Upgraded Dublin-Drogheda train service would curtail direct Darts to and from Howth

Passengers travelling to and from Howth, Sutton and Bayside into Dublin may have to change trains along the way in the future as the direct service faces curtailment to make way for more frequent services between Drogheda and the city centre.
Commuter trains on the line from Drogheda to Dublin may need to run at a frequency of every five minutes to cater for a projected surge in population in the area in the years ahead, transport chiefs have forecast.
The National Transport Authority (NTA) has warned such a development would lead to curtailment of existing direct services from Howth to Dublin city.
The NTA said it “may be possible to still run some direct train services from Howth to the city centre at a certain time during the day”. It said this would be assessed when detailed timetable modelling was carried out at a later date.
However, it suggests that many passengers would have to change at Howth Junction where a faster shuttle service would serve the existing stations at Bayside, Sutton and Howth.
At present trains to and from Dundalk, Drogheda and Belfast share the same tracks as Dart services to and from Howth on the section of line between Connolly Station and Howth Junction.
At the moment there is mainly a 20-minute service frequency to Howth and the same to Malahide from Dublin city centre.
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The NTA maintained that the current arrangements would come under pressure in the face of increased demand for services on the northern line.
“It is envisaged that, in the future, a frequency of up to five-minute services will be needed on the northern line to cater for the forecast passenger numbers. This would represent, effectively, the operational limit of the twin-track northern line and, accordingly, the capacity wouldn’t be available to run additional trains directly between Howth and the city centre.
“It may be possible to still run some direct train services from Howth to the city centre at a certain time during the day under the above proposal. This is something that will be assessed as part of a detailed timetable simulation exercise which will be carried out at a later stage.”
Fingal County Council, the local authority that covers much of north county Dublin, sees itself as the “growth outlet for housing in the Dublin region”. It believes that given its location and space available, its population – which stood at about 330,500 in 2022 – could increase to 350,000 by 2031.
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The NTA told Cian O’Callaghan of the Social Democrats in reply to a parliamentary question it was proposed that, at some point in the future, the Dart service pattern would be changed.
It said under such a plan Dart services running to Dublin city centre would operate mainly on the northern line (Connolly-Malahide-Drogheda), and the route between Howth Junction and Howth would operate mainly as a feeder shuttle service.
“The introduction of this proposal is several years away and relates to the need to provide, in the future, a significantly higher level of service on the northern line than that which exists at present, to deal with the projected large population growth across the Fingal/Meath towns of Lusk, Skerries, Balbriggan, Laytown, Drogheda, etc.
“In such event, it is proposed that a high-frequency Dart shuttle would be put in place between Howth and Howth Junction, operating at a service frequency of every 10 minutes or better. The frequency of trains to Howth, albeit on a shuttle service from Howth Junction, would at least double under this proposal.
“Passengers from Howth to the city centre would have to change at Howth Junction on to the northern line Darts.”
The NTA said it acknowledged that changing trains was “an inconvenience”.
It also said it recognised concerns of passengers about having to change trains at Howth Junction and it was planned to revise the design of this station.
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