Works to twin-track Cork commuter rail line to begin as BAM awarded contract
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Works to twin-track the Cork commuter rail line between Glounthaune and Midleton will begin late next month following the award of a €29.5m contract to BAM Ireland.
Iarnród Éireann said the work would impact several evening services on the line over the next 18 months, with the initial impact being felt Mondays to Wednesdays, from September 23 to December 18, when:
- The final train from Cork to Midleton will operate at 7.15pm;
- The final Midleton to Cork train will operate at 7.45pm;
- And bus transfers will operate between Glounthaune and Midleton for the later evening services.
The company said it would announce more details later for 2025 and early 2026.
The works contract will deliver a 10km second track on the line as proposed by the Cork Area Commuter Rail (CACR) Programme, a series of inter-related projects designed to enhance the capacity of the region’s commuter rail network.
Along with works on a new through platform at Kent Station, and new signalling across the region’s commuter network, the twin-tracking will facilitate the proposed capacity and service frequency increases, with the potential to treble existing service frequency to a 10-minute frequency on all Cork commuter routes in the future.
The contract involves fully twin-tracking the 10km Glounthaune to Midleton line, various track turnout and crossover works at Glounthaune, Carrigtwohill and Midleton, including two new crossovers at Midleton, new sidings and a turnback facility at Midleton, and level crossing works and new cable containment routes.
Separate essential maintenance works to the Cork rail tunnel will also take place in September and October 2024, resulting in bus transfers between Mallow and Cork from 10pm onwards Mondays to Thursdays between September 9 and October 31.
The CACR programme is designed to deliver the heavy rail proposals contained within the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy, which set out plans to increase train frequency and capacity for 16 million passenger journeys a year, with a high-frequency north-east rail connection through the city.
Transport Minister Eamon Ryan said he was delighted to see work start on the next phase of the CACR — the largest investment in the rail network in Cork in the history of the State.
“Irish people like rail. We have seen that whenever we put in good public transport, and particularly good rail services, people flock to it,” he said.
“This major enhancement to this line will provide a faster, more reliable train service, encouraging more people out of their cars, which will ultimately benefit everyone because it will reduce congestion and make it better for those who do have to use their cars or vans in and around the city.”
National Transport Authority deputy chief executive Hugh Creegan said this latest project was a crucial step towards realising the vision of a more connected and efficient public transport network for the region.
Iarnród Éireann chief executive Jim Meade said the investment in the rail network “will bring transformative change to Cork’s rail and wider public transport network”.
BAM’s executive director Alasdair Henderson said enhancing the rail network’s resilience not only promoted eco-friendly transportation in Cork but also ensured enhanced accessibility, efficiency, and comfort for all commuters.