Consultation Opens on Revised Access Road for Cork Rail Depot

Iarnród Éireann has today launched a localised public consultation on a revised Preferred Option for an access road to the new fleet stabling and maintenance depot at Ballyrichard More, part of Phase 2 of the Cork Area Commuter Rail Programme.

The revised proposal is a direct response to local knowledge and insights provided during the second non-statutory public consultation held in May of this year. Instead of implementing a new dedicated road access point, as previously proposed, the updated plan primarily utilises the existing road network.

The new depot at Ballyrichard More will support planned service expansion and cater for the required electrified fleet, ultimately supporting a 10-minute rail service for Cork. Vehicular access to the depot is required as part of the overall development, to support staff access and depot operations.

The consultation is live for three weeks, from Wednesday 19 August to Wednesday 9 September 2026, and feedback is sought on the revised depot access road during this time. A drop-in event will be held on 2 September 2026 between 4pm and 8pm at MyPlace in Midleton, where interested parties can discuss the revised proposals with members of the project team.

Further information on what is being proposed, as well as details on how to make a submission, can be found at irishrail.ie/cacr. Feedback received during this additional local consultation will help finalise project proposals before a Railway Order is lodged with An Coimisiún Pleanála at the end of 2026.

All submissions received during PC1 and PC2 (the first two rounds of public consultation) for the Cork Area Commuter Rail Programme have been reviewed and incorporated into the project development where possible. No other changes to the proposed works are as substantive as the revised depot access road proposal, so additional consultation will not take place for other areas at this time.

A Railway Order Application will be submitted to An Coimisiún Pleanála in late 2026, at which point there will be a statutory consultation period where the public will be invited, via public notices, to make submissions directly to An Coimisiún Pleanála. These submissions will be considered in its decision-making process.

Phase 2 of the Cork Area Commuter Rail Programme will also provide a new depot, 8 new stations, and full electrification of the network, with delivery of a new fleet ultimately supporting up to a 10-minute service frequency on each of Cork's three commuter rail lines.