Closure of five level crossings in south Dublin a ‘goal’ for Irish Rail

Irish Rail wants to close all five level crossings along the south County Dublin train line, including Merrion Gates, a longstanding traffic bottleneck.

The plan follows recommendations in a 681-page report prepared by Arup for the Dart+ improvement project. Its emerging preferred option for Dart+ Coastal South would permanently close the crossings at Lansdowne Road, Serpentine Avenue, Sandymount Avenue, Sydney Parade and Merrion Gates.

The report proposes building a vehicle underpass north of Merrion Gates, which connects Merrion Road with Strand Road. The other four crossings would be replaced by pedestrian and cycle routes, ending vehicle access across the railway at those points.

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Dart passengers have suffered for 42 years from a compromise which prioritises private cars over the train.

The report reached Irish Rail in May 2022, but its conclusions have not yet undergone public consultation. Rail Users Ireland obtained a copy under freedom of information rules and criticized the delay. Mark Gleeson, the group’s spokesman, said Merrion Gates had first been discussed for closure in the late 1970s. “Dart passengers have suffered for 42 years from a compromise which prioritises private cars over the train,” he said.

Gleeson described the proposals as a rare opportunity to replace Merrion Gates and improve rail performance and capacity, while warning that some recommendations would raise concerns. He called Irish Rail’s failure to begin consultation for more than four years “ridiculous”.

Irish Rail said Dart+ would proceed in phases, with the Bray to Greystones section of Coastal South moving first. The remaining route, including the level-crossing measures, would not progress until 2030 at the earliest. The wider Dart+ programme aims to expand electrified rail from 50km between Greystones and Malahide to 150km, extending service to Drogheda, Maynooth and the M3 Parkway near Dunboyne. The report also warns that closing the crossings without suitable mitigation could increase delays, queues and connectivity problems in the wider area.

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While some of the recommendations will clearly raise concerns, Irish Rail sitting on the report for over four years without starting public consultation is ridiculous.