Metrolink south of Charlemont

Well you might say it’s a non runner but I believe it should be looked into and discussed.

Are there any links to those other tie in options that will take 15 months to complete?

I dont think I’ve seen a drawing of them

https://www.metrolink.ie/en/news/published-reports/green-line-tie-in-study-study-2-2018/

Check page 82 (pdf page 84) for comparisons of the two Ranelagh options. Not all have info about closure times, but they both do on that page. More details are scattered a bit through the document, but mostly kept to their secitons. In order to get as detailed of a breakdown about the closure time as in the construction report, we would need TII to get, well, another contruction report.

However it is not surprising why even the estimates are so much shorter. The Beechwood option involves completely tearing out and replacing the existing beech wood station, as well as the cut and cover metro station on the current alignment. The Ranelagh options don't do either, and need to build the ramp up to the GL before the GL Ranelagh station. Additionally a massive benefit from the Ranelagh option is it keeps all construction between Charlemont and Ranelagh. The GL can still operate Broombridge-Charlemont, and Ranelagh-Brides Glen, so during construction it would be short and direct transfer.

That’s great info thanks.
I’ve just had a Quick Look and I see that a grade separated junction would allow both luas and metrolink to proceed south of the tie in.
I presume this is just to allow the luas trams to reach sandyford as well as Broadstone for maintenance.

This is not quite the point I was trying to make. The first line of my post was a quote from someone else’s post that I was just saying I disagreed with.

I have to say while yes it would have the same effect, I don’t think we should ever even think about a metro line down the N11. It would be too close to two already high capacity/high frequency rail lines (DART S and Luas Green Line) and would be a large duplication of infrastructure on a corridor that in no way justifies it.

The cost would be near to phase 1 of Metrolink, with the entire N11 section needing to be fully tunnelled, compared to a Luas which could be placed at-grade down the median for example, and (with maybe a few diveunders or flyovers at the busier intersections) would be relatively quite cheap to build for the benefit it would bring.

The only way that Sandyford should get a metro is by way of a Green Line conversion and I think if that can’t be done, then the metro should be sent somewhere else.

The N11 corridor is perfect for Luas and I really think it should get one, complimenting a metro from Sandyford to Charlemont along the GL, but the simple fact is that the N11 is already the largest and highest capacity road and bus artery into Dublin and there isn’t nearly enough density or untapped capacity along the line to warrant a metro.

The point I was making was moreso that the N11 Luas would take over the Green Line from Central Park to Cherrywood and then from there would continue to Bray. While Bray to town by Luas would be too long a journey, Bray to Sandyford on Luas would be a relatively quick journey, and then Sandyford to town via a change to GL metro would make a very competitive overall journey time.

This transfer will also free up capacity on the Luas so that it will be a lot more empty when it reaches the actual N11, leaving perfect space for it to pick up all the UCD-goers and the people headed for the city along this stretch of the corridor.

Worst case scenario if the GL conversion can’t be done, then the N11 Luas should still be built as the Bray-CC corridor (and on towards the Malahide Road) with the Green Line serving Sandyford-Finglas on the existing route. In this scenario the GL should still be grade separated between Sandyford and Charlemont and extra trains ran on this section as far as Charlemont/SSG to link with the Metro there (coming from wherever else it’s sent to) and also provide extra CC capacity to help the N11 line.

This is in no way an ideal substitute though, as it will still be slower than a metro, require much more changes, making the journey from Bray less competitive and less attractive, and no matter how much the line is grade separated, the frequency of the metro simply cannot be replicated by Luas.

Luas and Metro would be the perfect local/express style compliment for one another in this order on this route, but I don’t think that an N11 metro or any other version of the plan would have anywhere near enough of a CBA ratio to be doable or worth the money.

I have to disagree about an N11 metro, I think it is one of the corridors that could benifit most from a metro. At the end of the day it is one of the busiest bus corridors in the city, alongside Rathmines-Templeouge/Rathfarnham and Malahide Rd. And that is despite it being nestled between the GL and DART.

A big advantage I see is that it might be possible to have a C&C or elevated metro along the N11, as it is a dual carrageway with a lot of space to take advantage of. Being elevated or C&C could save a lot of time and money on construction.

If the GL upgrade isn't possible, I think I would rather see the Metro extended along the N11 than to DSW. I think a Metro SW starting from Charlemont will just miss too many trip generators closer to CC. I would want to see it go through Crumlin Rd/Cork St, HC, or even Rathmines, but I don't think starting from Charlemont it would be able to do that.

Luas to Bray will be 56 mins, that’s based on the existing Green Line to Cherrywood.

That said I think the mooted N11 Luas would be 33 mins to Sandyford, about 7 mins longer than the Green Line which is not ideal at all.

Still faster than the E1. I also very much believe they should look at going to alternative stops outside core stations to speed up the time from Sandyford onwards.