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Hi all, please see this major site announcement: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058427594/boards-ie-2026

LUAS Network + Future Expansion

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    #692
    daymobrew
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,768 ✭✭✭daymobrew


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124084228#Comment_124084228

    That reference is for the housing on St Margaret's Court - numbers 1-4 will park in the blue box behind their houses. All the drivers will exit across the tracks to the right (that is shown on the other drawing).



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    #693
    CatInABox
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 11,470 Mod ✭✭✭✭CatInABox


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124083077#Comment_124083077

    I put the relevant drawing into a post on this thread here:

    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2057866432/luas-finglas

    Access is at the back, through someone else's land.



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    #694
    cgcsb
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭✭cgcsb


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124171875#Comment_124171875

    What do you mean not in any way close? The tendering process for metrolink has started, the tendering for DART+ West is coming to ITT stage and DART enabling works are starting in September. 2 bus connects corridors are going to construction imminently. Pretty close by all accounts.



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    #695
    marno21
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 15,140 Mod ✭✭✭✭marno21


    New thread for Luas Poolbeg specifics

    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058431517/luas-poolbeg-project-commencing


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    #696
    CatInABox
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 11,470 Mod ✭✭✭✭CatInABox


    Transdev are out apparently.

    Keolis and Amey are the winners in a joint bid. THey run the Docklands light rail in London.

    Paywalled article here:

    https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2026/02/26/transdev-loses-175bn-luas-contract-after-22-years-running-tram-service/

    While I am somewhat surprised, I can't say it's a total shock either.



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    #697
    dublinman1990
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 9,546 ✭✭✭dublinman1990


    I have an RTÉ News website link for the non paywall users.

    http://www.rte.ie/news/business/2026/0226/1560592-transdev-loses-dublin-luas-contract-after-22-years/

    It says here that there were three bidders for the Luas contract including Transdev.

    The transfer of the contract between Transdev and Keolis is expected to take place from September.

    Although there is a 14 day cooling off period in which Transdev can make an appeal to retain the contract if other bidders express their viewpoints on this contract award from TII & the NTA.

    Who was the third bidder in this contract bid for operation & maintenance of the Luas? There's no mention of it in the RTÉ News article.

    I was probably thinking that it was Amey but that's for Luas maintenance only being paired up with Keolis.



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    #698
    p_haugh
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,856 ✭✭✭p_haugh


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124267470#Comment_124267470

    The third bidder was a combined bid from Alstom and the ATM Group (Azienda Trasporti Milanesi).



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    #699
    OisinCooke
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 344 ✭✭OisinCooke


    Have seen some articles around the place today heralding this as a ‘Big Change for Dublin’s Luas’ etc etc.

    What actual changes will this bring about? Staff pay increases? Tighter signalling? Better signal priority? Contactless payment? (Probably already underway with the NTA to be fair…)

    New tram vehicles…? More actual lines…?

    Or is it mostly administrative stuff and general maintenance that the public won’t notice a change in?



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    #700
    LXFlyer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 19,668 ✭✭✭✭LXFlyer


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124270308#Comment_124270308

    It’s the day to day management of the operation that is changing.

    That does incorporate communication with customers.

    Pay and conditions of employees are subject to existing contracts of employment (which will TUPE across).

    Everything to do with the infrastructure and tram acquisition is the responsibility of TII and payment methods are the responsibility of the NTA.



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    #701
    Kermit.de.frog
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 26,423 ✭✭✭✭Kermit.de.frog


    Presumably it does have implications for rolling stock replacement and who'll be providing them. The current trams are no longer manufactured so there will be a new design from 2027. That's what I read somewhere anyway.



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    #702
    L1011
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 76,257 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124270636#Comment_124270636

    Operation contract - what Transdev just lost - and rolling stock supply/maintenance contract are not connected as far as I know.

    The process to replace the 3000s/4000s is underway, and that type should be long out of production.



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    #703
    LXFlyer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 19,668 ✭✭✭✭LXFlyer


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124270636#Comment_124270636

    No it doesn’t.

    TII are responsible for that



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    #704
    markpb
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 9,478 ✭✭✭markpb


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124270418#Comment_124270418

    I’m not even sure if customer contact will be part of the new contract. Most of that should go through the well-intentioned but poorly-executed TFI contact centre.



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    #705
    markpb
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 9,478 ✭✭✭markpb


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124270308#Comment_124270308

    The new contract will cover maintenance of the trams and track infrastructure, and operation of the service according to the timetable specified by the NTA. The operator has no control over the hours, timetable, trams, ticketing, signalling, etc.

    It’s a way of outsourcing the labour of drivers and maintenance and hopefully hiring the expertise to respond appropriately when things go wrong. Passengers shouldn’t notice any change at all, positive or negative except maybe a reduction in service outages because of poor maintenance (if that’s even a problem).



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    #706
    dublinman1990
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 9,546 ✭✭✭dublinman1990


    Do Keolis have any future plans in place to have takeover bids to run other PT services in Dublin like Metrolink & BusConnects?



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    #707
    bk
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 24,394 Mod ✭✭✭✭bk


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124271441#Comment_124271441

    I'd doubt they would get involved with buses, they have no experience of that! Their expertise is in light rail, Metro and some heavy rail. I could certainly see them interested in Metrolink, but given the nature of that contract, they might be too small for that or would need to be part of a larger consortium.



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    #708
    Kermit.de.frog
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 26,423 ✭✭✭✭Kermit.de.frog


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124271441#Comment_124271441

    They are part of one of the consortia bidding for the metro project



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    #709
    p_haugh
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,856 ✭✭✭p_haugh


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124273166#Comment_124273166

    They're part of the Plenary-led consortium:

    https://plenary.com/news/plenary-led-consortium-welcomes-approval-of-dublin-metrolink-railway-order

    Keoilis "will prepare and deliver operations and maintenance of MetroLink", so similar scope to what they will be doing for Luas.



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    #710
    bk
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 24,394 Mod ✭✭✭✭bk


    Yep, that makes total sense, the Metrolink is a DBFOM contract, Design Build Finance Operate and Maintenance contract, their expertise would be in the OM end, the other partners would bring the DBF end.

    Hitachi Rail in this consortium is pretty interesting, they would bring the rolling stock, signalling etc. They make the fully automated trains used in Copenhagen, Milan, etc.



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    #711
    dublinman1990
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 9,546 ✭✭✭dublinman1990


    The new O&M contract for the Luas has been signed by KeolisAmey today.

    It will run for a seven year term with optional additional 6 year extensions when required.

    The new contract signed by KeolisAmey will begin on the 1st of September 2026.

    The Transdev employees will be transferred over to KeolisAmey between now & September under TUPE regulations.

    https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2026/0312/1563124-keolisamey-confirmed-as-new-luas-contract-operator/

    Anne Shaw, CEO of the NTA, has said that the signing of the new contract for Luas will allow it to procure new trams to expand the service with new timetables from 2027. Lorcan O'Connor, the CEO for TII, also said the same thing in a similar statement today about the new Luas contract kicking in from September.



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    #712
    Ireland trains
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 463 ✭✭Ireland trains


    https://irishcycle.com/2026/03/23/luas-greenway-and-housing-should-be-built-on-lands-reserved-for-dublins-eastern-bypass/

    Interesting idea of using the Eastern Bypass corridor from UCD-Kilmacud as part of a new Luas line.



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    #713
    The Mathematician
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 216 ✭✭The Mathematician


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124336681#Comment_124336681

    Maybe I am being over optimistic, but this seems to be a good first step if you were aiming to upgrade the Green Line to metro.



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    #714
    OisinCooke
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 344 ✭✭OisinCooke


    While I like that this plan is great for a lot of reasons, especially more stops at existing residential areas with quite poor public transport at the moment, and of course, better penetration of the UCD campus, I’m not sure if it’s the best way to do an N11 Luas Line.

    Contrary to other posters, I think it also makes a Green Line metro conversion more difficult. The Luas or Metro would have to be diverted to get to Sandyford, or the metro would have to end at Kilmacud - not ideal due to the lack of parking space.

    I think continuing the N11 Luas down towards Brewery Road or the Leopardstown Road would be a much better idea, and an easier alignment which would be faster and give a more definitive connection to the existing GL south of Sandyford as well as a better metro interchange.

    The alignment is too perfect to not be used however - could it be part of an orbital Luas from the DART, past the N11, GL Metro conversion (at say Kilmacud, or Ballally or the like) and maybe on into DSW…? I just think that while it would be a very good alignment for a standalone Luas Line, in the context of a GL Metro conversion, it complicates things more than it improves them I think…



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    #715
    AngryLips
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,927 ✭✭✭AngryLips


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124337042#Comment_124337042

    The E spine is the highest patronaged spine in the entire Dublin bus network. It would be a shame only a small portion of it was upgraded to Luas.



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    #716
    murphaph
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,313 ✭✭✭✭murphaph


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124337042#Comment_124337042

    Agree 100%. The eastern bypass corridor would make an ideal orbital or element in an orbital Luas line, standalone from any radial routes. The proposed "hybrid" route is a mess IMO. Just use the N11 to take a Luas on a highly segregated alignment all the way to Baray on the N11, with a branch off at Brewery Road to use the existing Luas alignment south of Sandyford, if we are unwilling to drive metro south of Sandyford to interchange with DART somewhere.

    An orbital Luas linking DART, N11 Luas, UCD and Green Line Metro would be extremely useful in its own right. It doesn't need to be shoehorned into a radial to make sense.



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    #717
    Zebra3
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,301 ✭✭✭✭Zebra3


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124336681#Comment_124336681

    Interesting read.

    As a curious cat, is this the best way to go about proposing a Luas line? First go to councillors? Genuinely no idea how it works.



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    #718
    Rugbyf565
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,275 ✭✭✭Rugbyf565


    IMG_0279.jpeg

    this is so exciting tbh 😊

    No doubt it will get the Nimbys and car drivers rattled



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    #719
    spillit67
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,908 ✭✭✭spillit67


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124337991#Comment_124337991

    Is this proposing to enter Bray by the Fran O’Toole bridge and not the Transport Bridge?

    I hope this doesn’t mean the attention seeking Swan obsessives are having an impact down there. The only logical way to enter Bray is by the old golf course.



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    #720
    spillit67
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,908 ✭✭✭spillit67


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124337231#Comment_124337231

    Well a portion of it would be at Shankill and Bray too. I’d like to see the E1 bypass most of Bray and Shankill entirely if this happened.



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    #721
    spillit67
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,908 ✭✭✭spillit67


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124337465#Comment_124337465

    No reason the Eastern Bypass lands couldn’t ultimately become an orbital line connecting down to the DART and going further west towards Rathfarnham. The line could then go further out by the N11 in stages. As a fairly cheap way to do this, it’s a good first step.

    I personally believe this will kill the Metro to Sandyford in the next 25 years anyway. Good that it enables it though.



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