[Article] Record as 29m passengers use Luas

Victor

I wonder what the passenger kilometers are like compared to DART. I imagine DART passengers travel further, on average.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/record-as-29m-passengers-use-luas-1254548.html

Record as 29m passengers use Luas
By Colm Kelpie and Treacy Hogan
Saturday December 29 2007

Almost 29 million commuters travelled on Dublin's Luas lines in 2007, marking a record year for the light rail system.

This was an increase of nearly three million on last year's figure and seven million on 2005.

Transport Minister Noel Dempsey said: "It's further proof that if you make reliable, top-quality public transport available to the public then it will be used.

"In 2008 I want to see more quality public transport coming on stream so that people can start making the switch from cars to public transport with ease. Freeing up our city centres from severe congestion is vital for economic growth and for improved quality of life.

"Reliable public transport will play a central role in addressing this issue,'' he said.

The minister said that seven extra Luas services, two new metro lines and increased heavy rail and bus capacity were planned under Transport 21.

To facilitate last year's Luas passenger growth, the Railway Procurement Agency (RPA) introduced 13 longer trams on both the Red and Green lines extending them from 30 metres to 40 metres.

Now drivers are being asked to make a New Year's resolution to leave their cars at home in 2008 and to walk, cycle or use public transport instead.

The "One Small Step" campaign is encouraging people to change their habits when it comes to using their car to help reduce traffic congestion next year.

Research carried out by the Dublin Transportation Office (DTO) reveals that over half of the people surveyed in the capital and Leinster say they use their car the most to get around.

According to the DTO, leaving the car behind for at least some journeys every week throughout 2008 will take up to 200,000 off roads in the greater Dublin area and will help reduce our carbon footprint.

- Colm Kelpie and Treacy Hogan

amacachi

Reading what Dempsey said there he sounds like a member of an opposition party would sound with these figures.

Red Alert

Any chance the RPA might streamline those infuriating ticket machines for the high proportion of that 29m that use the LUAS on single tickets.

Slice

what kind of maximum capacity was it designed to handle and when was it originally envisioned that Luas would reach these kind of numbers?

spank_inferno

From some dail Q&A in Oct 2003

http://www.irlgov.ie/debates-03/14Oct/Sect13.htm


399. Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Transport the projected passenger volumes annually and daily at peak hours, which will be carried by each Luas line when they are fully operational; his estimate of the operating subsidy which will be needed to supplement the projected revenue from passengers; and the percentage subsidy this will involve. [22848/03]

Minister for Transport (Mr. Brennan): Current RPA estimates of patronage of the Luas lines suggest a total annual patronage of approximately 20 million passengers on the network in a fully operational year. This translates as a daily Luas patronage of approximately 60,000 passengers per day or 8,500 passengers in the morning peak hour.

Based on current estimates of revenue from fare box and projected operations and maintenance cost for Luas, it is estimated that Luas will operate at approximately break-even during full operational years.



I dare say that when they luas was first planned years before this the passenger projections would have been a lot less.
I think it was first planned in 1996/7 ??
But I cant find any projections from then

BrianD

It's a pity that the RPA are going to ruin a good thing with their constant extensions to the existing lines instead of building new lines. There is a certain point where light raiol is no longer the best mode of transport and it needs to be replaced with heavy rail.

LUAS to Bray? Where's the sense of that?!?

patrickc

if they can count the number of annual users as part of that figure, i was probably 2500 of those journeys.. mad but with work I'd say it was that amount

1huge1

BrianD wrote: »

It's a pity that the RPA are going to ruin a good thing with their constant extensions to the existing lines instead of building new lines. There is a certain point where light raiol is no longer the best mode of transport and it needs to be replaced with heavy rail.

LUAS to Bray? Where's the sense of that?!?

Yes I agree completly, its really more of a city and surrouding suburbs, beyond that we need extensions of the DART etc,

no mention of the metro in that article...