Docklands railway station
Encyclopedia
Docklands Station is a new railway station serving the Dublin Docklands
area in Ireland
owned by Córas Iompair Éireann
planned as part of the Government Transport 21
initiative.
The station was officially opened for commuter services by then Taoiseach
Bertie Ahern
at a temporary location on Sheriff Street
in the North Wall
area of Dublin's Northside
on 12 March 2007, construction groundbreaking
having taken place on 9 March 2006 with Transport Minister Martin Cullen
. It is the first new heavy rail station in Dublin city centre since Tara Street
opened in 1891. It was required because the nearby Connolly Station
had reached capacity and could not support additional commuter services to County Meath
.
The temporary two-platform station is one of two termini for the Western Commuter service run by Iarnród Éireann
, with hourly services to Clonsilla
on the Maynooth
/Longford
line. The station is linked to the city centre by the 93 and 151 bus services.
The station will move to a permanent location in the Spencer Dock
site as part of the Interconnector tunnel
plan under the government's Transport 21
initiative, due to be completed by 2015. Planning conditions attached to the temporary site stated that it must be removed by May 2016. However, in March 2008, it was reported that the transport minister, Noel Dempsey
, would allow CIÉ
to seek new planning permission to keep the station on a permanent basis as a terminus for services from Maynooth and Navan following his decision to allow the Railway Procurement Agency
to utilise Broadstone station
for extensions to the Luas
.
The extended Luas
Red Line does not directly connect with Docklands Station. Instead, commuters have to walk approximately half a kilometre via an indirect route to Spencer Dock Luas stop or to Mayor Street Luas stop. Should the interconnector ever be built, on current plans there will still be an indirect connection via the proposed Spencer Dock station, which is planned to be adjacent to the Luas stop of the same name.
Dublin Docklands
Dublin Docklands is the area of the city of Dublin, Ireland, on both sides of the River Liffey, roughly from Talbot Memorial Bridge eastwards to the Point Depot.It is currently undergoing a large amount of development.-Projects:...
area in Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
owned by Córas Iompair Éireann
Córas Iompair Éireann
Córas Iompair Éireann , or CIÉ, is a statutory corporation of the Irish state, answerable to the Irish Government and responsible for most public transport in the Republic of Ireland and, jointly with its Northern Ireland counterpart, the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company, between the...
planned as part of the Government Transport 21
Transport 21
Transport 21 is an Irish infrastructure plan, announced in November 2005. It aims to greatly expand Ireland's transport network. A cost estimate of €34 billion was attached to the plan at the time....
initiative.
The station was officially opened for commuter services by then Taoiseach
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
Bertie Ahern
Bertie Ahern
Patrick Bartholomew "Bertie" Ahern is a former Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 26 June 1997 to 7 May 2008....
at a temporary location on Sheriff Street
Sheriff Street
Sheriff Street , known by locals as "Sheriffer," or "The Street" is a small area in the north inner city of Dublin, Ireland, lying between East Wall and North Wall and often considered to be part of the latter....
in the North Wall
North Wall (Dublin)
North Wall is an inner city area on the Northside of Dublin.Dominated by a combination of older housing, dockland activities and new development, from apartments and offices to hotels and the planned multi-purpose Point Village, North Wall lies downstream of the city centre....
area of Dublin's Northside
Northside (Dublin)
The Northside is the area in County Dublin, Ireland bounded to the south by the River Liffey to the east by Dublin Bay, to the north and west by the boundaries of County Dublin.- Introduction :...
on 12 March 2007, construction groundbreaking
Groundbreaking
Groundbreaking, also known as cutting, sod-cutting, turning the first sod or a sod-turning ceremony, is a traditional ceremony in many cultures that celebrates the first day of construction for a building or other project. Such ceremonies are often attended by dignitaries such as politicians and...
having taken place on 9 March 2006 with Transport Minister Martin Cullen
Martin Cullen
Martin Cullen is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He was a Teachta Dála for the Waterford constituency. Cullen was a member of Seanad Éireann and served as Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government , Minister for Transport and Minister for Social and Family Affairs and...
. It is the first new heavy rail station in Dublin city centre since Tara Street
Tara Street railway station
Tara Street is the 3rd busiest railway station in Ireland , with over 25,000 passengers using it daily. The station is arguably the closest station to the Dublin city centre and certainly is the closest to O'Connell Bridge....
opened in 1891. It was required because the nearby Connolly Station
Dublin Connolly railway station
Dublin Connolly, commonly called Connolly station , is one of the main railway stations in Dublin, Ireland, and is a focal point in the Irish route network. Opened in 1844 as Amiens Street Station, the ornate facade has a distinctive Italianate tower at its centre...
had reached capacity and could not support additional commuter services to County Meath
County Meath
County Meath is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Mide . Meath County Council is the local authority for the county...
.
The temporary two-platform station is one of two termini for the Western Commuter service run by Iarnród Éireann
Iarnród Éireann
Iarnród Éireann is the national railway system operator of Ireland. Established on 2 February 1987, it is a subsidiary of Córas Iompair Éireann . It operates all internal intercity, commuter and freight railway services in the Republic of Ireland, and, jointly with Northern Ireland Railways, the...
, with hourly services to Clonsilla
Clonsilla
Clonsilla is a suburb of Dublin in the district of Fingal, Ireland.-Location and access:Originally a small village in its own right, Clonsilla is now a large residential suburban area, with Ongar and other localities developing their own subsidiary identities...
on the Maynooth
Maynooth
Maynooth is a town in north County Kildare, Ireland. It is home to a branch of the National University of Ireland, a Papal University and Ireland's main Roman Catholic seminary, St. Patrick's College...
/Longford
Longford
Longford is the county town of County Longford in Ireland. It has a population of 7,622 according to the 2006 census. Approximately one third of the county's population resides in the town. Longford town is also the biggest town in the county...
line. The station is linked to the city centre by the 93 and 151 bus services.
The station will move to a permanent location in the Spencer Dock
Spencer Dock
Spencer Dock is a location within North Wall, Dublin, Ireland. The dockland area was originally part of the end of the Royal Canal, which still reaches the River Liffey here...
site as part of the Interconnector tunnel
Interconnector (rail tunnel)
DART Underground , previously known as the Interconnector, is a planned railway tunnel in Ireland, projected to run under the city centre of Dublin. The tunnel would allow for the expansion of the electrified DART and the Dublin Suburban Rail network, and connect Heuston Station with Pearse Station...
plan under the government's Transport 21
Transport 21
Transport 21 is an Irish infrastructure plan, announced in November 2005. It aims to greatly expand Ireland's transport network. A cost estimate of €34 billion was attached to the plan at the time....
initiative, due to be completed by 2015. Planning conditions attached to the temporary site stated that it must be removed by May 2016. However, in March 2008, it was reported that the transport minister, Noel Dempsey
Noel Dempsey
Noel Dempsey is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He was a Teachta Dála for the Meath and Meath West constituencies from 1987 to 2011...
, would allow CIÉ
Córas Iompair Éireann
Córas Iompair Éireann , or CIÉ, is a statutory corporation of the Irish state, answerable to the Irish Government and responsible for most public transport in the Republic of Ireland and, jointly with its Northern Ireland counterpart, the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company, between the...
to seek new planning permission to keep the station on a permanent basis as a terminus for services from Maynooth and Navan following his decision to allow the Railway Procurement Agency
Railway Procurement Agency
Railway Procurement Agency is a State Agency of the Department of Transport in the Republic of Ireland charged with the development of light railway and metro infrastructure...
to utilise Broadstone station
Broadstone (Dublin) railway station
Broadstone railway station, , the former Dublin terminus of the Midland Great Western Railway, is currently the headquarters of Bus Éireann, housing most of their administration and also one of their main garages...
for extensions to the Luas
Luas
Luas , also promoted in the development stage as the Dublin Light Rail System, is a tram or light rail system serving Dublin, the first such system in the decades since the closure of the last of the Dublin tramways. In 2007, the system carried 28.4 million passengers, a growth of 10% since...
.
The extended Luas
Luas
Luas , also promoted in the development stage as the Dublin Light Rail System, is a tram or light rail system serving Dublin, the first such system in the decades since the closure of the last of the Dublin tramways. In 2007, the system carried 28.4 million passengers, a growth of 10% since...
Red Line does not directly connect with Docklands Station. Instead, commuters have to walk approximately half a kilometre via an indirect route to Spencer Dock Luas stop or to Mayor Street Luas stop. Should the interconnector ever be built, on current plans there will still be an indirect connection via the proposed Spencer Dock station, which is planned to be adjacent to the Luas stop of the same name.