Luas Finglas extension

DublinTown submission in relation to Luas Finglas extension consultation

Background

DublinTown (formerly Dublin City Business Improvement District) is the city centre’s Business Improvement District. Its mandate was provided by the city centre’s 2,500 businesses following a plebiscite in 2007. This mandate was renewed by a further vote of businesses in 2012 and again in the summer of 2017.

DublinTown worked closely with the NTA, TII, Department of Transport and the various contractors involved in the delivery of the Luas Cross City project. We welcome the opportunity to make a submission on the extension of the Luas to Finglas and beyond.

DublinTown welcomes the project

DublinTown welcomes the proposal for the extension of the Luas Green Line to Charlestown. Dublin Town is confident that this project will be delivered on time and within budget based on our experience of working with the various stakeholders on the delivery of the Luas Cross City project through to 2017.

The Luas network has proven its success. It has demonstrated the high level of demand for comfortable, reliable and frequent public transport. We believe that investment in viable public transport will continue to yield additional passengers and modal shift away from non-sustainable transport modes. The Covid Crisis has temporarily diverted public attention away from crucial issues such as Climate Change, however, the crisis has also shown how interlinked economic sustainability is with a safe and protective environment. Climate change, based on current projections, will create societal and economic chaos. We, therefore, need to reduce our transport related carbon emissions as a matter of priority.

The proposed extension offers significantly improved transport to an area of north-west Dublin that was previously limited in its transport options.

However, we believe that the current timescale for delivery lacks ambition and should be consolidated. We believe construction should commence before 2027 and delivery of passengers before 2030. The challenges that Dublin faces in terms of congestion, population growth and sustainability need to be addressed as a priority and the city is already dealing with the consequences of historic underinvestment in public transport. Beneficial schemes such as the Finglas Luas extension need to be prioritised and expedited.

We welcome the upgrading of pedestrian and cycle infrastructure as part of this project. DublinTown believes that we should continue to promote active as well as public transport and the multifaceted benefit that active modes of transport provides.

Potential for expansion and interchange

We believe that serious consideration must be given to extending the Luas Line to connect with the Metrolink at Ballymun. The addition of two stops at Jamestown Road and St. Margaret’s respectively would provide greater connectivity to these employment hubs within the transport network.

It would allow Metrolink passengers access to TUD with one interchange, and access to DCU for Luas Greenline passengers, similarly with one interchange. Furthermore, it would provide access to the airport to Luas Passengers from Glasnevin across to Finglas again with one interchange. We need to include as many interchange opportunities as possible in our transport planning to allow for greater connectivity, which will in turn increase the attractiveness of the network and assist reductions in car usage.

In this context we welcome the interchange with the rail lines and Bus Connects created by the proposed Luas extension. We similarly welcome the addition of Park & Ride facilities at Charlestown which should persuade commuters in outlying areas to leave their cars at the edge of the city and use public transport to access the city centre.

DublinTown supports the increased use of 55m trams and the additional capacity that these bring to the network.