Dublin - Metrolink (Swords to Charlemont only)

Podge_irl · 02-10-2020 6:11pm

MJohnston wrote: »

They wrote an article filled with inaccuracies about the changes BusConnects would bring to the commute of a blind man who lived on Collins Avenue. Previously he would have had to take a 14 to Connolly and then change to the Luas to get to his workplace at Spencer Dock.

They claimed his two part journey would become a "six-stage ordeal". Actually, under the BusConnects plan at the time (and maybe still now) he would have gone from a two part journey to a single trip on the N4 bus.

I presumed the journalist involved, Brian Hutton, was simply too lazy to do his own checking of what he heard from the man, and simply repeated the incorrect assertion. I requested if the IT and Brian himself could at least reach out to the man to ensure his anxiety over the route changes wouldn't continue, if they weren't going to do a correction.

Heard nothing at all.

It's rare to come across real journalism in this country anymore, and this was an example of very bad journalism with a real victim. I'll never take anything printed in the Irish Times on faith ever again.

I believe I recall seeing a comment from Hutton that the man in question had to travel via the city centre for unspecified but important reasons and that he stands by his story.

So basically, they made a huge story about someone who travel from Collins Ave to city centre to docklands goes from 2 buses to 3 under the new plan. An insanely specific and unusual route that wasn't 100% catered for in a massive network redesign. That article is an utter nadir in appalling journalism.

bk · 02-10-2020 6:13pm

CatInABox wrote: »

Yes, it's one of the orbitals, the N2 or the N4, so that's something at least.

The N4 is the one on Collins Avenue.

I can't wait for these orbitals. One of them will take me almost from my door to my office, a journey I currently would never dream of taking at the moment as it currently involves getting a bus into town and back out again.

Also it opens up easy access, with no changes, to Phoenix Park, Heuston and Connolly Stations and Blanchardstown.

They will really revolutionise access to the whole city for those without cars IMO.

That article was terrible.

LXFlyer · 02-10-2020 10:25pm

Ummm what has this to do with Metrolink?
I’m sure the merits of IT journalism & BusConnects can be discussed elsewhere?

MJohnston · 02-10-2020 11:52pm

LXFlyer wrote: »

Ummm what has this to do with Metrolink?
I’m sure the merits of IT journalism & BusConnects can be discussed elsewhere?

The merits of Irish journalism are relevant to every piece of public transport discussion in this country.

LXFlyer · 02-10-2020 11:57pm

MJohnston wrote: »

The merits of Irish journalism are relevant to every piece of public transport discussion in this country.

Possibly. But I’m reading this thread for discussion of Metrolink not BusConnects.

dublinman1990 · 03-10-2020 4:02am

Going from that IT article on Bombardier. In terms of aesthetics; I would think that the Innovia Metro 300 would be a perfect fit to have as a driverless train being provided for Metrolink. The passengers in Dublin & beyond that would probably consider it to be a huge hit for them if people are commuting to work from outside the GDA because it just looks so attractive to the naked eye.

I mean just look at it from the point of aesthetics. It is fresh, it is modern & it is a very sleek looking piece of infrastructure. Does anyone else love the look of it?

Sam Russell · 03-10-2020 10:43am

Mod: Can we keep this thread on track. The title says it all.

Thank you.

tom1ie · 03-10-2020 7:30pm

bk wrote: »

The N4 is the one on Collins Avenue.

I can't wait for these orbitals. One of them will take me almost from my door to my office, a journey I currently would never dream of taking at the moment as it currently involves getting a bus into town and back out again.

Also it opens up easy access, with no changes, to Phoenix Park, Heuston and Connolly Stations and Blanchardstown.

They will really revolutionise access to the whole city for those without cars IMO.

That article was terrible.

One question I have about these orbitals:
Will there be continuous bus lanes/ bus priority on these routes and if so how long before this infrastructure is in place to service the new orbitals.
Thanks.

Apologies only seen the mid note after I posted.
Off to the bus connects forum with me!!

MJohnston · 13-10-2020 3:27pm

Not much about Metrolink in the budget, other than this:

https://twitter.com/rtenews/status/1316009771590279170

On the other hand — not much about Metrolink in the budget is probably good news all things considered.

cgcsb · 13-10-2020 10:53pm

The additional billion is an increase though. It'll probably be used on bringing smaller projects to completion faster. More money won't really help metrolink at this stage. It'll be 2022 at the earliest for any building work to start, perhaps 2023 more likely, if at all.

marno21 · 13-10-2020 11:04pm

The 2021 Expenditure Report states that Metrolink will be submitted to ABP in 2021. No funding required for this so that's why it wasn't included in the Budget today.

BusConnects Corridors and DART+ West are to go to ABP next year also. Big year for PT.

Geuze · 22-10-2020 12:52pm

I see Nurnberg opened a metro extension.

1.1km plus a station for 69m, seems good value.

Does anybody know was it bored tunnel or cut-and-cover?

Our costs seem higher?

Idbatterim · 22-10-2020 7:39pm

seeing as multiple magic money trees have now been found, lets hope they can find the pittance to actually develop this project OR come 2021, 2022 will they be saying, oh there actually is no ability or justification to borrow this pittance for this vital project, time will tell!

We now have the greens in government, maybe they can make amends for the idiotic policy they supported of near free motor tax from 2008 , for the most unsustainable mode of transport, even moderate motor tax and they could have had billions extra to develop rail, cycle etc infrastructure

BonnieSituation · 22-10-2020 7:41pm

Our Greens aren't real Greens.

Pete_Cavan · 22-10-2020 8:01pm

Geuze wrote: »

I see Nurnberg opened a metro extension.

1.1km plus a station for 69m, seems good value.

Does anybody know was it bored tunnel or cut-and-cover?

Our costs seem higher?

Extending an existing service would cost a lot less than building a whole new system. We need to set up all new computer systems plus it being driverless, new control centre, new depot, full new fleet of rolling stock, etc.

riddlinrussell · 23-10-2020 11:04am

BonnieSituation wrote: »

Our Greens aren't real Greens.

I take that personally, the greens aren't a monolithic entity, I certainly think there is a proportion of them that mean well but are so divorced from either reality or the lives of the working class that they come up with awful plans, The science at the time said CO2 bad, and Diesel particulates = Less bad, Electric cars were nowhere near as mature as today, and yes it wasn't a very well thought out policy, (I wasn't in the greens back then).

The greens of 10 years ago are different to today, and I expect will become considerably different in the coming years, they have seen a nearly tenfold increase in their membership since the last time they were in government, most in the last 3 years, so I would expect a bit of a change over the next few years.

I think we would have seen a lot of change this year if some of the more left members had waited until after the leadership election and convention to leave the party, a good few things didn't pass by a bare few votes...

Sorry for the tangent, I would say one common criticism of the Irish greens is they are actually overly focused on infrastructure over other environmental aspects, so I would count this government as a true failure of the greens if it didn't at least deliver on that one key aspect in cycling and rail.

Sam Russell · 23-10-2020 2:20pm

riddlinrussell wrote: »

I take that personally, the greens aren't a monolithic entity, I certainly think there is a proportion of them that mean well but are so divorced from either reality or the lives of the working class that they come up with awful plans, The science at the time said CO2 bad, and Diesel particulates = Less bad, Electric cars were nowhere near as mature as today, and yes it wasn't a very well thought out policy, (I wasn't in the greens back then).

The greens of 10 years ago are different to today, and I expect will become considerably different in the coming years, they have seen a nearly tenfold increase in their membership since the last time they were in government, most in the last 3 years, so I would expect a bit of a change over the next few years.

I think we would have seen a lot of change this year if some of the more left members had waited until after the leadership election and convention to leave the party, a good few things didn't pass by a bare few votes...

Sorry for the tangent, I would say one common criticism of the Irish greens is they are actually overly focused on infrastructure over other environmental aspects, so I would count this government as a true failure of the greens if it didn't at least deliver on that one key aspect in cycling and rail.

Given that the minister responsible for Metrolink is not just a Green party minister, but is the leader of the Party, I would expect him to come out strongly advocating for it, and putting it in a direction that it should be fast-tracked so its completion is not delayed.

Metrolink will allow for significant modal shift towards PT, and that should be shouted from the house tops. He should also be pushing for P&R facilities everywhere they could work.

He should also look for plans to solve the St Rephaella's Road crossing as a stand alone project to remove at least one of the problems stopping the Sandyford extension.

It is time to push for this to get the tunnel boring machines into the ground.

riddlinrussell · 23-10-2020 3:03pm

Couldn't agree more Sam, if he doesn't he's a fool

marno21 · 19-11-2020 1:28pm

https://twitter.com/PaulMcauliffe/status/1329377327348903936

According to the NTA:
* Business case to be submitted to the Government in Q1 2021
* Project to be submitted to An Bord Pleanala in Q2 2021
* Procurement strategy is being finalised

cgcsb · 19-11-2020 5:41pm

So what has become of the 'micro consultations' on highly technical matters like siting intervention shafts. I really hope this goes ahead, would love to see building work in 2022. I can't recall the state having spent this much money on one item before although relatively speaking I bet Ard na Croise cost more.

Rulmeq · 19-11-2020 7:20pm

cgcsb wrote: »

So what has become of the 'micro consultations' on highly technical matters like siting intervention shafts. I really hope this goes ahead, would love to see building work in 2022. I can't recall the state having spent this much money on one item before although relatively speaking I bet Ard na Croise cost more.

At the risk of straying off topic, Ardnacrusha cost £5 million or 20% of the states GDP at the time.

strassenwo!f · 19-11-2020 9:35pm

Is the plan still to have the metro going in on top of the Green line catchment, or is there some other plan emerging?

donvito99 · 19-11-2020 10:16pm

strassenwo!f wrote: »

Is the plan still to have the metro going in on top of the Green line catchment, or is there some other plan emerging?

And your Drumcondra plan would go in on top of the existing Maynooth/M3 Parkway line catchment.

richiek83 · 19-11-2020 10:33pm

Minister Ryan spoke at a Transport Ireland conference the other day and was adamant this will proceed following a question on same.

Worst case scenario, timeline might change by a year or two. That's my own verdict by the way. Lots happening such as review of NDP, review of GDA Strategy next year.

MJohnston · 20-11-2020 12:14am

strassenwo!f wrote: »

Is the plan still to have the metro going in on top of the Green line catchment, or is there some other plan emerging?

If they are seeking to apply for a railway order next year, the plans aren't changing from the ones we already have by any large measure.

cgcsb · 20-11-2020 10:43am

If there is work on site in 2022 it may be possible to complete and open by 2028 but I think it's more likely 2029/30, assuming the project goes ahead.

riddlinrussell · 20-11-2020 10:44am

If there's work on the site by 2022 I think this entire board will have a party

strassenwo!f · 20-11-2020 10:48am

donvito99 wrote: »

And your Drumcondra plan would go in on top of the existing Maynooth/M3 Parkway line catchment.

I'm afraid you give me too much credit;). The plan for the metro to go through Drumcondra came, of course, from the RPA.

It was the idea of the RPA's successors to move it away from there and to an area (i) with a lower population and much lower population density in its immediate catchment, and (ii) which is very close to the LUAS green line and will have a station serving the M3, Maynooth and Hazelhatch lines.