Airport Metro Timings Versus Interconnector/Dublin Plan

P11 Comms

Airport Metro Timings Versus Interconnector/Dublin Plan
Platform11's Detailed Examination:

http://www.platform11.org/metrospeed.html

Much has been made of the metro project as a key element to combat Dublin cities chronic transport problems. We contend that upon a detailed examination of the benefits it offers in terms of journey time and capacity, that the metro in its proposed form offers very little.

Thanks,
www.platform11.org
www.extendthedart.com

Zaph0d

On a related note, I took the aircoach the other day from O'Connell Street at 19:35. I reached the airport at 19:53 - 18 minutes later. The aircoach is exceptionally comfortable, way better than a DART. The price is a bit steep but what's the point of building a metro to go 10km to the airport from OConnell street when the coach can do it on a QBC in much the same time? Even at peak I've never spent more than 30 mins on this journey.

I can see the point of joining the DART to the airport because it would be convenient for anyone living along that line, or connecting to Connolly

silverside

the metro isnt just for people who want to get to the airport. it is also to serve the people of glasnevin,ballymun,santry,swords who want to get in to work or across the city. the dart->airport spur wouldn't do much for these people.

weehamster

A Luas line with around 20 stops would better serve the north central corridor than the 5 stop metro line the RPA currently proposes.

antoinolachtnai

These P11 numbers don't look that plausible to me. It currently takes 21 minutes to get from Pearse to Howth Junction off-peak with only two one-minute stops. P11's train stops 6 times along the way, runs over many of the same tracks and yet only takes 15 minutes. How can this be?

Also, it is unlikely that anyone would want to get to Dublin Airport for 9am, unless they work in an office there. A more realistic arrival time would be 6.40 which would be time enough to catch a flight to the UK and get a day's work done at the other end.

P11 Comms

currently yes...

but with the Dublin Rail Plan:

Heuston Spencer Dock would be less than 9 minutes under interconnector
Heuston Pearse would be less than 7 minutes under interconnector
Heuston Stephen's Green would be less than 5 minutes under interconnector
Kildare Pearse would be less than 50 minutes under interconnector
Kildare Connolly via Pearse would be about 60 minutes under interconnector

Kildare Connolly via Heuston and Luas would be about 70 minutes
Heuston Spencer Dock would be about 18-20 minutes by Luas

antoinolachtnai

Yes, that may all be true but it is irrelevant to the specific point I am making.

I am talking about something very specific, the time from Pearse St. to Howth Junction. You are proposing adding 5 stops to this journey, yet the time taken for the journey is supposedly going to drop by 5 minutes. It is hard to see how any amount of upgraded track or tunneling could make things go this much faster.

I'm sorry if I seem cynical, but your timings just don't seem credible. Can you give us the details of the methodology you used to calculate them?

weehamster

Here, have a look at this.

Dublin Rail Plan

ishmael whale

The problem with the airport metro is it makes such a lovely big headline. €1 billion for a hole in the ground between Heuston and Connolly might be more useful, but it doesn’t sound as pleasing to the ear.

http://www.breakingnews.ie/2005/02/14/story189208.html

Cullen plans €6bn Dublin transport plan
14/02/2005 - 08:21:46

Transport Minister Martin Cullen is reportedly planning a €6bn 10-year transport package that will include the construction of a second terminal at Dublin Airport and an underground metro line linking the airport to the city centre.

Reports this morning said the package included €3.5bn for the metro line, which would run from the city centre to Swords, via the Rotunda Hospital, Dorset Street, Drumcondra and Whitehall.

It also reportedly includes the reopening of commuter rail services between Dublin and Meath at a cost of €156m, the expansion of services in Co Kildare at a cost of €400m and the building of an underground line between Heuston and Connolly Stations at a cost of €1bn.

Elsewhere, this morning’s reports said the plan envisaged the replacing of toll booths on the Westlink bridge with pay-as-you-go and billed charges.

Details of the plan are reportedly due to be announced next month if the cabinet approves the spending.

segadreamcast

ishmael whale wrote:

The problem with the airport metro is it makes such a lovely big headline. €1 billion for a hole in the ground between Heuston and Connolly might be more useful, but it doesn’t sound as pleasing to the ear.

http://www.breakingnews.ie/2005/02/14/story189208.html

Cullen plans €6bn Dublin transport plan
14/02/2005 - 08:21:46

Transport Minister Martin Cullen is reportedly planning a €6bn 10-year transport package that will include the construction of a second terminal at Dublin Airport and an underground metro line linking the airport to the city centre.

Reports this morning said the package included €3.5bn for the metro line, which would run from the city centre to Swords, via the Rotunda Hospital, Dorset Street, Drumcondra and Whitehall.

It also reportedly includes the reopening of commuter rail services between Dublin and Meath at a cost of €156m, the expansion of services in Co Kildare at a cost of €400m and the building of an underground line between Heuston and Connolly Stations at a cost of €1bn.

Elsewhere, this morning’s reports said the plan envisaged the replacing of toll booths on the Westlink bridge with pay-as-you-go and billed charges.

Details of the plan are reportedly due to be announced next month if the cabinet approves the spending.

Whitehall? Drumcondra (wait a second, don't they already have the Dart)? So Ballymun, Glasnevin, Santry get shafted once again? Wonderful.

Metrobest

This is one of those Lunchtime O'Booze stories and should be taken with a generous pinch of salt. It says the underground interconnector will be Heuston-Connolly. That's wrong - it's Spencer Dock. And it says the metro will run via Dorset Street: doubtful. The metro line being given the go ahead is the O'Reilly consultants line, which will stop in the Mater and Ballymun.

murphaph

Metrobest,
Unlike the Interconnector there has been no detailed route selection by the RPA. Nobody knows where it will or will not go-not even them. Irish Rail have already done all their homework on the Interconnector and that's why it could go ahead without delay (if funded). It also has the nice feature of passing under mostly government/industrial property and not under homes. This will lead to far fewer objections (remember Marino and Whitehall with the DPT?).