DART+ (DART Expansion)

Deedsie wrote: »

The most positive way to look at it is that at least we know something is going on behind the scenes.

No way will they be stupid enough to build it without a Christchurch & Stephens Green station.

And that nonsense planning application last week was dismissed by DCC.

Building it as far as Pearse without the Christchurch and SSG stations would be sheer lunacy. Waste of time.

Build it right the first time unlike the mess that the M50. Building this and MN right the first time would be so beneficial down the line especially when they wouldn't have to have retrospectively capacity upgrades.

The sooner Ross goes the better though. An absolute busted flush of a minister from the beginning.

spacetweek wrote: »

I would nearly speculate that that Indo article is mistaken and that they meant to say that Spencer Dock is under threat instead of Stephen's Green. SG is the fupping interchange station with Metro North so obviously can't be removed.

Don't mind Metro North. Connectivity between DART from the Kildare line and Luas Green Line is much more important for commuting. Imagine telling someone in Co. Kildare they could commute from their nearest train station to Sandyford in 45 minutes? It would solve the N7 congestion issue overnight. Of course with the likes of Ross making these decisions...

I may be after a few pints but as someone that's of the age now that I'll see a few decades of development in this country, it's very sad to see what's going on planning wise, but I'll learn over the next few years that's how we do business in this country. It's only a few months ago we heralded the opening of a 139 year old tunnel to finally provide commuter services from Co. Kildare to the central business district of our capital city as some kind of development.. if this is the level we are operating at does anyone expect the relocation of UK companies to Ireland?

We could start today with our fastest growing economy in Europe and finish in 10 years time with a fully interconnected capital city transport network connecting city centre, airport, business parks, suburbs and commuter towns. But no, we must instead kick a few cans down the road and invest in half baked solutions that'll cost a fortune and end up providing 10% of the benefits the full solutions will. Most cities have gone well beyond the development of a rail network but here we are trying to find ways to cut parts of it out in order to deliver a solution that costs 90% of the original cost and provide 15% of the benefit. It says enough about the current government that there is guaranteed funding for a railway bridge on a disused railway in Co. Galway that 99% will never likely take a viable passenger service yet there is no ambition whatsoever to create a worthwhile rail network in Dublin. Dublin the city that has so little accommodation vacancies and is so poorly served by public transport that people are spending upto 4 hours a day unwillingly commuting by car simply to maintain a job and a family.

Whilst I understand how the current government were voted in 6 years ago in the circumstances, I think it's time for change. The next crowd may not do much of a better job but the negligence involved here in pissing away such a golden chance with this kind of "gold plated Metro" nonsense is unforgivable. Shane Ross may not be around in 20 years time but Dublin and indeed Ireland will be suffering from the effects of this nonsensical decision not to proceed with the projects that will revolutionise our capital city.

As I said, young and learning.....

PS Am I the only one who finds it laughable that this is the same crowd who feel the need to significantly downsize Metro North and DART Underground yet at the same time feel there is a need for a motorway from Galway to Tuam? The mind boggles.