€578m rail line to
Navan
- "Not financially viable"
By - Elaine Keogh.
The next phase in the reopening of the rail line from
Dublin to Navan would cost €578 million, was "not
financially viable" and "would require the full capital
costs to be borne by the Government", councillors in
Meath were told by Iarnród Éireann
yesterday.
The reopening of the line is part of the Government's
Transport 21 infrastructure programme and the first phase
of the line, from Clonsilla to an interchange with the M3
at Pace near Dunboyne, is scheduled to open by 2010.
However, the study on the viability of continuing the
line to Navan found that it was costly, and if the final
route took in Dunshaughlin the cost would jump by another
€55 million.
The report, drawn up by consultants Roughan &
O'Donovan - Faber Maunsell revealed the emerging
preferred route would use two-thirds of the pre-existing
line, with an extension to create a station at Navan
North to link in with an existing but disused line to
Kingscourt.
Including construction, stock, land and property, the
cost of the line is estimated at €455 million in
2007 terms.
However, with construction anticipated to take place
between 2010 to 2012, that cost would rise to €578
million, with annual operating costs of €6.8 million
in today's terms. The presentation to Meath County
Council also heard the service could be operational by
2013 - two years ahead of the target date in Transport
21.
The journey time to Dublin from Navan would be
approximately one hour, with trains every 15 minutes at
peak times, and there would be stations at Pace, Drumree,
Kilmessan, Navan Central and Navan North.
With a projected 5,300 trips each way from Dublin to
Navan, it would have an anticipated financial return of
4.6 per cent, and therefore just meets the Department of
Finance's threshold of 4 per cent.
Tom Finn from Iarnród Éireann told
councillors that 85 per cent of the projected population
growth would be needed to justify the development and
"even the slightest drop in population could have a very
significant impact on the rate of return". He
acknowledged that "financially, you would not touch it
with a barge pole because of the costs".
The scoping study ruled out spurs on the line to Ratoath,
Ashbourne and Dunshaughlin, but the emerging preferred
route does include going close to Dunshaughlin.
It also said up to 25 per cent of the funding could be
raised through development levies, with the balance
sought from the exchequer. The report will now go to the
Department of Finance.
© The Irish Times, 8th. January 2008.
Related Articles:
M3
Will Kill Navan Rail Link.
Iarnród Éireann outlines Navan railway
route.
Route of Navan-Dublin rail line to be outlined "within
weeks".
