The Irish Independent has confirmed that Australia’s Plenary, a specialist in public-private partnerships, has teamed up with Italian civil engineering giant Webuild, French transport operator Keolis and Japanese conglomerate Hitachi, which builds and operates trains and rail infrastructure among its many business.
A number of other consortiums are likely to emerge from firms currently assessing the scheme when tenders are eventually advertised for the project, which is estimated to cost around €9.5bn to deliver, but the firming-up of a first bid group is a sign the market expects the project to move ahead relatively quickly.
The new rail line will run for 18.8km from north of the large commuter town of Swords, under Dublin Airport and into Dublin city, where it will again run largely underground to Charlemont Bridge at the Grand Canal south of St Stephens Green.
The plan includes 16 new stations, 11 of them underground.
The plan is a shortened version of the MetroNorth project that has been formally under consideration since 2005 but was initially delayed after the financial crisis. The costs will now be dramatically higher as a result of the lengthy delays but the size of the project and financial stability of the Irish Government means a contract to build and operate the railway will be highly sought-after.
Today’s News in 90 Seconds – August 26th
Last week, An Bord Pleanála opened a second round of public consultations on the project, which is due to conclude on October 8.
Despite broad consensus that a rail link under the city is needed, the first round of public hearings heard multiple objections, including from homeowners who will be affected during what is expected to be a lengthy construction period or when the rail line is up and running.
The second round of hearings was ordered after Transport Infrastructure Ireland, the state body responsible for delivery the scheme, submitted additional documents including includes changes to the route during the initial hearings which interested parties have been allowed additional time to review and possibly respond to.
This additional information is available for viewing online or in person at several locations, including An Bord Pleanála’s offices on Marlborough Street, Dublin 1, and the Transport Infrastructure Ireland offices at Parkgate Street.