Written answer
Rail Network
DART+ safety testing is progressing, with 95 carriages due on the Northern line next year and 90 more planned for 2028; capacity details were referred to the NTA.
184. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Transport for an update on the rollout of new DART carriages; and the additional capacity each individual carriage provides. [67544/26]
Comment on this
As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. Under the Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008, the National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the provision of public transport infrastructure and services within the Greater Dublin Area. In the case of the DART+ programme, the NTA fulfils this statutory remit in collaboration with Iarnród Éireann.
With regard to the Deputy's specific questions regarding specific details of the new DART+ carriages and additional capacity each carriage provides, this is a matter for the NTA and I have forwarded the Deputy's questions to the company for a more detailed reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within 10 working days.
Pending this more detailed reply, I am pleased to note that safety testing is progressing and trains from the first order of 95 electric and battery-carriages, will start rolling out on the Northern line next year, extending DART services to Drogheda. The second order of 90 carriages are planned to enter service in 2028, which will allow the extension of DART services to Wicklow around 2029.