened it is another thing being able to use the Strategic Rail Review and McCann report type criteria to prove that on a realistic cost base and at realistic passenger demand levels that the lines would sustain themeselves at the same level as Dart on an annual cost per passenger basis.

      http://www.platform11.org

    • #762163
      West
      Participant

      @Thomond Park wrote:

      Thanks guys a lot of work went into those reports from a number of people and perspectives,

      it is very easy to call for lines to be reopened it is another thing being able to use the Strategic Rail Review and McCann report type criteria to prove that on a realistic cost base and at realistic passenger demand levels that the lines would sustain themeselves at the same level as Dart on an annual cost per passenger basis.

      http://www.platform11.org

      Can I just check if anyone can tell how close the line runs to Newgrange visitor centre?

      I know it’s up the hill but I don’t have a map to hand

    • #762164
      Anonymous
      Participant

      West,

      It is roughly 2 kms and is on the opposite side of the Boyne which will permit development without any adverse impacts on the entire Newgrange/Dowth complex. A seasonal feeder bus bus be viable and could dratically reduce the current demand on car/bus parking at Irelands premier heritage site.

    • #762165
      West
      Participant

      Thanks – the visitor centre is actually on the same side of the river as the rail – there is a footbridge linking it accross the Boyne..

      Pity is wasn’t within walking distance..

    • #762166
      Anonymous
      Participant

      A feeder bus to the Newgrange complex from the station could be an interesting idea for off peak during summer months and at weekends the same way that Mosney operated as Butlins. The issue of a new pedestrian bridge to cross the Boyne would be a major issue and would need a touch as good as Harrington Howly or similar.

    • #762167
      Anonymous
      Participant

      The critical planning point in this is that it isn’t too close to the Newgrange site as the resulting anciliary development could have proven extremely problematic.

    • #762168
      West
      Participant

      Sorry – you miss understand me.

      Newgrange is on the northern bank, the visitor centre is on the southern bank (the same side as the railway).

      Development wouldn’t be that big an issue as there isn’t a direct road to Duleek, and it is a world heritage site..

    • #762169
      West
      Participant

      Meant to say there is a pedestrian bridge there already between the visitor centre and the Newgrange side

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