Iarnród Éireann yesterday unveiled the latest phase of its €117 million redevelopment of Heuston Station in Dublin.
The work, which includes the development of three new platforms, the replacement of manual signalling, and the relaying of tracks on the approach to the station, is part of the largest redevelopment of Heuston since it was built in 1846.
The bad news for the travelling public is that Iarnród Éireann needs to close the station next weekend to allow for final works to take place. The closure will begin on Friday evening, August 30th, and last until 2 p.m. on Sunday.
However, the company says bus connections will operate between Heuston and Co Kildare, and that 80 per cent of people who travel at the normal peak period will not be affected.
The commissioning of the three new platforms will coincide with the opening of a new, temporary, secondary concourse at the station. A permanent secondary concourse is to be developed next year.
According to Iarnród Éireann, the improvements are necessary for modernisation and safety reasons. They are designed to facilitate the ongoing Kildare route project which will see four railway lines operating between Heuston and Co Kildare. This will dramatically increase the capacity of the railway network, both inter-city and suburban.
"Currently we have Arrow and Intercity services on the same tracks so we can really only handle about one suburban service an hour," explained Iarnród Éireann spokesman Mr Barry Kenny.
"The separation of tracks will allow us to run about six suburban trains an hour and there will be obvious capacity improvements for the inter-city service as well."
Mr Kenny added that the company could "not just introduce the track and signalling improvements without enhancing the capacity of the station".
Describing Heuston as an "architectural jewel", Mr Kenny said the last major work carried out there had been in the 1930s. In recent years much of the building which had been used as offices was redeveloped as public space.
Unfortunately, the capacity increases will not come into effect until next year at the earliest. Iarnród Éireann says it will now close the older platforms to facilitate upgrading work there.
"It is a huge redevelopment but it will have the capacity to cope with growth for the next 50 to 60 years," added Mr Kenny.
