LAST UPDATE | 26 Mar 2019

THE NATIONAL TRANSPORT Authority has confirmed that the Metrolink project will not continue south of the Charlemont Luas stop in Dublin.

The move had been widely expected, following reports last month that the route, which had been due to run to Sandyford in the south of the county, would terminate at the south city stop due to planned disruption of the Luas Green Line lasting up to four years.

The proposed route. NTA NTA

The announcement this afternoon follows a public consultation on an initial route last year, when the National Transport Authority received over 8,000 submissions on the matter.

Now, the mostly underground route, due to connect Dublin Airport to the city centre will stop at Charlemont, just to the south of the Ranelagh Luas stop.

A proposed upgrade of the Luas Green Line will instead occur “at an appropriate point in the future”, although the authority said this may not happen for up to 20 years.

Other changes to the proposal mean the acquisition of the pitch belonging to Na Fianna GAA club will no longer be required for construction in the Glasnevin area.

O’Connell Street will also have an “integrated station” under the Carlton Cinema site, while the number of homes to be acquired by the authority has been reduced from 105 to 85.

However, a proposal to acquire the College Gate apartment block and Markievicz Leisure Centre for the Tara Street stop will still go ahead.

A spokesman for Transport Infrastructure Ireland told TheJournal.ie that Dublin City Council planned to move the swimming pool at the leisure centre elsewhere.

Chief executive of the National Transport Authority Anne Graham said the project would be a “significant economic driver” and create around 4,000 jobs.

“It is also of benefit in providing a more sustainable transport alternative and by providing a great incentive to get people out of their cars and on to public transport,” she added.

There was mixed reaction to the proposed changes to the route among local groups.

A spokesman for Na Fianna told TheJournal.ie that the northside GAA club “greatly welcomed” the announcement that its grounds would no longer be used as a boring site.

However, a spokesman for the Save the Markievicz Pool and Gym campaign questioned the assurance that the club’s swimming pool would be moved elsewhere, adding that the club’s facilities existed in an area which did not have many other local amenities.

The line is expected to open in 2027, with construction likely to take up to seven years.

With additional reporting from Daragh Brophy.