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Metro North gets planning green light

  • 28-10-2010 10:59am
    #1
    pclive
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 453 ✭✭


    from www.rte.ie

    The Metro North project in Dublin has been given the green light by An Bord Pleanala.

    The rail link from St Stephen's Green in the city centre to Swords in north Co Dublin now faces final approval from the Government on a cost benefit analysis.

    The infrastructure project is described as the biggest in the history of the state and the ruling from An Bord Pleanala runs to 1,700 pages.

    The board has given permission for an underground track from St Stephen's Green to north of Ballymun where it will cross the M50 on a flyover.

    It will go underground at the airport, stopping at a centralised transport hub before going overground again to Swords with some of the line on stilts due to the undulating landscape.

    The board has eliminated two stops in the Swords area - at Belinstown and Seatown - and has ordered the relocation of a depot and park and ride facility.

    The board wants the park and ride facility and depot moved from Belinstown, is north of Swords, because of the risk of flooding. It wants the park and ride moved to near the Malahide estuary and the depot to Dardistown near Dublin airport.

    The overall 18 kilometre line has therefore been shortened by 2.3 kilometres.

    It also says there is insufficient demand for passenger stops at Belinstown or at Seatown in Swords. The final plan for the underground section at Ballymun and the stop at O'Connell Street also need to be finalised.

    But it is the proposed 'big dig' in the city centre involving moving statues like the O'Connell monument and closing off part of St Stephen's Green that is causing concern to some businesses.

    Enabling works on underground utility lines is due to start next Spring while the construction itself is scheduled to last from 2012 to 2016.

    The overall estimated cost has varied from €5 billion at the height of the boom to €3 billion now with reduced construction costs.

    Supporters point out that because it will be a public private partnership, the initial cost will be borne by the private operator. The Rail Procurement Agency will have to make a final decision between two consortiums - Celtic Metro Group and Metro Express - in coming month.

    A number of economic studies have been carried out by the Rail Procurement Agency (RPA) with the latest showing that for every €1 spent on the Metro there will be €2 back in terms of overall economic benefit.

    But critics say that with the falling population growth, money would be better spend on enhanced bus services.

    Labour leader Eamon Gilmore has said the Metro North project should be postponed while Transport Minister Noel Dempsey has said it will go ahead subject to a final cost analysis.

    The Rail Procurement Agency says the line will be able to carry 20,000 passengers an hour with 10 kilometres underground providing a journey time of 20 minutes from Dublin Airport.


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