Irish Rail highlight time table changes to allow resignalling works

Iarnród Éireann has reminded rail passengers travelling from Longford to Kilcock about a temporary service alteration for resignalling works.

The 05.38 Longford to Pearse and 18.15 Connolly to Longford have been cancelled for three weeks from Tuesday, October 27, to Friday, October 13,  November to facilitate works

It also reminded travellers that during  Level 5 - only essential workers should travel by rail and other public transport.

Iarnród Éireann has also advised customers that the final phase of its major City Centre Resignalling Project will start this October Bank Holiday weekend.

The €120 million project, funded by the National Transport Authority and the European Union Connecting Europe Facility, brings significant benefits to customers through the resignalling of the DART network from Howth/Malahide to Sandymount, including increased the number of trains which can operate during peak hours; improved punctuality due to the modernisation of signalling and uninterruptible power supplies to ensure higher reliability.

The new signalling system will also facilitate the future track layout modifications for the DART+ Programme and other enhancements.

It said earlier phases of the project have already yielded benefit, notably by providing the capacity for the introduction of Newbridge/Hazelhatch to Grand Canal Dock services, via the Phoenix Park Tunnel.

However, the final phases - covering Killester to Connolly Station, and the wider Connolly Station area, including to Glasnevin Junction on the Maynooth line - are the most complex.

This will impact on services while the new computer-based interlocking systems are commissioned, replacing relay based signalling systems which have been in place since the construction of the DART in the early 1980s, and which now regulate over 150,000 train movements through the Connolly Station area annually.

 There will be service alterations during the commissioning of the works will be as follows for weekends: Saturday, October  24, to Monday, October 26, Saturday and Sunday, November 7/ 8 and November 14/15:

Sligo Intercity: a revised schedule will operate between Sligo and Maynooth, with bus transfers between Maynooth and Dublin Connolly

DART services will be suspended between Malahide/Howth and Grand Canal Dock.  Bus operators will accept rail tickets.  DART services will operate between Grand Canal Dock and Bray/Greystones only

Maynooth services will operate an hourly service to/from Docklands Station, instead of Connolly, and will not serve Drumcondra Station

M3 Parkway services will be suspended

Northern Commuter services (Drogheda) will operate and hourly service to/from Malahide, with bus transfers between Malahide and Dublin Connolly

Belfast Enterprise: Service will operate between Belfast and Drogheda, with bus transfers between Drogheda and Dublin Connolly - note for Saturday, October 24,  and Sunday, October 25, bus transfers will replace the service between Belfast and Dublin Connolly, due to separate works by Translink in Northern Ireland

Rosslare Intercity: Service will operate between Rosslare Europort and Bray, with bus transfers between Bray and Dublin Connolly

On weekdays: Tuesday, October 27, to Friday, October 30, Monday 2nd November 2 to Friday, November 6, Monday, November 9, to Friday, November 13:

Commuters from between Longford and Kilcock are advised that the 05:38hrs Longford to Dublin Pearse and 18:15hrs Dublin Connolly to Longford are cancelled during this three week period.  They will be reinstated from Monday, November 16, after completion of the resignalling works.

DART services will operate every 15 minutes, instead of every 10 minutes

Drogheda, Maynooth and M3 Parkway services will operate to a revised and reduced schedule

Belfast, Sligo and Rosslare services will operate as normal

On the weekend of Saturday, October 31, to Sun, November 1,  (works will not take place on this weekend): 

Sligo services will operate to a normal schedule

DART services will operate to a normal weekend schedule

Northern Commuter services will operate to a normal weekend schedule

Maynooth/M3 Parkway services will operate a revised and reduced schedule

Customers should check times for any alterations over the weekend, particularly on this Bank Holiday Monday, October 26, at www.irishrail.ie

Customers are reminded that as Ireland is at Level 5, the following arrangements apply:

All services are operating to a maximum capacity of 25%

Only those travelling for essential work purposes, as defined in the Government guidelines, should use rail and other public transport

Face coverings remain mandatory on board

Those whose journeys are essential should only sit in uncovered seats, and should maintain hand hygiene and coughing / sneezing etiquette