A NEW TRANSPORT plan for Dublin has been approved by the Transport Minister.

The National Transport Authority’s Greater Dublin Area Transport Strategy 2016 – 2035 has now been laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas.

The plan includes €10 billion of capital spending which includes expansion of Luas lines.

It appraises the merits of six travel corridors and concludes that:

• Swords and north Dublin will get the €2.4 billion Metro North, new bus corridors,  two high-capacity rail lines on the Drogheda line and updates to the distributor roads in Swords and Donabate. The intersection at Clarehall will also be addressed. 
• Navan will not get a commuter rail line as the NTA doesn’t feel the demand is there. It will, however get a bus hub.
• Blanchardstown will get a DART service as the Maynooth line is electrified and level crossings are removed. The town will also get a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line and upgrades to the N3.
• Finglas will get the Luas, as the cross-city line is extended north. This will lead to a park and ride at the N2/M50.
• DART services will be extended to Hazelhatch, serving Lucan and Cherry Orchard.
• Lucan will also get a new Luas line, along with Ballyfermot.
• Clondalkin will get radial bus corridors as a Luas extension is not seen as feasible.
• Tallaght will get a BRT.
• The M7 as far as Newbridge will be widened and reconfigured.
• Sallins will be bypassed.
• Rathfarnham will get a BRT.
• Two new roads will be built on the N81 corridor – with a link road from Oldcourt Road to Kiltipper Road.
• The Luas Green line will be upgraded to Metro standard and extended to Bray.

Anne Graham, CEO of the National Transport Authority said it is the first time a map has been set down.

We are delighted that the Transport Strategy for the nation’s Capital Region has been approved by the Minister.

“This is the first time that a strategic map of transport planning for the decades ahead has been set down on a statutory basis – it gives a firm basis to all agencies involved in planning for the future development of this region.”

Read: Luas drivers have announced six more strike days