THESE ARE THE plans for the MetroLink – a north-south train that will run between Swords and Sandyford.
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.
The high-frequency, electric rail service is planned to be open to the public from 2027, and is estimated to cost €3 billion, although this is subject to change as the final designs haven’t been confirmed.
At a press event today, the National Transport Authority (NTA) said that the plan is the “emerging preferred route”, which would not be the final route. The NTA says it’s open to other proposals.
The plans show that the train will cater for 15,000 passengers per direction per hour, and could carry up to 50 million passengers per year.
The train will take 25 minutes from the city centre to Swords, and 50 minutes from Swords to Sandyford. Other stops include Glasnevin, Collins Avenue, Ballymun, and Dublin Airport. It will take 20 minutes to travel from Dublin Airport to the city centre.
The route will largely be underground in bored tunnels but will be on an elevated track at the Swords bypass.
There will be a total of 25 stations (including 15 new Metro stations), 3,000 additional park-and-ride spaces, and 30 new trains.
Construction
Plans for a Metro in Dublin have been floating around for some time; plans were halted in 2011 due to the economic downturn.
The preferred route for the MetroLink involves a twin tunnel design with one tube for the northbound Metro and a second tube for the southbound Metro.
The tunnels involved are much smaller than the Port Tunnel, meaning they can be built quicker, and Dart interconnecter plan is still a key part of Dublin’s transport plan but it will be examined after electrification, Graham said.
Around 100 properties will be acquired in the building process, but the consultation is “in very early days”, according to Anne Graham, CEO of the NTA.
Of those, at least 70 are apartments around Tara Street.
Na Fianna GAA’s playing fields will be impacted by the construction. Aidan Foley of Transport Infrastructure Ireland says it will be temporary and the facilities would be replaced “in an immaculate position”.
Luas Cross Over
The plans for the MetroLink include similar stations, but it was clarified today that the Luas and the Metro would be fully segregated.
Graham added that the plan will not make the Luas Cross City redundant and there is no question that it would be taken out of Dublin.
This will be the only Metro plan until at least 2035.
- with reporting from Paul Hosford.
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