Huge investment on track

Cork is to receive a €185.4 million investment in suburban rail under the Government’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP).

The investment will go towards a new Cork Commuter Rail Corridor which is the largest single project in the NRRP.

The enhanced commuter rail service will deliver the proposed transport network needed to underpin the significant population and employment growth envisaged for Cork under the National Planning Framework (NFP) 2040.

The €185.4 million will allow increased connectivity between the Mallow to Cork lines and the Midleton/Cobh to Cork lines, including the upgrading of Kent station and new stations along the route.

The announcement supports the Government’s commitment to delivering on the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy (CMATS) and sustainable transport alternatives for Cork city and county.

Welcoming the announcement was An Taoiseach Micheál Martin who said the project will help to create a sustainable public transport infrastructure fit for the Cork of the future.

“The dividends of today’s announcement will be felt by the people of Cork for years to come. This ambitious rail corridor will enable sustainable development as the city and county undergoes both population and economic growth.

“The project also lays the foundations for large-scale development of sustainable new housing communities and acts as the model for other new transport systems across the country,” he concluded.