Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, Iarnród Éireann and the National Transport Authority (NTA) are pleased to announce that construction has now started on the new DART station at Woodbrook. The station, located between Bray and Shankill, is set to become the essential transportation hub for communities in Woodbrook and Shanganagh and will open in 2025.
Cllr. Denis O’Callaghan, Cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council said, “I am delighted to see the start of the construction of Woodbrook Station, which is located between Bray and Shankill, and is set to become the essential transportation hub for communities in Woodbrook and Shanganagh. By providing this modern station, we aim to reduce the dependence on private cars and will assist us towards meeting our climate action targets. This new station will enrich the lives of residents and enhance the attractiveness of the Woodbrook-Shanganagh community for growth and prosperity.”
The Woodbrook Station project is part of a larger development that will see the creation of a new residential community comprising up to 2,300 homes. As a ‘Future Development Area’ identified in the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council County Development Plan Core Strategy, this project aligns with transport and land-use policies, fostering a sustainable and compact living environment for the Woodbrook-Shanganagh community. The funding for this project is provided by the National Transport Authority.
The commencement of construction was marked with a sod-turning ceremony attended by Cllr. Denis O’Callaghan, Cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council; Éamon Ryan TD, Minister for Transport; Anne Graham, CEO of the National Transport Authority, and Jim Meade, CEO of Iarnród Éireann.
Minister for Transport, Éamon Ryan TD, said, “there was a train stop here in Woodbrook on the former Dublin and South Eastern Railway so it’s great that we are bringing a new age of rail back to thriving communities like this, as Iarnród Éireann’s newest DART Station. This station will be of great benefit to the local community, where new housing is also being developed. It is a good example of transport and planning working in step and a clear indication of the Government’s commitment to strengthening public transport for more people. I’m delighted that construction has started and I look forward to its completion.”
Anne Graham, Chief Executive of National Transport Authority said, “the commencement of construction at Woodbrook represents a significant milestone and is another indication of the real progress that is being made in developing a public transport service that will meet the transport requirements of people in the Dublin region for years and decades to come. I have no doubt that plans for investment in rail, including the DART+ programme, will prove to be transformative for the entire region.”
Speaking at the ceremony, Chief Executive Jim Meade of Iarnród Éireann said, “this is a great day for Iarnród Éireann as we commence construction on our 147th station on our network. The need to be more sustainable has never been more important given the climate challenges that we face. This station will serve the new and existing community with a fast, frequent, reliable and sustainable service, reducing the necessity for private car journeys.”
Woodbrook Station will feature two 174m long platforms, complete with passenger shelters, seating, lighting, CCTV, customer information, bicycle parking, and ticketing facilities. A new pedestrian bridge with both ramped and stepped access will connect the station, facilitating safe passage across the railway tracks. The design also considers future plans for improved pedestrian and cycling access routes in the station vicinity. To ensure smooth operations, modifications to the existing overhead-line equipment are necessary. Access to the station will be provided via Woodbrook Avenue, a road currently under construction.
Existing DART services are set to serve the new station with a frequency of approximately every 10 minutes in each direction on weekdays. Commuters will enjoy a convenient journey time of approximately 40 minutes to Dublin city centre.
Enabling works commenced on the station site in 2022 and included the replacement of an existing bridge deck to allow construction access and the relocation of railway infrastructure to accommodate the new station.
