Tender issued for Wicklow Dart works as timeline uncertainty persists

By Hugh O'Farrell Walsh, The Wicklow People

Irish Rail has taken a major step towards delivering Dart services to Wicklow town with the publication of a design and build tender for new battery charging infrastructure at Wicklow station.

The tender, issued on August 25, is the first construction focused procurement for the project and signals that the operator is moving ahead with the technical works needed to support battery electric Dart operations south of Greystones.

However, the milestone arrives at a moment when the project’s timeline is once again under scrutiny, following recent comments from Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien that appear to soften the previously stated 2029 delivery date.

The tender seeks a contractor to design and install a new substation, overhead charging equipment on both platforms, and supporting engineering works.

These installations will allow the new battery electric Dart fleet to switch from overhead power to battery mode at Greystones and recharge at Wicklow before returning north towards Dublin.

Irish Rail says construction is expected to begin in 2027, subject to planning and funding, with services commencing in 2029. The works mirror the charging infrastructure already installed at Drogheda station, which is currently undergoing testing alongside the new fleet.

The publication of the tender provides the clearest operational signal to date that Irish Rail is preparing for a 2029 start. However, the minister’s recent remarks have introduced fresh ambiguity.

In response to parliamentary questions from Wicklow TDs John Brady and Jennifer Whitmore, Minister O’Brien said the deployment of a second order of 90 battery electric Dart carriages would enable the Wicklow extension “around 2030”.

This is the first time the government has publicly shifted away from the firm 2029 commitment repeated by both the Department of Transport and the National Transport Authority.

The timing of the minister’s comments came just weeks after he was asked to outline what additional funding was being allocated to strengthen rail infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area following the collapse of Irish Rail’s train management system.

The €50 million write down linked to the failed system has raised questions about whether delays to key enabling technology could affect the rollout of the Wicklow extension.

In his written reply on July 28, O’Brien avoided giving detail on how the failure was being addressed, instead pointing to the existing multi annual rail maintenance contract and a separate €5.7 million allocation for signalling resilience works.

While neither Irish Rail nor the NTA has publicly linked the project’s failure to the Wicklow timeline, the minister’s reluctance to reaffirm the 2029 date has prompted renewed questions from local representatives about whether the signalling environment is now affecting delivery.

The minister’s suggestion that Wicklow services depend on the second batch of battery‑electric units also marks a shift. The first tranche of the fleet, part of the 285 carriage Dart+ order, is due to enter service from 2027 and was originally expected to support the Wicklow extension.

By tying the project to the second order, the minister has raised questions about whether the existing fleet plan is sufficient to meet the 2029 target.

Irish Rail, however, continues to state that the 2029 date remains its operational aim, and the tender publication appears to reinforce that position.