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This week celebrated the Luas celebrated its 20th birthday. Those urban transport systems, they grow up so fast.
The light rail system has been widely acknowledged as a major success.
Passenger numbers are expected to rise to a record 50 million in 2024. The Luas is economically viable without a state subsidy and has helped to somewhat limit suburban sprawl.
Given all that, one fact highlighted at a press conference during the week appears all the more baffling: the most recent Luas extension opened in 2017.
The next one, a four kilometre extension of the Green Line to Finglas, is only set to enter construction in 2031.
Given building the track will take three to four years, on current estimates there will likely be a gap of almost 20 years between the two projects.
This means the Luas could celebrate its 30th birthday before it celebrates the opening of the Finglas extension.
To put it mildly, this seems absolutely bizarre.
The Luas is one of the more cost effective infrastructure projects in Irish history.
Despite the original budget to build the Red and Green line rising from an initial estimate of IRE£250 million, the final cost of €728 million when the two lines were finished in 2004 now looks a relative bargain (although keeping in mind this figure does not include the cost of several significant expansions since).
Ironically, an obsession with trying to find the cheapest build method possible often leads to costs spiralling further as the years drag on.
For an indication of how this can happen, look at the cost estimates for MetroLink (formerly Metro North) for various years.
2015: €2.4 billion
2018: €3 billion
2022: €9.5 billion
Now, part of this was due to the significant redesign the project got in 2018. But the point stands: the longer you wait to build it, the more it will cost. Doubly so for big infrastructure projects.
Why is this relevant? It’s because transport officials have again given a tantalising glimpse at what the Luas network could be.
An indicative map published earlier this week by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), the state agency in charge of public transport infrastructure, highlighted multiple potential orbital Luas routes around the city as well as several additional lines.
Looks great. The catch? Almost all of these new lines are only anticipated in the vague timeline that is “post-2042”.
What’s more, this isn’t even the estimate for them being completed. Referencing the 2022-2042 greater Dublin Area Transport Strategy from the National Transport Authority, TII noted that the plan is for the eight planned additional Luas lines to be “ready for construction post-2042”. In other words, they will likely be operating closer to 2050 if all goes well.
In the period to 2042, the plan is to deliver Luas extensions to Bray, Finglas, Lucan, and Poolbeg.
So in the 25 years between 2017 and 2042, we will have four Luas extensions.
And then in eight years or so from 2042 to 2050, officials think as many as eight Luas lines, several being completely new routes, such as the three possible orbital lines, could theoretically be delivered.
It looks like classic Irish infrastructure planning – make ambitious plans for some far-flung future, while delivering very little in the nearer term.
There are a few reasons why new Luas lines should be built sooner rather than later, including:
There are several reasons behind delays to the Luas rollout, including:
A common theme with the factors holding back Luas expansion: they don’t tend to stand in the long term.
The cost of construction of the Luas lines has clearly been outweighed by the benefits they provide in the years and decades after.
Annoyances over problems caused during construction are temporary.
Areas initially thought to be too low density to support a Luas often end up with higher populations than expected, as the improved transport makes increased development more viable.
But despite how poor Ireland has been at progressing the Luas network, there is hope.
TII said earlier this week that it is ready to apply for permission for the Finglas line “immediately”.
If it gets political approval to proceed, this could mean construction starting several years earlier than the current prediction of 2031.
“We’re ready to go early, if we’re given the go-ahead and the resources to do it,” said TII chief executive Peter Walsh.
“The last section of the Green line we opened was 2017 and Finglas isn’t due even go to construction until 2031 – we could do it a lot quicker.”
While this injection of urgency is welcome, it should apply to the wider Luas network, not just the Finglas extension.
As the old Chinese proverb goes: “The best time to plant a Luas track was 10 years ago. The second best time is now.”
If you’re 30 reading this, you’ll likely be in your 50s by the time the ‘post 2042’ Luas tracks get built out unless the timeline is sped up. If you’re 40, you’ll be nearing retirement age.
Officials should do the studies. Plan properly – for example, new Luas tracks would ideally be able to upgrade to metro in future, such as the Green Line.
But it’s time for a bit more ambition. Experience has shown we’re unlikely to regret it.
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Keep voting Green
They have delivered zero light rail in any city in their last two coalition governments.
Luckily did did deliver
A sleeping leader
Plastic bottle tax
Plastic bag tax
Carbon tax
Billions spend on unused bicycle lanes
Painted ridiculous bus lanes on congested streets
No motorways
No bypasses
No trains between cities
We export all our recycling
We now import all our peat and timber, due to Eamon’s ban on harvesting our own. It’s okay to use others though
They have succeeded in increasing the cost of living through their punitive carbon taxation
Fuel
Energy
Transport
Home heating
Car ownership
Now simply unaffordable thanks to Green Policies
However not one single alternative offered unless you are open to travelling the country in a bicycle
@Max Cooper: Telling us to sow seeds to grow salad for human survival during the Covid apocalypse. Could you imagine a single one of them in any form of private enterprise where responsibility and accountability is required or your immediately out of the door.
@jak: Ah, cop on. The ozone layer for one thing didn’t magically recover. It was fixed by a global manufacturing agreement to stop adding CFC gases to spray cans. Obviously that was driven by public awareness and a certain amount of boycotting – otherwise this wouldn’t have happened on an international level and there would still be damage.
We can have solutions! It’s a matter of being alert and seeing the point of making changes to start with.
As a nation we can’t do anything right when it comes to building infrastructure without corruption being involved. Way too much evidence to support that. As a people we allow con artists and scammers manage the countries resources and just shrug the shoulders.
@David Corrigan: not sure there is any substantial evidence to support this assertion
@SYaxJ2Ts:
In fairness Kevin I think you are being naive and David is being hyperbolic.
Is there substantial corruption in Ireland?
Without question, yes
On an EU scale, we are not the worst, not the best.
On a worldwide scale? Compared to other, usually poor countries, we are saints
@P. J.: I don’t think con artists and scammers are managing the country’s resources, so no naivety on my part. Obvs corruption exists, but nowhere near to the levels of pre the planning tribunals
@SYaxJ2Ts: Where do you live, Outer Mongolia?
@Brian Hunt: if you have evidence of widespread corruption, I suggest you hand it over to the Gardai
@SYaxJ2Ts: It’s everywhere in Ireland. Absolutely everywhere. No project is completed on time and definitely not within budget. The financial waste in this country is off the scales altogether. It’s frightening.
@David Corrigan: even if it’s true that no projects are completed within budget (and it’s not true as 48% were completed within budget in 2023) this does not mean that the country’s resources are managed by con artists and scammers. Luas, Port Tunnel and many road projects were completed on time and within budget. I agree that there is much waste of public money, but this, in the main, is not due to corruption
@SYaxJ2Ts: it’s also a lot of mismanagement and far too much red tape before a project can even get going, add to it the usual NIMBYism, and you know where a lot of the money goes
Same old same old in Dublin this should have been done year’s ago and running true the airport qe are way behind other cities and country’s why should people come into Ireland when we don’t have a transport system that works
@Alan Moloney: We are world class though at coming up with amazing, grandiose plans that never see the light of day.
@The Firestarter: Millions made by external firms though to evaluate and talk about the plans that never materialize. Corruption is what they call it in real countries. The same firms getting the gig every single time.
@David Corrigan: you keep alleging corruption yet produce absolutely no evidence. Who are these firms “getting the gig every single time”? Give us some actual evidence
@Kevin Kerr:Lol It’s not a court of law Kevin, do your own research
Luas… We need a new underground straight away… Stop talking just build..
@Gerry Dornan: Agree.
Glasgow put in an underground 120 years ago, with a population a fraction of what Dublin is now.
So I’ll probably be near “expiration date” by the time ‘post 2042′ happens.
@Lydia Mcloughlin: it’ll be deferred and delayed multiple times again until then, will probably be ‘post’ 2143
Nothing gets built in Ireland unless brown envelopes are involved for the lads. Between people chaining themselves to tress, Betty and Patricia lying down in front of the trucks in sun loungers complaining about the noise, business going to the courts to stop anything that doesn’t suit them I can well see how it takes so long in Ireland. Any other country you would be told this is happening, it’s nothing to do with you all, do you own the land…no, go away so. Start digging lads. You’d save about 10 years of hassle minimum.
I know it’s early Sunday morning there but if someone in the Journal could proof read the first paragraph. Thanks.
Pick a number for the cost, then pick a date for completion. Now take that number for cost and treble it for now at least. That date you had for completion, add at least 5 to 10 years on it and thats the next luas line. Now pick a corrupt or mate of the mob in the dail contractor to build it and then realise the only ones winning will be them and not the taxpayers. You heard of which came first the chicken or the egg, in Ireland its what would come first, another lusas line, or the national childrens hospital being completed and fully open.
It’s all about the “what’s in it for me”, pure corruption.
We need a metro, way too late, we must act. “Yeah, I don’t care, what’s in it for me?”
We need a children’s hospital
“What’s in it for me”
We need more prisons, people with 90 priors kerosene getting suspended sentences, we have no space
“Yeah, tragic, what’s in it for me?”
We need more Mainline Rail Lines as well. Separate one for Dublin to Belfast. The lack of Luas for Dublin Airport is a thundering disgrace
The capital funds are there, commence tendering when the next recession bites, that’s the perfect time to get value for money and create jobs when desperately needed.
Please don’t wait 10 years to do the connection between luas
This type of article is the start of accountability in the public sector. more good information pertaining to missed opportunities really highlights where we’ve been let down politically. We should never not be building infrastructure.
The underclasses should not be allowed on the luas
@John D Doe: Thats not a nice thing to say about ex politicians and bankers/developers. Look they may have almost ruined this country, loaded us with debts we will never pay, never saw time in prison or anything but ya cant be calling them names like that.
@John D Doe: maybe introduce a caste system and they could travel on the roof?
With the billions they’re going to sink into that dubious metro line they could rebuild the entire tram system that Dublin once had.
@Jipangu: Nothing dubious about it – it’s sorely needed to get Dublin traffic moving again.
It is not enough to simply extend lines, you need to build spurs off the existing lines to increase capacity
Let’s build on in cork and Galway and Roscommon…….moneys no object ..google money will,last forever
@David Cotter: Eamon Ryan has said most villages in counties only need one or two electric cars between them to share with one another to get around. Some bikes with that and sure your sorted. Only Dublin needs public transport aparently.
@Dan The Man: he said car sharing schemes in rural villages might work for some people who didn’t own their own car. they have similar schemes in holland and germany. but yes the absolute cheek of him for suggesting a scheme like this that might help people out and save them money.
Im still wondering how the greens arrive at their policies no metro 3000 cars in a traffic jam from swords into town the same parking daily in the airport everyday spewing out co2 by the ton yet we are still painting stupid bus lanes that nobody uses one way streets petrol taxed to the hilt buses that dont turn up need i go on im flabbergasted how people vote for them
@Alan Boyd: I just don’t get the mentality of leaving public transport to buses, road independent transport is what’s needed, look at the DLR in London, or look at any other European city of similar size to Dublin and you’ll find most of them have a multitude of tram lines, main rail lines, subways, and buses providing public transport that’s properly connected to one
@Larissa Caroline Nikolaus: Right, and we don’t even need to look abroad. Back in the week of heavy snow at New Year, all buses were told to pull in and park up & we all had to walk home. While (all the few) train lines we have kept going; railway staff de-iced everything and kept them running.
Imagine how much money it could generate if they charged people to travel on the luas? Having it as a free service is nice but I think people would be willing to pay a minimal fee.
@James Groden: I’ve never travelled for free on the Luas. If you have it’s nothing to brag about.
@Ger Whelan: It’s a running joke that it should be a free service. As it is in some Aussie cities. He knows it isn’t currently free.
Paddy Ireland hopelessly backward can’t even build a rail line, takes decades to get any infrastructure, the Irish people have to go to UK or Europe to experience modern infrastructure, Ireland is Europe’s North Korea decades behind, even North Korea has better Infrastructure than Ireland, what a joke of a Country
People along the Navan Road stopped the bus lanes being expanded as they were going to lose a few feet of their front gardens. What chance have all those Luas lines got?
All the existing Luas lines were, for the most part, on old train lines and through public land. If they weren’t, they’d be like Metro North – stalled because a GAA Club doesn’t want to lose a bit of its training ground etc.
And no mention of the many people killed or rushed to hospital coz of injuries received by the luas and yet got away with it murder nice of you not to mention it
@liam ward: Most if not all accidents are caused by ideuts that go around with their head up their jaxies and forget there’s a tram near them. The tram doesn’t cause the accident it’s the fuuls that get hurt.
@liam ward: Did the Luas jump off the tracks and aim at those people? Or where those people not paying attention and walked in front of a moving vehicle which cannot turn to avoid them?
@liam ward: Who were they? I only remember 2 drivers who thought the Luas running on tracks could swerve around them. And they weren’t killed.
While the headline of this article is undoubtedly true, one might argue in a similar manner that the same is true regarding the absolute dearth of equitable rail transport across the country.
The company Irish Rail should be renamed “Three Provinces Rail”, as they provide zero rail service in the fourth province.
A cursory glance at an image of the rail network on, for example, Google Images, will show the absolute glaring hole in the provision of rail service (and indeed motorways) in counties Cavan, Monaghan and Donegal. It’s almost as if the residents of this region didn’t pay taxes at the same rate as the rest of the country.
The best time to provide a transport service in a large area of the northern half of the island was to not lift the rails 60 years ago. The second best is now.
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