LUAS Citywest Extension Open

JupiterKid

I was checking the AA Roadwatch website and I noticed that there was an announcement that the LUAS red line extension to Citywest and Saggart opens at noon tomorrow (July 2nd).:)

During tomorrow, travel on the LUAS red line will be free.

Zebra3

JupiterKid wrote: »

During tomorrow, travel on the LUAS red line will be free.

Isn't it always?

G_R

Here's a current map of the LUAS Network, can it be called a network yet?

Cathaoirleach

€150 million for 4.2km of light rail.

€36,000 per metre. Incredible. It's no wonder we have a shíte transport system.

D'Peoples Voice

Cathaoirleach wrote: »

€150 million for 4.2km of light rail.

€36,000 per metre. Incredible. It's no wonder we have a shíte transport system.

i wouldn't mind but the junction with Cheeverstonw Road/Outer Link Road isn't even grade separated!
Unless I'm wrong, there are NO significant bridges on this extension that i can think of......seems a lot ot pay alright.
I like to benchmark the cost against this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nottingham_Express_Transit:rolleyes:

DWCommuter

Cathaoirleach wrote: »

€150 million for 4.2km of light rail.

€36,000 per metre. Incredible. It's no wonder we have a shíte transport system.

Remember that many transport aficionados will be salivating at the onset of this luas extension. What they don't realise is that, due to a complete starvation of decent rail based transport projects, they are merely whores with a feeling of self worth. In fact this luas extension is just that. A transport whore, with a feeling of self worth, driven by a pimp that is the RPA, who in turn answers to a bigger pimp that is the inept people in political power.

spacetweek

DWCommuter wrote: »

Remember that many transport aficionados will be salivating at the onset of this luas extension. What they don't realise is that, due to a complete starvation of decent rail based transport projects, they are merely whores with a feeling of self worth. In fact this luas extension is just that. A transport whore, with a feeling of self worth, driven by a pimp that is the RPA, who in turn answers to a bigger pimp that is the inept people in political power.

Get some sleep before you post in future DW

chooochooo

spacetweek wrote: »

Get some sleep before you post in future DW

sleep won't help this case.
strong medication needed.

LeinsterDub

Cathaoirleach wrote: »

€150 million for 4.2km of light rail.

€36,000 per metre. Incredible. It's no wonder we have a shíte transport system.

What would be considered good value?

Geogregor

DWCommuter wrote: »

Remember that many transport aficionados will be salivating at the onset of this luas extension. What they don't realise is that, due to a complete starvation of decent rail based transport projects, they are merely whores with a feeling of self worth. In fact this luas extension is just that. A transport whore, with a feeling of self worth, driven by a pimp that is the RPA, who in turn answers to a bigger pimp that is the inept people in political power.

I thought I can understand English. I was clearly wrong.

DWCommuter

spacetweek wrote: »

Get some sleep before you post in future DW

Whats your problem?

DWCommuter

chooochooo wrote: »

sleep won't help this case.
strong medication needed.

And whats your problem?

You can only fail to understand my post by having a poor understanding of state policy towards Rail based infrastructure. Furthermore the personally directed remarks by both you and spacetweek have been noted.

BluntGuy

Grand_Rajnah wrote: »

Here's a current map of the LUAS Network, can it be called a network yet?

Depends on whether you consider two tramlines in which you must "interchange" to walking in order to switch between them a "network". Some would argue not.

Though perhaps if Luas BXD goes ahead, one could legitimately call it such.

A fairly unambitious "network" in either case, to be sure though.

dynamick

We don't yet know the proportion of developer funding used to pay for this project. I don't know why this is being kept secret but presumably there is a confidentiality clause. The revised business case from 3 yrs ago showed a benefit cost ratio of 5.1:1 which is very high compared to other transport projects.

Luas route length increased by 50% since 2005 when T21 was announced. BXD will likely be approved this autumn. We could see 40m Luas passengers in 2015.

markpb

dynamick wrote: »

We don't yet know the proportion of developer funding used to pay for this project. I don't know why this is being kept secret but presumably there is a confidentiality clause.

Someone should tell the RPA it'a a secret, they posted it on their [url=Facebook page

The Developers contributed 55% to the total cost of Luas Citywest. They (Citywest Luas Limited) have met all their commitments in this regard.

JupiterKid

Hmm...I started this thread last week but no-one seems to have actually used the new LUAS line to Saggart/Citywest.

Can anyone give us a report if they've actually used the new line?

And to the trams run straight to Citywest from the City centre/Point or do passengers have to change at the Belgard stop?

markpb

JupiterKid wrote: »

Can anyone give us a report if they've actually used the new line?

I suspect they'll say it's very, very like the rest of the Luas line

And to the trams run straight to Citywest from the City centre/Point or do passengers have to change at the Belgard stop?

From RPA.ie

Trams from Tallaght will run to The Point serving all stops in between. Trams from Saggart will run to Connolly serving all stops in between from 7.00am and 7.30pm Monday to Friday and most of the weekend. Some early morning and late evening trams will run between Saggart and Belgard only; at Belgard you can hop onto the next tram serving all stops to The Point or to Tallaght.

Judgement Day

Dead link to Facebook page or is it just me?

Cathaoirleach

Judgement Day wrote: »

Dead link to Facebook page or is it just me?

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Luas-Citywest-New-Luas-Line-to-Saggart/154582441276663

AngryLips

BluntGuy wrote: »

Depends on whether you consider two tramlines in which you must "interchange" to walking in order to switch between them a "network". Some would argue not.

You're dead right, they should build a walkalator from Stephen's Green stop to Abbey Street stop.

Wild Bill

JupiterKid wrote: »

Hmm...I started this thread last week but no-one seems to have actually used the new LUAS line to Saggart/Citywest.

I'm waiting till I can connect to it from my local Green Line stop.

How long will I be waiting?

1huge1

BluntGuy wrote: »

Depends on whether you consider two tramlines in which you must "interchange" to walking in order to switch between them a "network". Some would argue not.

Though perhaps if Luas BXD goes ahead, one could legitimately call it such.

A fairly unambitious "network" in either case, to be sure though.

I assume by that you mean you only have to walk if you want to go from Tallaght to Saggart and vice versa?

Please don't tell me that if your coming from Saggart you have to get off at Belgard and switch/walk to the Tallaght line to go into the city?

paulm17781

1huge1 wrote: »

I assume by that you mean you only have to walk if you want to go from Tallaght to Saggart and vice versa?

I reckon he means green line to red line.

Babooshka

JupiterKid wrote: »

Hmm...I started this thread last week but no-one seems to have actually used the new LUAS line to Saggart/Citywest.

Can anyone give us a report if they've actually used the new line?

And to the trams run straight to Citywest from the City centre/Point or do passengers have to change at the Belgard stop?

Yes I have. They run from Connolly direct, no jumping at Belgard (unless you get on the wrong luas...destination must say"saggart" and not "tallaght" ). They're every ten minutes during peak hours and they're really convenient.

LXFlyer

Operating patterns are:

Monday-Friday

Tallaght-Point: 05:30-00:30 (Both Directions)

Saggart-Connolly: 07:00-19:40

Saggart-Belgard Shuttle: 05:35-07:00 and 19:40-00:25

Last Outbound tram from the Point with shuttle connection to Saggart - 00:05

Saturday:

Tallaght-Point: 06:30-00:30 (Both Directions)

Saggart-Connolly: 08:55-18:55

Saggart-Belgard Shuttle: 06:35-08:55 and 18:55-00:25

Last Outbound tram from the Point with shuttle connection to Saggart - 00:05

Sundays

Tallaght-Point: 07:00-23:30 (Both Directions)

Saggart-Connolly: 12:00-19:10

Saggart-Belgard Shuttle: 07:05-12:00 and 19:10-23:25

Last Outbound tram from the Point with shuttle connection to Saggart - 23:05

Therefore early mornings/evenings you do need to change at Belgard to go to Saggart from the city.

Hondo75

Luas saggart stop at 7.30 this morning was empty.
I work in citywest and and a guy that travels from city is using the bus still.

LXFlyer

Hondo75 wrote: »

Luas saggart stop at 7.30 this morning was empty.
I work in citywest and and a guy that travels from city is using the bus still.

It depends on where people are coming from and indeed where in Citywest campus they work. The bus may be closer to their workplace.

If your colleage uses the Mortons bus then I can understand that as it goes straight out along the Quays and the Naas Road. However, there is only one Mortons bus per day.

The Dublin Bus services (50, 65b and 69) will all take longer that the LUAS due to having to divert around Killinarden and Tallaght (50/65b) or the 69 around Clondalkin.

It really depends on the circumstances - the LUAS will not suit everyone.

I would have thought that the LUAS stop would start getting busier from nearer 8 onwards as people start arriving for work.

Live4Ever

I used it, it's the usual LUAS... I got on at Saggart went straight into town - no changeovers.

In fairness the Citywest campus looked pretty far away from the LUAS stop, if it's a wet day you'd get soaked walking over.

Other than that its the usual red line scumbags and the 'Saggart' stop is a good 10min walk from Saggart.

weehamster

Live4Ever wrote: »

...and the 'Saggart' stop is a good 10min walk from Saggart.

Only a good 10 minute walk?. It's a good 25 minute walk to my nearest DART station. A 10 minute walk to a good quality rail service would be very nice thing to have.

spacetweek

JupiterKid wrote: »

Hmm...I started this thread last week but no-one seems to have actually used the new LUAS line to Saggart/Citywest.

Can anyone give us a report if they've actually used the new line?

I've used it:

Starting from Belgard, it runs alongside a new road under construction. Not much to see.
As we passed Cheeverstown, there was a bonfire burning on some waste ground. Land along here is dead land behind houses and needs to be tidied up: the ground levelled, grass planted, rubbish taken away, graffiti painted over.
Further on, at Citywest, they had done that. The land between the line and the backs of the houses had been treated just like I described above. Noted the wide space to the north between the Citywest buildings and the station. They may eventually build more buildings there.
Fortunestown Shopping Centre was unremarkable. Next the line winds alongside an apartment block, I'm surprised they put it in the tight space as they could have passed around the far side through open space.
Saggart Stop is very quiet. New apartments and Saggart village is distant.
Journey Belgard-Saggart-Belgard 11 minutes, I think.

At the end of the day, it's handy for the localities, but it's of marginal significance for the city as a whole. Citywest should never really have been built so far from the city. It's been repeated ad nauseum but the DART Interconnector and Metro North are of infinitely greater significance than stuff like this.

Photos.

Live4Ever

weehamster wrote: »

Only a good 10 minute walk?. It's a good 25 minute walk to my nearest DART station. A 10 minute walk to a good quality rail service would be very nice thing to have.

Ah yeah I'm not complaining about the length of the walk, just pointing out that it's a good walk from Saggart so it's hardly the 'Saggart' stop, they should have brought it right across to the hotel!