Luas Cross City tram testing begins June 17th
- Tue 13 June, 2017
First test run for new Luas line set to take place this Saturday, June 17th
It’s been four years since work on the new Luas Line, connecting the city from the north district to the south, began and on Saturday, June 17th, the first trams will be tested on the new route.
DublinTown believes Luas Cross City, once complete this December, will be a great asset to the city. Research conducted on behalf of DublinTown has shown that 44% of Dubliners surveyed are more likely to visit the city once the new Luas line is operating. Luas Cross City is predicting that this new route will bring in an additional 10 million passengers a year to the city centre once up and running.
Luas Cross City informed us that the gauge run will consist of using two trams moving at slow speeds (from 5kph up to 10kph) between St. Stephen’s Green, College Green and over to O’Connell St. These tests will take place during the morning – from approximately 07.00am until 12.00noon.
The gauge run tests include a range of measurements and checks to ensure that the new infrastructure is working with the trams. The gauge run allows the engineering team to check the exact and precise specifications. A second day of gauge run testing will take place on the morning of Sunday 18th between Broadstone and Cabra.
It is expected that tram testing will continue during the Summer months in advance of passenger services commencing in December.
During this time of testing, members of the public are asked to keep a safe distance from the trams and to please obey the instructions of An Garda Siochána and marshals.
DublinTown CEO Richard Guiney commented:
Throughout the construction phase of this project we have worked closely with Luas Cross City, the NTA, Gardai and other stakeholders to minimise the impact of the works on businesses and the city. This cooperation has seen footfall rise in the city each year despite the extensive works being carried out. Businesses can’t wait to see this much-needed transport system passing by their premises. We look forward to getting a glimpse of how the new system will look and work during these test runs. It’s an exciting time for the city!