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The Daily PollPLANS FOR THE MetroLink – a north-south train that will run between Swords and Sandyford – were unveiled yesterday.
The current plan is for the route to run overground along the Sandyford to Charlemont Green Luas Line, and then run underground. Luas users who wish to continue north will have to change at Charlemont.
A Metro North was proposed back in 2001 during the Celtic Tiger era, but it never got off the ground.
The MetroLink, a high-frequency, electric rail service is planned to be open to the public from 2027, and is estimated to cost €3 billion. However, this is subject to change as the final designs haven’t been confirmed, according to the National Transport Authority.
So, today we’re asking: Do you think the MetroLink will be built on time?
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The more important question would be: do you think it will be on budget?. That would be a no for me….
@Jonathan Gaffey: on budget ? in ireland ? not a hope in hell,more brown envelopes flying around than you can shake a large stick at.
@Jonathan Gaffey: Actually the more important questions that presents are
what are the changes of it being built at all,
is it value for money,
what will happen to the two disparate ends of the green line if its built
What are the next project to implement
and finally
Why is Dublin so focused on linear radial transport routes with minimal interaction that hark back to the early days of steam trains and that promote high density city centres, low density sub-rural housing and horrible commutes for anybody not on one of these radial lines.
@Platypus Parcel:
It is linked in with the Luas and will use the same line, how much more interaction do you want?
@Jonathan Gaffey: Wasn’t the LUAS under budget? It also paid itself off ahead of schedule if I remember correctly
@Nick Allen: they are promising a metro every 2 minutes. The LUAS cant run on the same track with the metro gobbling up the moving blocks like that.
The Luas will have to run from Brides glen to sandyford, then another from charlemont to boombridge.
They will be able to move rolling stock off peak, but the two systems will need to operate separately with their own frequencies, or the frequencies need to drop.
@Jonathan Gaffey: Luas and the M4/6 was built on time, and on budget
@Matt Fitzpatrick: Luas Cross City was under or on budget I believe.
The original Luas lines opened in 2004 were well over budget and and behind schedule.
Built on time ?????
Sure it won’t even get started on time.
@Derek Byrne: it won’t be build at all!!
I can’t see it been built in time.Also I can’t see people given up their homes to Easily. Should be very interesting.
@Derek Moean: Most people were put on notice several years ago when the original plans were done. There isn’t much to fight they have compulsory purchase powers for infrastructure projects.
I seem to remember whilst in Western Australia a few years ago that they had a train running the length of the Freeway as the call it there. Would it not make sense to do somethin similar here, possibly under the M50, I know it might be a longer distance than what is currently being planned but it would serve more of the community, cause less disruption during the build, ultimately it would take cars off the motorway inturn reducing tailbacks while also being serviced by trains, trams, and buses which crisscross the city anyway
@Brian: in fact one might be able t run the train on the surface along the M50 route….. central reservation… and have stations at every M50 bridge – and then channel people with local transport to the M50 – but a lot cheaper and adequate.
What I do not get is replacing the Luas for part of the city to Bridles glen route – why not just stop at Charlemont and let the Luas alone
@Niall Ó Cofaigh: higher capacity on this section with Metro, the luas is bursting and people cant get on the damn thing. This is a good plan to go to Sandyford. The luas south of that can later be expanded to channel people to the Metro
@Niall Ó Cofaigh: I agree! That part of the green line is not long open anyway, why build it just to rip it up again, it really beggars belief. Ideally It would be great to build it as you suggeseted, however on the other hand, I dont know if you could squeeze in a railway along the whole of the central reservation, it may also lead to disruption on the M50 during the build, which could be avoided if the whole thing was underground. There must be a boring machine or two lying around the place here somewhere since they built the port tunnel,
This is Ireland we don’t know the meaning of the phrase “on time”.
That being said, I wouldn’t mind it being behind schedule as long as it was done properly
@Darren Tully: Or in budget…….
The big problem with these projects is planning permission and residents all looking to cash in on compensation
I look forward to the big PR event in 2027 when they reveal plans for “MetroX”, to be complete by 2035.
Nothing ever changes!
Might be a little optimistic that it’ll be done in time. The new luas line was on time and in budget (once they finally agreed to build it!). So long as Fianna fail doesn’t get in power and feck it all up it might happen!
@Paul Moran: anything can be on time when you set a ridiculously long delivery date. 4 years for 2km of new track? Lol!
In the meantime, rural Ireland falls to pieces…
@John Madden: mostly due to the residents own decisions. Farming requires less people now, people shop outside their towns, the children train for jobs not in their communities, etc…You do it to yourselves
@Kal Ipers: due to one off houses mostly.
@Kal Ipers: because there are no jobs in their communities. This Government are complicit in rural neglect and its decimation.
@Kal Ipers: you clearly know little about rural Ireland. What do you think will happen to the countryside without people living there? And it isn’t only large wealthy houses, many are farms that have been in a family for generations. What do you think will happen to large empty areas with no one to watch what is going on? And shouldn’t people have a right to live outside of an urban centre if they so choose? Would you like to have no choice over living in an apartment block if you really wanted a family home?
@Noirin Kavanagh: You are under some delusion that I suggested rights should be taken away. You have the right to live where you like except if you are from outside the area is how you guys like it down there. I know people not allowed buy or build as they weren’t locals.
The demise of rural life has much more to do with the locals than the government. The locals are the ones not supporting local businesses and leaving. The jobs lost in rural areas are mostly down to modernisation by locals of their farms and businesses. If large businesses sudden went rural locals would complain about the blow ins and increases in property prices.
@Kal Ipers: wholly untrue, I thought the FG spin machine was being wound down?
@Kal Ipers: “The locals are the ones not supporting local businesses and leaving” They have to leave because there are no jobs…….
More importantly will it be built on budget ?
Actions speak louder than words, it’s a start but no way could I see it being done by 2027!!!
Ah ha ha ha ha, good one you had me there for a minute, as if ! I think there’s only a 15% chance it’ll be built at all
Try not to buy trains that are longer than tube lads.
So going north as far as Charlemont, will there be both Luas and Metro working the same track?
@Shane Fleming: No. Metro will run in place of Luas between Sandyford and Charlemont.
@Ciarān: so will the LUAS be shut down for 6 years while the underground is built? Will the CPO’s along the green line be reversed? Loads of people had their gardens halved.
@Shane Fleming: As currently envisaged, the current trams will no longer operate between Sandyford and Charlemont and so the current Green line will have two isolated sections; Charlemont to Broombridge and Sandyford to Brides Glen.
A passenger travelling from Brides Glen to Grangegorman say, will have to change twice, at Sandyford and Charlemont.
With the planned population growth in the Cherrywood/Brides Glen area, this is showing all the signs of being a mega shambles.
@Ciarān: This alone is madness – the Luas run to Charlemont and then from Sandyford to Brides Glen… and I bet they make the rain link on a different gauge so that moving a LUAS by rail from the Sandyford-BridesGlen line to the CharlemontSt- City line will only be possible by road…. I can hear the slogans… “Leave the LUAS alone” (Music by Pink Floyd)
@Stuart: Why would it? Disruption at charlemount is likely but the other track is already there?
@Niall Ó Cofaigh: its the same rail gauge
@Tony Stack: no it’s not read the infrastructure reports. Metro tracks have to be similar to the dart. The architect who designed route was on Matt Cooper stating same Luas down minimum 2 yrs
@Anthony Whelan: That would be for heavy metro. This would be light metro, similar to what’s in barcelona and porto. All that would need doing is to removed some of the platform on existing green line stations, and extend them a further 7 meters.
@Mark Healy: No one could get off at Mater Metro stop for Grangegorman
All the people complaining about the project have most likely never worked on any large scale planing of any sort but think they are experts.
@Kal Ipers: what’s your expertise on the subject so. Nobody allowed to voice an opinion in your world then
@Anthony Whelan: I must admit I have only planned projects worth about €30million but I am not claiming I know how to plan this project. People are allowed all the opinions they want it doesn’t make them valid or worthy of discussion.
https://youtu.be/OQnd5ilKx2Y
@Kal Ipers: so we’ll just take your claim to fame with a pinch of salt so. There’s actually some very valid and worthy opinions here maybe not up in Kal’s towers but on the ground where people are affected by billion €€€ projects
@Kal Ipers: We’re paying for it, so we get to have an opinion.
@Anthony Whelan: No not what I am saying but what I am not saying. I am not saying I know better. How do you know what is valid and what compromises need to be made to get it done. People will complain regardless.
My grandkids might be able to use it!
Not for breakfast .
I’d be very surprised if it even starts any time in the next 10 years. There’s a lot of legal posho types living in D6 that may need to be bought out using CPOs. Not a chance in hell the SUV driving elite will give way to their houses in order for a public transport link they’ll never use.
What im worried about is having to pay for the metro and luas for the same trip i take on one ticket now.
@David Lacey: don’t be silly, of course you will have to! The thought of an integrated system is preposterous!
its a complete waste of money. Very typical of Leos little government, ” every major Capital city has a rail link to the airport”. Dublin is not a major Capital city and the airport already has great bus links to the City centre. Put the 3 billion to better use.
@thejamer: What would be “better use”?
Why is it running along the current LUAS route between Charlemont and Sandyford?I would leave that alone and maybe pick a new route between the luas and dart eg.along N11 route through UCD and have a crossover around Stephens green.Something like that would better serve the city giving more catchment.
Oh…like the way the children’s hospital was built on time and within budget?
Should be a never built option
Probably come in 2 years late and cost 10bn.
Over 90% of infrastructure projects completed worldwide over the value of $1billion have been over time and over budget. So paddypower wouldn’t give ya odds on it.
The LUAS and Port Tunnels were on time and on budget. But we are a pessimistic and cynical nation (and often for good reason). And even though there is no evidence to support it, in fact evidence of the contrary, I imagine most will say “NO”.
@David Hickey: Here’s a bit more synicism for you David.
The Metro won’t be built at all…!!
It was first proposed by the late Seamus Brennan in 1997.
4 plans later. Nothing has happened and not likely to happen.
Looking at the poll result the gap between the Govt and agencies and its poor perception by people is staggering
Homeless people,packed hospitals,lots of stuff to spend 3 billion on ,,will end up costing a lot more,,total joke,,we are all still paying that emergency tax brought in during recession.mad
@Declan burke: So spend zero on infrastructure and don’t bother planning for future population changes until nobody is homeless or sick. Sounds like a plan.
Monorail, monorail…
Where’s the it won’t be built at all option?
It depends on what the encounter when they start tunneling. Remember the Luas and M4/6 was on time and on budget.
Just make a bus corridor on the same level no Luas a bus every 10 minutes
@Derek Norris: a luas can carry the same as 4 busses, and runs every two-five minutes.
Why not let Irish rail go ahead build the line fraction of the cost, the luas line out to the airport as what was done in Edinburgh, or ask a renowned international company who specialize in building metros and the state can lease it back.
This is being proposed by the same people who brought us the current cross city Luas shambles in the city centre.
Today I nearly got stuck between 2 sets of traffic lights near Connolly station and the IFSC. In between the lights is 2 sets of LUAS tracks and space for 2 cars. God help us with this level of planning.
This is Ireland. There’s no such thing as a project being do on time or on budget.
Have idiots here been reading news for the past 20 years..????
Journal you are clearly not aware of the 21 year history of ” The Metro “,
4 plans. 2 got planning permission. Nothing built over 20 years.
It won’t be built at all..
Yes on time and on budget and all the pigs have their bags packed and are ready for take off
It will be built in about 20 years after an agreement is reached with Na Fianna GAA
Bring the Luas out to the airport now
@trebloc01: current luas is already over capacity without it going to the airport.
They haven’t factored in ‘Dublin says no’.
Get the lads from the curse of oak island in. There always digging and getting nowhere…
We need a Luas in Cork urgently
This is Ireland. Nothing ever gets built in time
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