Dart passengers might lose their view of the sea to protect tracks against flooding
Commuters travelling on the Dart line between Merrion Gates and Dún Laoghaire might lose their view of the sea to protect the railway line from flooding.
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council (DLRCC) and Irish Rail are working together on the East Coast Railway Infrastructure Protection Projects (ECRIPP) to make some remedial changes to the existing route.
The Dún Laoghaire coastline has seen an increase in wave overtopping which happens when waves go over the top of the seawall and onto the land behind it, causing flooding along the railway route.
“In our area, you will see certain high tides, wind and storm conditions which lead to the inundation of the sea on to the Dart line,” said Richard Fitzpatrick Climate Action Co-ordinator for DLRCC.
“Irish Rail has identified measures that will help in raising wall height and putting in small works like concrete protection in some areas to stop erosion and stop waves from overtopping a wall and getting in on the railway line and flooding it.”
ECRIPP is five separate projects costing €230m which will see changes being made to the Irish Rail network all the way to Wicklow.
The project has gone through two public consultations. If approved, it will take three years to complete the work.
Irish Rail spokesperson Jane Cregan said some concerns were expressed during consultations about losing the view of the sea from the Dart.
“Most people understand that it has to be done. Some councillors in the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown area feel that losing the view is unfortunate. [But] the priority is to protect the railway,” she said.
“The walls between Merrion and DLR will be higher, so you won’t be able to see the sea on the way. It will be visible in between stations because there will be glass walls.”
Some locations along the route will see boulders placed at beaches to prevent further coastal erosion. Access will also change with ramps being placed through the boulders instead of steps.
“The walls are being raised in height to prevent overtopping. If high waves come in over the existing sea wall, it will flood the Dart line and it can’t operate,” Ms Cregan said.
“As the climate continues to change, we’re worried it’ll become more frequent if we don’t make these changes now.”
At a recent council meeting for DLRCC, Fine Gael councillor JP Durkan asked if the protective work was being done in anticipation of a major sea level rise.
“Are you worried about some sort of tsunami or very high tides in the near future? I know the walls are quite low along the west pier – will the rocks and boulder work be sufficient in protecting commuters along this line?” he asked.
Director of Infrastructure and Climate Change, James Phelan, said DLRCC has its own climate strategy in areas under its remit, which will work along with ECRIPP projects to protect the coastline during high tide.