The Meath Chronicle reports on a new assessment of a railway line to Navan.
As with most things in this country, there are so many layers of “government” and each expects some other layer to do the work but wants to be able to claim the credit when something eventually happens.
Let me give Meath County Council and its councillors some advice. You want a railway line to Navan? Then zone 1km each side of the existing trackbed from M3 Parkway to Navan for high density housing.
Better still? Establish SDZ zones in those areas and include financing for a railway line with the planning permission.
I’d also suggest approaching it in two phases. Zone sufficient land as far as the R125 outside Dunshaughlin, allowing for an extension of the line to “Dunshaughlin Parkway”, some 700m south of the original Drumree Station. This would serve as a station for Dunshaughlin and also allow for diversion of traffic off the M3 (see below).
A future extension to Navan would be easier to achieve if it only has to run from here to Navan and not M3 Parkway.