Irish Rail has this morning started a second round of non-statutory public consultation on the preferred options for six new stations, upgrades to existing stations, a new fleet depot, electrification of the lines, and park-and-ride as part of Phase 2 of the upgrades on the Cork commuter network.The service to be provided on the network is described as a turn-up-and-go service with a frequency of a train every 10 minutes. In a press release this morning, Irish Rail said the new phase will deliver the remaining infrastructure to support trains operating up to every 10 minutes across each of the three commuter lines to Mallow, Midleton and Cobh.The State-owned railway company said consultation is asking for the publics feedback on proposed plans as local knowledge will continue to inform the design and help shape the project plans and will run for a four-week period up to June 12th 2026.The plans include new stations at Blarney, Monard, Tivoli, Ballynoe, Carrigtwohill West and Water-Rock, upgrades at Cobh and Mallow, park-and-ride at Blarney and Dunkettle station, and a new depotat Ballyrichard More. Details, including the public consultation events, can be found at irishrail.ie/cacr.IMAGES: Artists impressions images provided by Irish Rail, with the proposed Carrigtwohill station shown in the main article image above, and in the gallery: the upgraded Mallow Station, two images of the depot, and a view of the proposed Blarney station.This current process is part of the run-up to Irish Rail making a Railway Order application, a type of planning application for rail projects. The company said it plans to submit this to An Coimisin Pleanla in late 2026. Mary Considine, chief executive of Irish Rail, said:The Cork Area Commuter Rail Programme will transform the Cork transport network. Phase 1 is largely complete, and the delivery of Phase 2 will ensure that more communities across Cork can access high-capacity, high-frequency, and more sustainable rail transport.She added: Feedback from surrounding communities is important and will be central to finalising design proposals. I encourage everyone to engage with the consultation process and have your say in shaping this transformative rail investment programme.