Navan rail campaigners welcome new Spencer Dock Rail Station

meath | environment | press release Sunday March 12, 2006 20:24 by Meath on Track www.meathontrack.com

New station will remove capacity constraints for Navan rail services by 2008

Rail campaigners in Meath have welcomed the commencement of works on the new Spencer Dock station in Dublin's Docklands. The Spencer Dock station is is designed to be a terminus for rail services from the reinstated Navan railway line as well as Maynooth commuter rail services.

3 years in 1859 using Picks and Shovels - Why 10 years now to reopen?

Meath suffers from some of the most chronic traffic congestion in the country. Many living in Meath are unable to work in Meath due the absence of employment opportunities in the county - consequently traffic levels in the county are rising year on year.

Until now, lack of capacity in Dublin has been one of the major impediments to reopening the Navan line to Dublin as Connolly Station would not be able to cope with increases in commuter services.

Rail campaigners in Meath have welcomed the commencement of works on the new Spencer Dock station in Dublin's Docklands. The Spencer Dock station is is designed to be a terminus for rail services from the reinstated Navan railway line as well as Maynooth commuter rail services.

Commenting on the announcement, a Meath on Track spokesperson stated that the removal of the capacity contraints in 2008 means that Navan can be reconnected to the Dublin railway network from 2008 onwards if the Navan rail project is fast tracked.

Under Transport 21, Navan is not due to have it's railway reinstated until 2015. According to a Meath on Track spokesperson "it took less than 3 years originally to build the 26 mile Navan line by hand, with picks and shovels. Work commenced in October 1859, and was completed in August 1862. Reinstatement of the old allignment should not take 10 years now."

Commute times from Navan to Dublin currently stand at up to 2.5 hours for the trip by road, whilst a train depending on the number of stops would take approximately 42 - 49 minutes.

In addition, reopening the rail link to Navan would remove more than 4,000 cars per hour from the N3 during peak times. Navan & Meath needs rail now, not 2015.