It has been 20 years in the making.
Pelletstown, the newest station on the Irish Rail network has officially opened to the communities of Ashington and Royal Canal Park in Dublin.
Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan TD opened the Pelletstown Station in Dublin 7, the newest station on the Iarnród Éireann network on Sunday.
The Minister was joined by the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar TD to mark the opening of the station, the 145th station on the Iarnród Éireann network.
The station was built following an investment of €10.5 million, funded by the National Transport Authority and levies collected by Dublin City Council from the development at Royal Canal Park.
The new station is situated between Ashtown and Broombridge stations on the Dublin to Maynooth/M3 Parkway line, with a journey time of as little as 12 minutes from the city centre and is the first new station to open on the Iarnród Éireann network since Oranmore opened in 2013.
Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan said that the new station should make it easier for people to choose public transport, cycling and walking to "help us reach our climate goals".
“I am delighted to mark the opening of Pelletstown station, the first of many new improvements we are funding on the Maynooth and M3 Parkway line," he added.
Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar TD said on Sunday: "It’s the second new station in Dublin West in the past ten years.
"The next step is the electrification of the rail line which will mean more frequent services for residents and fewer emissions, under the DART West project.”
Discussion around the construction of the station in Pelletstown has been ongoing for more than 20 years, and it was finally given planning permission in 2014.
However, construction had been delayed until February 2020.
The station will comprise of two platforms, a footbridge and accessible ramp access between platforms and to the railway, as well as a second footbridge and accessible ramp over the canal.
Irish Rail has said the station will promote greater public transport options for residents in the area and as such, will reduce reliance on private cars and provide a more sustainable commuting option for the community.
Main image via Irish Rail.
