MetroLink (Dublin)

'Metro North' and project history

Three potential routes for the then called Metro North were published by the Railway Procurement Agency in February 2006. The first route option went through Finglas and made used of the former Broadstone railway alignment. The second route option went through Ballymun and was eventually adopted as the final route. The third route option went through Whitehall. After public consultation, the RPA announced in October 2006^[6] that they had selected a routing known as the 'East/Central Combined Route'. that ran through Ballymun. A slightly updated route, with changes in proposed station names, some modifications to station locations, and details of proposed overground and underground routes through Swords was released by the RPA in March 2008.^[7]

On 22 March 2007, Transport Infrastructure Ireland began the procurement process for Metro North. In October 2007 it announced that it had a shortlist of four consortia interested in building Metro North. Draft Environmental Impact Statements were published in early 2008.

On 17 September 2008, the RPA applied for a railway order to An Bord Pleanála.^[8] Oral hearings were heard during 2009 and 2010.^[9]

On 5 October 2011, Metro North was granted planning permission by An Bord Pleanála.^[10]

It was speculated by the media that the Metro North Project would be indefinitely deferred on 12 August 2011 following a review by Leo Varadkar, then Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport. This was confirmed on 10 November 2011.^[11]

On 29 September 2015, it was announced that Metro North was being relaunched, with a revised opening date of 2027. This was corroborated by the new 'Metrolink' plans in 2018.^[12]

Metro South

In 2006 Eamon Ryan, then transport spokesperson for the Green Party, called for the underground section of Metro North to be extended south to Beechwood, where it would then surface and provide a direct link to the Luas Green Line.^[13] This option would allow passengers to travel from the south of the city to the north, without having to change mode of transport. It is also consistent with the Dublin Transportation Office's suggestions in the Platform for Change document, which envisaged that a Metro line would run across the city following the upgrade of the Green Line to Metro by 2020.

When the Luas Green Line was constructed, it was designed to allow metro trains to operate on the line in the future. The interaxis between the tracks was built wide enough to allow wider trains to operate on the line, and the line's electrical systems were designed to handle longer metro trains in the future.

In the National Transport Authority's Draft Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area 2016-2035, it was proposed that the Metro North tunnel should be extended southwards to meet the Luas Green line in the Ranelagh area.

The Luas Green line would be converted to a metro line, with Luas services on the line ending and being replaced by metro services. Platforms at all stations would need to be lengthened and a number of road crossings on the line closed in order for this to happen.

Cost

According to the National Transport Authority, the cost of the project is estimated to be €3 billion.^[2]

Rebranding to 'MetroLink' and emerging preferred route

On 22 March 2018, the National Transport Authority announced revised plans for the former Metro North railway line, now called 'MetroLink'. Costing an estimated €3 billion, the route extends further south from the original Estuary-St. Stephen's Green route down to Sandyford, subsuming the Luas Green Line tracks from Charlemont down to its final destination in Sandyford. It is planned to begin operations in 2027, and it combines the existing 'Metro North' and 'Metro South' lines together. Luas services on the Green Line will cease between Sandyford and Charlemont, and will be replaced by Metro services.^[14]

A railway order will be sought for 'Metrolink' in the third quarter of 2019. A public consultation for the project closed on May 11, 2018.^[15][16]

The revised MetroLink project is proposed to open in 2027.^[2]

Metro West

Metro West
Dardistown Harristown Silloge Meakstown Kildonan Cappoge Abbotstown NAC Blanchardstown Millennium Park Porterstown Liffey Valley Rowlagh Fonthill Clondalkin St Brigids Newlands Belgard Colbert's Fort Tallaght East

Metro West (Irish: Meitreo Thiar) was to run from an intersection with Metro North, just south of the airport at Santry, and from there pass through Blanchardstown, Liffey Valley, and Clondalkin before joining the Luas Red Line to continue towards Tallaght. Metro West was planned to be entirely above ground, at road level, with major junctions overpassed. Metro West was planned to be 25.5 kilometres long (15.8 mi). Planning on the Metro West Project was suspended in September 2011 following a review by Leo Varadkar, then Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, as money to construct the new railway would not be available in the foreseeable future.^[17] The Metro West option had been set aside until economic conditions improved.

Two potential routes for Metro West were published by the Railway Procurement Agency in January 2007, with a number of sub-options also included. Following discussions and a public consultation process, the preferred route was announced in July 2007. This route started at Tallaght, then continued on through Belgard, Clondalkin, Liffey Valley, Blanchardstown. Stops were also planned for the National Aquatic Centre and Abbotstown, before continuing in the direction of Sillogue and Harristown. Following Harristown it would link with the Metro North, after Northwood and before Dardistown station. The line was expected to be 25 km long.^[18]

Although the Metro West was in the early planning stages and can change at a later stage, according to the design drawings produced by the RPA, the Metro West line would not be segregated from road traffic, unlike the Metro North proposal. Metro West will run overground, with some tunnels and bridges to avoid major road junctions.^[19] The preferred route would also see a number of interchanges with other modes of public transport. As well as the link with the Metro North, the line would also link with the Luas at Tallaght and Belgard, rail services at Fonthill and Porterstown and Dublin Bus services at a number of other stops. Park and ride facilities were also proposed at a number of stops.

Route through Finglas

Metro West would serve the northern parts of Finglas via stops at the N2 and Meakstown. When developing options for Metro West, the Railway Procurement Agency (RPA) considered routes south of the M50, serving Finglas more directly. These routes were not deemed feasible as they would have considerable impact on residential and commercial properties in the area, require additional bridges over the M50 and add considerable journey time to the route. It was proposed in the NTA strategy that Finglas be served by a radial light rail line. The first phase of this was outlined in Transport 21 as running to Liffey Junction.

Route selection

On 11 November 2008, the RPA chose their preferred route for Metro West, including indicative stops, depot and Park and Ride locations. The preferred route for Metro West ran from Tallaght to Metro North at Dardistown, via Clondalkin, Liffey Valley and Blanchardstown. The preferred route was approximately 25.5 km long. The planned route would interchange with (from south to north) the Luas Red Line, Kildare Railway Line, Luas Line F (to Lucan), Maynooth Railway Line and Metro North Line, as well as local bus services.^[20]

Planning Process

An application for a Railway Order to construct Metro West was lodged to An Bord Pleanala on October 22, 2010. The application was withdrawn on September 26, 2011, due to the withdrawal of Government funding for the project due to the global financial crisis.

Future of Metro West

In late 2011, the Irish Government withdrew funding for the Metro West project due to budgetary constraints arising from the global financial crisis and recession.

In 2016, Metro West was excluded from the National Transport Authority's Transport Strategy For The Greater Dublin Area 2016-2035. The future of the project is highly ambiguous due to this, as it will now not be considered for government funding until after 2035.