Dart services are to be extended to Kilcock with a depot west of the town. The move comes after the original depot planned between Maynooth and Kilcock failed to gain planning permission. The new plan will mean that Kilcock, with a population of around 9,000, will see improved rail services, with trains up to every 10 minutes. The upgrade is being hailed by Irish Rail as transformational compared to the current service of just nine trains each way daily, and a train hourly at peak. It said that the frequency includes Intercity services continuing to stop at Kilcock.While Irish Rail, the National Transport Authority and Government Ministers welcomed the increase in service (see below), this was only after years of calls for Dart to serve the town being rejected by national authorities. Rail Users Ireland, a commuter advocacy group, said: Finally, after years of saying Kilcock shouldnt get added to the Dart network its going to happen. In a statement, Irish Rail said: Subject to receipt of a Railway Order and funding approvals, the Dart+ Depot is targeted for completion in 2031.Today, Irish Rail has started a public consultation on the new Dart+ depot it will run from Monday, March 16th, until Friday, April 27th and then feed into the Railway Order plans to be submitted to An Coimisin Pleanla later in 2026.The new Railway Order application will start just west of Maynooth train station and will include the tracks from there to Kilcock station and onto the new depot, just west of Kilcock and directly south of the current Sligo mainline railway.Planned double tracking and electrification will extend as far as the depot before the Sligo line becomes single track again. Irish Rail said that Public participation during the design process is a key element to the delivery of major infrastructure projects such as Dart+ Depot, and that Local knowledge and comments will inform the preferred design which is taken forward.The company said that feedback gathered will inform the development of the design for the project, its environmental assessments, and ultimately the draft Railway Order application which will be submitted to An Coimisin Pleanla later in 2026.IMAGE: An artists impression of the new station. With a diffrent view shown in the main image above.IMAGE: An artists impression of the depot.Irish Rail said that the depot will service and house a fleet of up to 750 new Dart carriages, and will require over 100 new skilled maintenance staff.The company said that after the rejection of the previous Railway Order, it has gone through an extensive site identification process over the past 18 months, including looking at fifty potential sites adjacent to the railway line across the Greater Dublin Area, before the site west of Kilcock was confirmed as the preferred Depot location.The depot will include a new main depot building, a maintenance shed, stabling for trains, an automatic train wash, a test track, a vehicle inspection unit, and offices, including changing rooms, rest areas, and training rooms. Car and bicycle parking is to be provided on site.IMAGE A drawing of the new Kilcock station with car park layout shown. Extra car and bicycle parking at Kilcock stationThe existing platform under the overbridge at Kilcock station will be removed to allow for dual tracks, and the current and planned platforms will extend eastwards. This will require the removal and relocation of the Kilcock Canoe Club, the details of which are still being planned. Irish Rail outlines that Existing parking at Fair Green which serves the existing station will be modified to accommodate more parking spaces.The detailed drawings (above) show that car parking is to be expanded at Kilcock station by eating into the green area at The Fair Green in front of the station. Bicycle parking will also be provided. There is currently no footpath through the area, and even with the removal of most of the green, people walking will still have to share with motorists. IMAGE: Cross-section drawings for the replacement route for the road currently using Jacksons Bridge, on the west side of Maynooth. New large bridge west of Maynooth with sub-standard cycle tracksIn Maynooth, just west of the existing urban area, the existing Jacksons Bridge will be bypassed by a new bridge crossing over both the canal and the railway tracks. The tracks will also be realigned away from the canal, increasing the bridges span. The draft drawing shows sub-standard width cycle paths, which would be considered sub-standard even in rural areas. This bridge, however, is zoned to be flanked by urban development. IMAGE: A map shown the diffrent Dart upgrade projects.Despite the old depot being just east of Kilcock and locals calling for Dart services to be extended to the town, this had fallen on deaf ears.In a press release today, the head of Irish Rail, the National Transport Authority, and the Ministers involved all welcomed the extension of Dart services to the town.Mary Considine, chief executive of Iarnrd ireann / Irish Rail, said: This welcome announcement for Kilcock will transform public transport in the locality, bringing Dart services to a growing community. A more sustainable, more frequent and more reliable rail system will support more people to get out of the car and on to the train, and will be a key enabler for housing development.She added: The depot is an integral part of the Dart+ programme, ensuring we have the capability to stable and maintain the new Dart+ fleet as it grows, and provide more trains across the network to lines and communities that really need them. I encourage the local community and all interested parties to engage with the consultation process and provide their feedback to help shape the ongoing design development.Minister for Transport, Darragh OBrien, said: I am delighted to be launching the public consultation for the new proposed Dart+ depot. This Depot will act as a key enabler to the entire Dart+ Programme, and the launch of this consultation represents a major step forward in providing a place to house and service the new Dart fleet.He added: I am also pleased that we have been able to use the opportunity presented by identifying a new location for the depot to also extend the Dart service to Kilcock. This will enable us to provide even more people with access to a high-capacity rail service operating at a turn up and go level of frequency at peak times. I encourage the public and all relevant stakeholders to engage with this important consultation.Sean Canney, Minister of State with responsibility for International and Road Transport, Logistics, Rail and Ports, said: I welcome the public consultation on the new Dart+ Depot, and the proposal to extend Dart services to Kilcock. This proposal has the added benefit of supporting us in realising the vision set out in the All-Island Strategic Rail Review and represents a first step in our longer-term vision to double-track the rail line from Dublin and Mullingar.Anne Shaw, chief executive of the National Transport Authority, said: The extension of Dart services to Kilcock is a significant milestone for the Dart+ Programme and for the wider TFI network. It will give the local community more frequent, more reliable and more accessible services, making sustainable travel a realistic option for many more passengers.She added that the new depot is essential to supporting the expanded Dart+ fleet and ensuring that we can deliver improved services right across the network.