'A good day for Cork': Transport Minister to announce start of the next phase of major rail plan 

Transport Minister Eamon Ryan will be in Cork today to announce the commencement of the next phase of the transformation of the Cork Area Commuter Rail (CACR) network – a project which the minister said will “completely transform transport in and around the city”.

The next phase is set to deliver eight new commuter rail stations across the Cobh, Midleton and Mallow lines, among other elements.

Funded by the National Transport Authority (NTA) under Project Ireland 2040, Iarnród Éireann has awarded a contract to TYPSA and Roughan O’Donovan appointing them as multi-disciplinary consultants for the design, planning and construction of this phase of Cork commuter rail network investment.

The eight new stations are set to be developed at Blackpool, Monard, Tivoli, Carrigtwohill West, Waterrock, Ballynoe, Blarney and Dunkettle.

This phase of the CACR programme is also expected to see the electrification of the Cork commuter network, the delivery of a fleet maintenance depot to cater for a new electrified fleet of up to 150 carriages and the upgrade of nine existing commuter stations on the Cork network.

Iarnród Éireann said that the programme being officially announced today will, in conjunction with existing rail projects underway, deliver a rail network offering “high frequency, high quality rail commuter services to more communities, with a network capacity of trains up to every 10 minutes on all three commuter lines – Cork to Cobh, Midleton and Mallow”.

The rail operator, together with the multi-disciplinary consultants, will develop the design of the stations, depot and electrification and other associated infrastructure, before applying to An Bord Pleanála for a Railway Order - equivalent of planning permission - by the end of 2025.

Minister Ryan said the CACR programme represents “the largest investment in the rail network in Cork undertaken by the State”.

“It will completely transform transport in and around the city, increasing train capacity and frequency, and connecting communities from Cobh to Midleton to Mallow along a sustainable and reliable rail spine.

“This is a good day for Cork and is another stepping-stone in our ambition to introduce a new age of rail, here in the Rebel County, and right across the country.” 

Iarnród Éireann chief executive, Jim Meade, said the planned upgrades will serve a growing number of rail commuters.

“We are seeing record demand across our Cork commuter rail network, and we look forward to working with our consultants, and the NTA, EURRF [European Union’s Recovery and Resilience Facility] and Department of Transport to deliver a network that will facilitate millions more sustainable journeys for the people of Cork and those visiting every year,” he said.

Today’s announcement is in addition to the ongoing projects in the Cork Area Commuter Rail programme, such as the construction of a new through platform at Kent Station, the Glounthaune to Midleton twin track project and a major signalling upgrade project.

These existing projects are funded by the EURRF and the National Transport Authority under Project Ireland 2040.