Irish Rail will submit an application to the Pleana Board for a major upgrade of the Cork rail network.
An application will be made to build a second rail track on a 10km section of the railway line between Glandtown and Middleton in Cork.
According to Irish Rail, the line will be upgraded from its current single track to a new twin track railway, along with the completion of the new Kent Station through platform and the proposed signalling and communications upgrades. This will allow for the potential tripling of service frequency to a 10-minute service frequency each way from the current 30-minute service with the help of future fleet orders.
Source: Irish Rail
With the help of this investment, the existing service pattern of two trains per hour in each direction will be increased to up to six in the future.
On November 10th, An Bord Pleanála will receive the application for the Railway Order. There will then be an eight-week mandatory public consultation session that will start on November 17 and end on January 12.
Before the order is filed, any potentially impacted landowners and occupiers of lands mentioned in the Railway Order application will be informed directly.
Irish Rail stated that it is envisaged that An Bord Pleanála will hold an oral hearing when the consultation period is over so that interested parties and the general public can attend, offer their thoughts, and ask the project team questions.
Irish Rail stated that it expects construction to start in 2024 and be finished in 2026, subject to securing An Bord Pleanála approval and cash allocation.
