Irish Rail has warned that without action, extreme weather and coastal erosion could threaten the 65km route, which has already lost up to 30 metres of land in the past decade.

The East Coast Railway Infrastructure Protection Project proposes placing large boulders on beaches, raising sea walls, and adapting embankments at five key locations between Merrion Gates and Wicklow Harbour. According to project manager Cian Lynch, these measures are vital to prevent wave overtopping and erosion that have increasingly disrupted services. “As climate change takes hold, we foresee that it will impact services if we don’t act now,” he explained.

The works would reduce the size of some beaches and block parts of the train’s celebrated coastal views. Lynch stressed, however, that access routes will be maintained and that glass walls will be used near certain stations to preserve vistas. “It is quite a scenic and well-known piece of rail infrastructure, but that exposure means it is a risk,” he noted.

Fine Gael councillor Marie Baker criticized the scale of the proposals, warning that passengers could lose their views of Dublin Bay altogether. “I think their proposal is over-engineered. People’s enjoyment of the coastline needs to be considered. We need a compromise,” she said.

Irish Rail has launched a public consultation on the plans, which runs until 13 October, with a statutory consultation to follow. If planning permission is granted, construction could begin before 2029 and take two to three years to complete. The company says it is keen to hear from residents and coastal users to help shape the final project.