— Minister Ryan says next transport minister should order a reversal of NTA decision.
Green is the familiar colour scheme for Dart trains, but the National Transport Authority ordered Irish Rail not to use green handrails on the interior of new carriages, according to documents released under Freedom of Information.
Irish Rail outlined that French train manufacturer Alstom had shown that the shade of green chosen not only complied with but exceeded all disability and accessibility requirements.
However, the National Transport Authority said that it wanted handrails to be yellow to accommodate people with sight loss and the “desirability of a standardised approach across public transport fleet”.
The outside of the trains, currently being tested and expected to be in service in early 2026, includes a green section at the front of the train. But the interior of the first train to arrive in Ireland, which was displayed recently at the Inchicore Railway Works, is devoid of any green except for small safety notices, strips of green on information displays and temporary posters marketing the Dart+ programme to expand the suburban rail service.
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After the visuals of interior options with green handrails, hand grips, and a green strip through the seat coverings scored well, Alstom produced a life-sized mockup of the interior. This mockup was presented in Dublin and also met with wide approval. However, the NTA stood firm in its position.
Irish Rail said that the majority of people in its disability passenger group responded positively to the use of green, but the NTA said that its Transport User Advisory Group looked for interior stanchions and grab rails to be changed to yellow.
The issue was discussed on and off over a series of letters between the NTA and Irish Rail between 2022 and 2023.
Peter Muldoon, Irish Rail’s director of capital investments, in a June 2022 letter to the NTA, said: “I note that the design proposed is the outcome of an extensive technical and aesthetic iterative process, in full consultation with many stakeholders and representative user groups including our Disabled User Group.”
Muldoon suggested that an independent panel be established jointly with the NTA to determine the final position. However, Hugh Creegan, the deputy chief executive of the NTA, made the final decision.
In May 2023, Creegan wrote: “For visually impaired users, particularly those with partial sight, the highlighting of poles in the walkway areas, and the highlighting of grab handles, is very important to allow them to confidently and safely use and navigate the relevant transportation.”
“While I acknowledge that other colour combinations can provide the technical colour contrast that meets regulatory requirements, it is the general view of the relevant disability groups that the use of yellow poles and grab handles provides the optimum arrangement to meet their needs,” he said.
Creegan said: “Trying to do something different for the new Dart fleet, even if more aesthetically attractive, will only end up undoing a lot of the positivity that will derive from the good work that has gone into the other Dart design features.”
“For the avoidance of doubt,” Creegan added, that the change from green to yellow, “is a requirement for Approving Authority sign-off of the final design.”
Outgoing Minister for Transport Minister Eamon Ryan said that the Department of Transport and the NTA have been trying to progress transport projects, but he said: “I was in favour of the green colour. I think the NTA made a mistake on that.”
He said he was aware that there was a conflict between the views of different transport disability groups.
Minister Ryan said: “One of my bits of advice to the next transport Minister is that the next order of Dart carriages should be in green… green is a restful colour, and the Dart is beautiful in its lovely green livery, and I have a big regret that the first Dart carriages are going to be yellow, blue and white. I think the next order should go green.”
Mark Gleeson, a spokesperson for Rail Users Ireland, an advocacy group, said the green colour fully complies with the EU’s technical specifications for persons with reduced mobility and what he called “industry best practice”, the UK Rail Vehicle Accessibility requirements.
He said: “We saw the mock-ups in green. Green in our option was a more pleasant interior.”
He said: “This is an example of the micromanagement of large transport projects where time, effort and public funds are spent which add no value or improvement for the passenger. The NTA has no experience in train procurement or design and should rely on the expert opinion provided.”
Images: An in-depth look at the first new Dart+ train



It’s no wonder everything takes so long in Irleand when we argue over the most minor of details. No offence but this isn’t exactly a news story either.
I think it shows the attitude of the NTA of ignoring expert opinion, as has been happening with bus connect’s cycle lane standards.
The NTA should be sacked. Frankly, pretty much every unelected quango with ‘authority’ in its name is an appalling waste of tax payers money. Sack the lot of them and save tens of millions that can be invested properly for the Irish tax-paying citizens
The yellow is more consistent with the colour scheme used on buses & commuter trains
Makes sense for grab rails, the seat fabric should be retained as well as the exterior colour scheme
Got to say I agree with the NTA’s approach to delivering consistency across the network. And Minister Ryan commenting on personally favouring green comes across a lot more as unwarranted ‘micromanagement’, versus the NTA’s rationalised decision for going with yellow. It’s probably also worth noting that RUI appears to be mostly a one man band organisation – I think their opinions should be considered in that context.