metro routes

gary the great

What does everybody think of the proposed metro routes?

None of the three proposed metro routes provides a link with the largest interchange in the city centre — Busárus-Connolly, which is the hub for four different transport systems.

passengers travelling on the LUAS line from Tallaght, the DART from Dun Laoghaire/Howth, the train from Belfast/Sligo or the bus from anywhere in the country will have no direct link with the metro system and hence to the airport.

I am unaware of any capital city that does not have a rail link linking its airport with a major railway station or transport interchange in its city centre.

The thousands of passengers arriving at the Busárus-Connolly interchange will have to take two stops along the LUAS to alight at Abbey Street, and then walk five minutes up O’Connell Street to the nearest metro stop. Imagine an elderly or disabled passenger undertaking this route at night, in the rain, dragging their baggage behind them?

Might I suggest the Government provides some trolley racks along our national thoroughfare to facilitate the ease of baggage movement as part of its integrated transport policy, which may also have the additional benefit of storing mugged tourists and passengers, until such time as a bed becomes available?

While the RPA’s preference is for the ‘central route’ option, the ‘west route’ option at least proposes a connection in the city centre to the RAIL and DART services at Tara Street. Under current proposals, this same route passes under Beresford Place (tantalisingly close to Busárus-Connolly) but, for some inexplicable reason, does not create a link.

The Dublin metro link should not be just about linking the airport and north suburban Dublin to the city centre, but should also link up with existing transport infrastructures serving the greater Dublin area and the country as a whole.

An amended ‘west route’ in the city centre to include a direct stop (or an indirect stop via an underground ambulator from Beresford Place) to Busárus-Connolly would achieve a safe and integrated transport system for the capital and country. Like the proposals to belatedly link the two LUAS lines together via an extension to the St Stephen’s Green line, are we to see history repeating itself by not joining the metro to Busárus-Connolly?

peter1892

I went to one of the presentation/open days that the RPA held a few weeks back. Amongst the things I discovered:

The thousands of passengers arriving at the Busárus-Connolly interchange will have to take two stops along the LUAS to alight at Abbey Street, and then walk five minutes up O’Connell Street to the nearest metro stop

The map is misleading, apparently the metro stop in O'Connell st. will be much closer to the Abbey st. junction than it appears to be.

While the RPA’s preference is for the ‘central route’ option, the ‘west route’ option at least proposes a connection in the city centre to the RAIL and DART services at Tara Street. Under current proposals, this same route passes under Beresford Place (tantalisingly close to Busárus-Connolly) but, for some inexplicable reason, does not create a link.

The final city centre routing doesn't appear to have been agreed on - as was discussed on these pages quite recently.

It does seem odd that it won't connect into the existing Dart line. If the rail interconnector is built then the Dart will have an underground stop at Stephen's Green which will link into the metro, Luas and then go on to Heuston as well. Maybe not ideal but if it was built it would work.

One thing that i knew nothing about before the presentation was the concept of a 'station box' - a 300m straight stretch of line for each station. Basically they don't want (or can't have) an underground line meandering around the city serving O'Connell street, Connolly/Tara etc. Anyway, there are posters on here who know a lot more about all of this than I do, but that's what I found out myself.

I do know of one European capital that doesn't have a rail link to it's international airport - Helsinki. It has a very efficient bus service from Vantaa to the city centre (to the main railway station) which is more than adequate (I've used it). It's an unfair comparison to Dublin, the raods out to the airport didn't have the same levels of traffic that the M1/N1 here have.

jd

Rumour has it the rpa would like a hybrid of the east/central route. That would mean a connection at Drumcondra. It is hard to see how one line can serve o'connell street, connolly and stephens green. Things would be a lot better if the interconnector was fastracked- that would mean dart services between bray and maynooth, and kildare and drogheda (via the interconnector and heuston), with a metro/dart station at Stephens Green.
It looks like the government would prefer IR to divert its resources towards a pretty useless (in its northern extent) WRC.

MarkoP11

Firstly before anyone moans you had the chance to talk to the people behind it face to face and the RPA staff sent out where engineers and planners not PR people, you ask a question no matter how tricky you got an answer (but don't ask the question how much)

I met them twice and they are very open to contributions, they have thought out all the options and have alternatives

There are issues and its clear on some levels that the routes proposed on the newsletters are not those which would be chosen in the money no object world. The major flaw in the consultation is no reference to rail interchange anywhere, RPA will yap on about it when you ask but sadly not on the maps issued

Put simply put it in writing send it in to them

Maynooth line options are either Glasnevin (very messy and expensive and a long walk) or Drumcondra (cheap). I'd always favour Glasnevin but I'm conscious of the serious engineering difficulties that site presents