LUAS Network + Future Expansion

It would be better to discuss that in the dedicated DU thread (the dead part that is).

I was thinking about it a bit more yesterday, even if DU was built for arguments sake, I'd still think you would need more East to West Luas lines regardless.

Sure, DU would remove some of the demand trying to get on Luas at Heuston Station. However I wouldn't see most people coming on the Red line South of Heuston bothering to swap to DART there (too close to the city already, needing to transfer, etc.).

If the Luas Vision 2050 happens, there is no way the "Abbey St" section of the red line could handle it, even if DU was there. Think about it:

1. We extend all the Southern Red Line stations to 55m, thus increasing demand heading to the city on it.
2. We build a new extension to Clondalkin feeding into the Red line from the south.
3. We extend the red line to Poolbeg.
4. We build a new Blanchardstown line feeing directly into the Abbey Street section of the Red line!
5. We build a new Clongriffin line feeding directly into the Abbey Street section of the Red line!

Yikes, think about it, there is no way the existing red line could handle all that, even if DU existed to take some of the pressure off. Just the number of extra trams trying to use it would make it impossible IMO.

So from my perspective on this DU isn't really part of this, it is it's own thing and needs to prove itself separately. Either way if we are to do the Luas Vision 2050 or some form of that, extra East West lines will need to happen regardless.

Actually hold on the Red Cow Luas stop does have shelters too! Again not very big ones, but definitely there.

The more I look, the more I see that the majority of stops have shelters. Just the OCS, Trinity and Dawson Street stops stand out as not having them. I suspect that is down to the visible aspect on historic buildings.