Plans for the future!

[Old Blarney]

http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/infrastructure/single-view/view/dublin-20-year-transport-strategy-published.html

 

This link is published in Railway Gazette.

 

This article may be of interest?

 

Something old, something new? Some re-announcements,some tweaking of previous plans!

 

I notice the possibility of reopening the line to Navan is mentioned yet again along with the extension of DART to Drogheda. My question on this plan - Why is there no mention, or proposal, to electrify the existing Drogheda to Navan railway link as a precursor to the possible reinstatement of the Navan to Parkway formation? Reinstating a commuter rail service from Navan to Drogheda, and thence onward to Dublin, would have many benefits. It would also make financial sense for future reinstatement of the Navan to Parkway link. This missing link would provide a circular railway route that would service a multitude of commuter towns to the North and Northwest of Dublin. Such a bi-directional service would/could draw custom from a vast corridor of commuter towns in the areas it serves.

Edited April 17, 2016 by Old Blarney

[Noel]

A bit confused. Are they planning to upgrade the green southside luas line to heavier metro specs, and if so how would it cope with some of the steep inclines and sharp bends? Does anybody know what the operating specs of metro is? Is it just a bigger tram or full size commuter rail?

[Old Blarney]

A bit confused. Are they planning to upgrade the green southside luas line to heavier metro specs, and if so how would it cope with some of the steep inclines and sharp bends? Does anybody know what the operating specs of metro is? Is it just a bigger tram or full size commuter rail?

 

I too find the proposals confusing. Looking at their "Map Plan" the Green Line merges into the Blue in the shaded area of Dublin. The former Harcourt Street line becomes Blue as it progresses south from the shaded area. This line on the "Map Plan" then returns to Green and proceeds to Bray.

Quotation -

'Luas Green Line tram capacity enhancement between St Stephen’s Green and Bride’s Glen, allowing trams of 50 m or more to be introduced ahead of the Metro South project;

Metro South upgrading of the Luas Green Line from tram to metro standards, with a tunnel linking Metro North to the Green Line in the Ranelagh area to provide a north–south corridor across the metropolitan area; Luas Green Line/Metro South extension to Bray. The alignment is still to be selected, but is likely to run to Bray DART station via Shankill and the former golf club lands. Metro services would run from Bray to the Airport and Swords, while Luas services would run between Bray, Broombridge and Finglas;

 

From the above statements it suggests, to me, the Luas Line will be extended to Bray along with the future Metro. However, I'm confuses regarding the future route of the Metro - as the article states - Luas Green Line/Metro South extension to Bray. The alignment is still to be selected, but is likely to run to Bray DART station via Shankill and the former golf club lands.

 

Will there to be parallel sections on the Luas Line and Metro?

Will the Harcourt Street formation between Sandyford and Brides Glen become Metro?

I'm confused, very confused!

Edited April 18, 2016 by Old Blarney

[Mayner]

The Railway Procurement Agency (RPA) is probably as confused itself, the RPA was separated from CIE supposedly because of Government lack of confidence in the companys ability to deliver the LUAS on time and within budget and the small matter of negotiating a new labour agreement with a 10 year no strike clause & excluding the more militant CIE unions

 

The original Metro North proposal morphed out of CIEs original proposal for a cross city LUAS line from Stillorgan to Ballymun.

 

The northern section of the line was 1st put on hold to minimise traffic disruption during the construction of the Port Tunnel, then morphed into a "metro" to overcome objections to street running through the city centre. The 2005 Metro proposal was basically LUAS underground rather than heavy rail.

[Old Blarney]

The Railway Procurement Agency (RPA) is probably as confused itself, the RPA was separated from CIE supposedly because of Government lack of confidence in the companys ability to deliver the LUAS on time and within budget and the small matter of negotiating a new labour agreement with a 10 year no strike clause & excluding the more militant CIE unions

 

The original Metro North proposal morphed out of CIEs original proposal for a cross city LUAS line from Stillorgan to Ballymun.

 

The northern section of the line was 1st put on hold to minimise traffic disruption during the construction of the Port Tunnel, then morphed into a "metro" to overcome objections to street running through the city centre. The 2005 Metro proposal was basically LUAS underground rather than heavy rail.

 

Talking of strikes. Both LUAS and DART are having Fun and Games on this front. I read the DART Drivers are refusing to implement the running of a ten minute interval service, and LUAS Drivers want a new eleven year non strike agreement.

 

DART

 

10 minute DART service

 

The letter goes on to say that workers have strong objections to new plans for a 10 minute DART service and said that they would not participate in its introduction without “dialogue on pay reward”.

 

LUAS

In the first instance, Luas drivers proposed two new payscales, across an 11-year time period (as opposed to the present 10 years), with salary increases of between 8.5% and 53.8%.

 

At the highest end of the scale, after 11 years, under the second proposed payscale, tram drivers would have a salary of €64,993, where now they have €42,247 – a 53.8% rise.