Blow for Wicklow commuters as new electric trains are delayed
The Wicklow PeopleThe introduction of battery electric trains along the east coast is still some time away, after Irish Rail confirmed a further delay in the deployment of the train carriages.
There were originally scheduled to go into operation on the Drogheda line this year. However, a problem with the batteries has emerged, meaning the electric train service to County Louth will now not begin until early 2027, at the earliest.
The delay will have a knock-on effect on addressing overcrowded trains across the network in Wicklow, as the redeployment of older trains on the Drogheda service, which were to be repurposed on intercity and other commuter routes, will also be delayed.
The new chief executive of Irish Rail, Mary Considine, confirmed the delay at a meeting of the Oireachtas Committee on Transport on Wednesday.
Ms Considine told TDs and senators the cause of the delay was a problem with “our supplier’s supplier”, which meant the new trains which have been under testing on the rail network will not be operational on the Drogheda route until the second quarter of 2027.
The new battery electric fleet is essential to Irish Rail’s Dart+ programme.
In the Greater Dublin region, Dart+ is the most significant expansion of the electrified commuter rail system since the introduction of the original Dart service in 1984. The Dart+ programme will bring electrified Dart commuter trains west as far as Maynooth and M3 Parkway, south-west to Hazelhatch and Celbridge, and north to Drogheda.
A public consultation is currently underway on Dart + Coastal South Stage 1 between Bray and Greystones. The project will deliver a 50pc increase in frequency from two to three trains per hour in both directions by the early 2030s.
The project will deliver this through a series of proposed changes including the upgrade of Ennis Lane Level Crossing to a CCTV controlled level crossing, track alignment modifications, shortening of platform one within Bray (Daly) Station to facilitate installation of new track crossover, which will improve capability for trains to pass within the station, while still accommodating full-length Darts and several upgrades to existing signalling, telecoms and power supply systems.
The new carriages are considered significant not just because they will provide greater capacity and a better passenger experience, but they will also help to meet the government’s decarbonisation goals.
They may also be used to enable the extension of Dart services in other parts of the network in advance of the roll-out of overhead wires, such as the Dart extension to Wicklow town, which is planned for around 2029, subject to planning approval, and funding.
It is not clear if the new trains can be used without batteries between Greystones and Malahide or Howth, as they can run on overhead wires as well as battery packs.
The first order of new Dart trains was announced in December 2021, comprising of 19 five carriage trains.
Irish Rail said at the time the trains would “enter passenger service from mid-2025”. The latest delay means the electric trains will now not start to go into use on the Drogheda route until at least April 2027.
Rail Users Ireland, which has monitored the order for new trains, said news of the delay was “beyond bad”.