New Dublin train route given go ahead

Date: 3/8/2012

A new train route which will link up two existing lines in the centre of Dublin has been given the go ahead.

The Luas BXD route will cost €370 million (£292.7 million) to complete with construction due to start next year.

Leo Varadkar, Transport Minister, said: "When complete, Dublin will have an integrated rail and light rail network that is the norm in other modern cities."

He pointed out the convenience saying that passengers will be able to board a train in Maynooth or Leixlip and only have to change once in order to get to Dundrum or Sandyford.

Mr Varadkar said: "Similarly, you will be able to get on the Luas at Tallaght and with just one change, get out at the new DIT campus or at Trinity College."

Construction of the six kilometre line will provide jobs for 800 people and is expected to be in operation by the year 2017.

It will stretch from St Stephen's Green and go through the centre of the city, down Dawson Street and around College Green.

From there the line will split into two with the northern line going over O'Connell Bridge to link up with the pre-existing Red Line at the junction between O'Connell Street and Abbey Street.

The southern route on the other hand will extend down Marlborough Street and make use of a new bridge being built of the River Liffey.

Michael Sheedy, Director of Light Rail, said: "It will form the foundation of a high quality integrated network which will significantly reduce the current high reliance on the private car."

There will be 13 stops on the new line, which will take 24 minutes to travel from end to end.

In 2011 there were 29 million passengers carried on the Luas and the new line is expected to see an extra eight million added to this.

The Railway Procurement Agency has described the adoption of the new plans as a milestone in the creation of an integrated public transport network for the Irish city.

Posted by Nick Anderson

International Transport News and Sustainable Transport News