Irish Rail to order up to 600 electric and battery-electric carriages over next decade

The "greenest fleet" in Irish transport history.

Irish Rail have expressed interest in ordering up to 600 new electric and battery-electric powered carriages over the next 10 years. Supported by the NTA, the company is to soon begin the tender process to entirely replace the original DART fleet as well as expanding its other services. The new carriages should ensure that the total rail fleet in Dublin, and up to 80 percent of all heavy rails journeys across the country, are moving towards a "potentially emissions-free future." Customers and locals should also see noise reductions as well as cost savings in train operations. Chief executive of Irish Rail, Jim Meade, said that the new fleet will provide more sustainable commute options for thousands of people. "The commencement of the tender process for our new fleet is the first major step in the DART expansion project, which will revolutionise public transport in the greater Dublin area, providing an even more frequent and environmentally sustainable commuting option for new and existing communities," he said. "It will also provide greater capacity for Intercity and regional commuter services as carriages currently utilised in the greater Dublin area will become available for other services.” Irish Rail said the move is expected to "... attract the interest of virtually every major global train manufacturer, such is its scale." Full steam ahead, so.

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During May, Her will be doing some more #ConsciousBits. Over the month, we'll be learning how to re-use more than we buy, examining the sheer amount of waste the planet produces, and considering the many, many benefits of sustainable fashion choices.  We'll also be chatting to some people who have made sustainability a priority, while setting ourselves a few environmentally conscious challenges along the way.  Change is daunting and we're not perfect, but we can always try to do our bit. Our conscious bit.  You can follow the rest of the #ConsciousBits series here or follow our Instagram account for more related content.  Want to get in touch? Email us at [email protected].