Metro North

A key milestone for Metro North was reached in May 2008 with the issuing to the four bidding consortia of the tender documents. The consortia are a mix of international and Irish companies. Metro North is a PPP project and the bidders will be asked to tender for the design, build, funding, maintenance and operation of the line. On 27 February 2009, the four bidding consortia submitted their first round tenders for the PPP contract for Metro North to the RPA. These were evaluated by the RPA and on 30 June 2009 the latter annnounced that it had shortlisted two bidding consortia, Celtic Metro Group and Metro Express, to proceed to the final stage of the PPP procurement process. The formal commencement of the final stage of the procurement process is subject to a decision by An Bord Pleanála on the Railway Order application for the project.

In September 2008 the RPA submitted its application for a Railway Order to An Bord Pleanála in respect of the Metro North project. A copy of the documents which accompanied the application are available on RPA's website. The Oral Hearing in relation to the RPA's application for a Railway Order in respect of Metro North commenced on Wednesday 1 April in the Croke Park Conference Centre. The Oral Hearing was adjourned on 29 April and on 11 May 2009 An Bord Pleanála sent a letter to interested parties stating that the decision to adjourn the Hearing was to allow the Inspector and interested parties the opportunity to review and assimilate the further information provided at the Hearing by the RPA. That further information is available for public inspection by appointment at the offices of Dublin City Council, Fingal County Council and An Bord Pleanála for the duration of the adjournment. On 26 June 2009, An Bord Pleanála wrote to the RPA requesting further information on various aspects of the project. On 19 October 2009, the RPA published a statutory notice informing interested parties that it had, on 1 October, submitted further information to An Bord Pleanála on the likely effect on the environment of the proposed Metro North project. This further information was on public display until 16 November 2009 at the Railway Procurement Agency (Parkgate St.), An Bord Pleanála (Marlborough St.), Dublin City Council (Wood Quay), Fingal County Council (Swords) and Ballymun Regeneration Ltd. (Ballymun Road). The documents may also be viewed at www.dublinmetronorth.ie. The Oral Hearing  recommenced on Monday 30th November. On 18th December, the RPA published a notice relating to its proposed modifications of the design of the Mater, Seatown and Ballymun Stops to An Bord Pleanála. The revised material may be inspected (or purchased for a fee) at the offices of An Bord Pleanála (Marlborough St.), Dublin City Council (Civic Offices), Fingal County Council (County Hall, Swords), the Railway Procurement Agency (Parkgate St.) and Ballymun Regeneration Ltd (Ballymun Road). The information may also be viewed/downloaded at www.dublinmetronorth.ie. The deadline for any submissions or observations on the revised material to An Bord Pleanála (together, if applicable, with a fee of €50) was 5.30pm on Monday 8th February 2010. On 20th January, the oral hearing on the railway order application for Metro North adjourned and resumed on Monday 1st March. The oral hearing concluded on Wednesday 10th March 2010.

 

An Bord Pleanála is expected to make a decision on the Railway Order application in August 2010.