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Cullen appoints independent inspector for public inquiry on Docklands Luas extension

Date: 04 January 2006

Further progress on "Transport 21"

In a further development on the implementation of Transport 21, the Minister for Transport, Mr. Martin Cullen T.D., has today (29th December 2005) appointed Mr. James Connolly SC as the independent Inspector who will hold a public inquiry into the application by the Railway Procurement Agency (RPA) for a Railway Order in respect of the proposed Luas docklands extension from Connolly Station to the Point.

Today's development represents progress on four of the seven Luas projects outlined in Transport 21, launched last November.

The RPA submitted the application for the Railway Order to the Minister at the beginning of this month. The Minister is required, under the Transport (Railway Infrastructure) Act 2001, to appoint an independent Inspector to carry out a public inquiry on the Railway Order application, following which he submits a report to the Minister.

The timescale for the public inquiry and subsequent report is a matter for the independent Inspector.

The Railway Order application concerns the extension of the Red (Tallaght) Luas Line for 1.5km from Connolly Station, through the Docklands to the Point, serving existing and planned high-density commercial and residential developments.

The Docklands Luas would add almost 2 million passengers to the Luas network and remove 1 million trips from the road network as well as catering for an expected 50% growth in employment and 100% growth in the population in the area.

The 7 new Luas projects outlined in Transport 21 are:

1. The Tallaght LUAS line will be extended to the Docklands.
   
2. A spur will be provided off the Tallaght line to serve Citywest.
   
3. The Sandyford LUAS line will be extended to Cherrywood and
   
4. Subsequently to Bray, allowing passengers interchange onto the DART and suburban rail services. This means that, for example, somebody travelling from Cherrywood to, say, Dun Laoghaire will be able to take the Luas to Bray and then transfer onto the DART for Dun Laoghaire.
   
5. The two LUAS lines will be joined
   
6. This new cross-city link will subsequently be extended northwards to serve Broadstone and the new Dublin Institute of Technology campus at Grangegorman. Furthermore, it will connect with the Maynooth suburban rail line around Liffey Junction. This means that, for example, somebody travelling from Maynooth to, say, Sandyford will be able to transfer from suburban rail to Luas at Liffey Junction.
   
7. A new LUAS line from Lucan to the City will be provided.

Transport 21 delivers two new Metro services, Metro North and Metro West.

Metro North will run from St. Stephen's Green to Swords, serving places such as DCU, Ballymun and Dublin Airport.

Metro West, the orbital line will link the Tallaght LUAS line and Metro North and serving among other places like Clondalkin, Liffey Valley and Blanchardstown.

St Stephen's Green will be a key interchange point enabling transfer between LUAS, METRO and suburban rail.

An important feature of the overall rail development plans is the development of an integrated network which will enable passengers to transfer between suburban rail, METRO and LUAS at a number of interchange stations.

ENDS

Further info:

Dan Pender 087 - 2313415

Veronica Scanlan 087 - 6430622