Cullen launches Metro North public consultation

Date: 01 March 2006

Metro North to remove 41,000 cars a day from Dublin's streets

41,000 cars a day removed from Dublin's streets, a Metro every 90 seconds, the City Centre to the Airport in 17 minutes and the City Centre to Swords in 26 minutes are among the benefits of Metro North, a key project in the Government's Transport 21 plan.

Transport Minister, Martin Cullen TD today (28th February, 2006) launched the public consultation phase for the project in Dublin's City Centre.

Metro North, which is estimated to carry at least 80,000 passengers a day, will also integrate with Luas, Bus, Park & Ride at Swords and Ballymun, cycling, taxi and rail services. Metro North will integrate with other services in the city connecting with Metro West, the Maynooth rail line, the Tallaght and Sandyford Luas lines and DART via the Interconnector at St. Stephens Green.

Minister Cullen also announced that the Dublin Bus network review allows for bus services to be re-organised so that the bus complements and feeds into Metro, thus extending the advantages to other communities.

Ground investigation work is to commence on Metro North within weeks. The Metro North line, which will total 18km, is expected to be operational in 2012.

Speaking at the launch, Minister Cullen said: "We need and deserve a first class transport system. We have the resources because of the hard work and enterprise of the Irish people and a Government that works with them. Our goal with Transport 21 is to make sure that Ireland is successful not just today but also in the years ahead.

"Metro North offers an integrated, high capacity public transport option. It will be modern, attractive, accessible and make an immeasurable difference to 80,000 lives everyday. Crucially, just like Luas before it, Metro will get people out of cars and onto public transport."

Minister Cullen said he was keen to correct the fact that Dublin was one of the few European Capital Cities without a direct rail link to its Airport. He said he was also pleased to secure resources to bring Metro to Swords.

"We are one of the few European Cities without a rail link. Metro North corrects this and by going to Swords, achieves more. Swords and the wider Fingal area is now home to thousands of people. With Metro in place, the journey from the City Centre to Dublin Airport or Swords will be less than half of what it is today. This is the type of improvement Transport 21 delivers", he concluded.

ENDS

Further info:

Dan Pender 01 6041090 / 087 2313415

Veronica Scanlan 01 6041087 / 087 6430622

KEY STATISTICS OF METRO NORTH

Metro will have a frequency of every 4 to 5 minutes, growing to every 90 seconds once demand builds
City Centre to the Airport in 17 minutes
City Centre to Swords in 26 minutes
Minimum of 80,000 passengers per day
Estimated to remove up to 41,000 car journeys per day from Dublin's roads
Metro will integrate with Luas, bus, Park & Ride (at Swords and Ballymun), cycling, taxi and rail (via the Interconnector)
Metro will be approximately 18km in length
Metro service will be similar to Luas early morning to late at night
Metro will not disrupt traffic while in operation. The overground section will be fully segregated from traffic, with the remaining section underground
Luas trams can also use the Metro line as track design will be similar for both services
Timeline for Metro:
- Planning, Design and Procurement: 2006 2009
- Construction: 2009 2012
- In service: 2012

Dublin is one of the few European Capital Cities without a rail link to its Airport. Others include Belgrade (Serbia), Berne (Switzerland), Chisinau (Moldova), Zagreb (Crotia), Vilnius (Lithuania), Sarajevo (Bosnia-Herzegovina), Tallinn (Estonia), Ljubljana (Slovenia), Tirana (Albania), Reykjavik (Iceland) and Luxembourg (Luxembourg).