As you may be aware Iarnrod Eireann are proposing to electrify the Dublin to Maynooth Railway Line.
This would require the closure of several of the level crossings on the route including Ashtown.
This is the link to the website where you can view and download the Preliminary Options Selection main report. In particular you can view the considered options for Ashtown on pages 121-132 www.irishrail.ie/DARTMaynooth
If you are not online you can phone Iarnrod Eireann on 01 8235127 to request further information.
We are not objecting to electrification of the Maynooth train line but to the enormous changes to our environment this would entail.
Iarnrod Eireann are proposing the complete closure of 5 or 6 Level Crossings between here and Maynooth. We have requested for many year that the level crossing at Ashtown should be automated instead of the cumbersome and slow manual crossing. All DART level crossings in Dublin open/close immediately a train stops in a station and traffic moves on instantly.
Ashtown Level crossing will be closed by a wall and Ashtown Road will become a cul-de-sac. It is proposed to construct an underground road along and under Mill Lane (at the rear of the Office Blocks and Ashtown Riding School. As you walk/drive past The Half Way House & Office blocks the proposed entry to Mill Lane will commence just past the office blocks and will travel under the rail lines and the Royal Canal. It would come out somewhere beyond the row of shops that include SuperValu. This will also mean that the two residential areas of Ashtown and Pelletstown will effectively be cut off from each other for pedestrians and cyclists accessing from Martin Savage Park and Kinvara/Glens.
We were surprised to learn that the pedestrian route for all would be through this tunnel which is approximately 150m long on the Ashtown side and 300m long on the Pelletstown side and will also contain cycle lanes. Apart from a very lonely route with a very steep climb back up towards the Navan Road all pedestrians and cyclists will be breathing in the confined traffic fumes.
This would also mean that the two residential areas of Ashtown and Pelletstown will effectively be cut off from each other. Pedestrians and cyclists trying to access the station or shops from Kinvara/The Glens through the playing fields at Martin Savage Park would basically be cut off. This would have the effect of forcing people to drive to use these facilities.
A very short ‘Consultation’ period was given by Iarnrod Eireann i.e. one month from 26th August . We lobbied our local T.Ds to request extra time which resulted in two extra weeks up to 11th October. All submissions must be received by that date. Letters to DART +Maynooth, Iarnrod Eireann, Inchicore Works, Inchicore Parade, Dublin 8 DO8K673
NRCC and many others throughout Dublin 15 continue to request a further extended period be given for the public to learn about this and to submit if they wish.
Following all consultation Iarnrod Eireann hope to lodge a Planning Application directly to An Bord Pleanala some time next year.
Navan Road Community Council 