Cork light rail

From the 1880s to 1934, a light rail system existed in Cork, the Cork and Muskerry Light Railway. It closed in 1934, having sustained damage during the Irish Civil War, which hindered usage. Another tramway operated three lines around the city center and surrounding suburbs, operated by the Cork Electric Tramways and Lighting Company. It closed in 1931, having sustained damage during the Burning of Cork, as well as the increased use of motor transportation.

A light rail system was proposed as part of the Green Party manifesto in 2007.[2] The Green Party entered as the junior partner into a coalition with Fianna Fáil after the 2007 general election. The proposals were briefly discussed in the Dáil.[3] However, the post-2008 economic downturn began shortly afterward, and it, along with other infrastructural plans, were shelved.

The proposal was mentioned in the government's Ireland 2040 framework, which was published in 2018.[4] As of 2019, a formal transportation plan for Cork, known as the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy (CMATS), was prepared by the local authority. Publication was scheduled for February 2018, with a "draft plan" proposed to be available for "public consultation early in 2019".[5] The draft CMATS plan was published in May 2019, and included draft proposals for the construction of a light-rail system sometime after 2031.[6]

The proposed light-rail system received support from the president of UCC, Cork's largest third-level institution, and the Cork Chamber of Commerce, and Tanaiste Simon Coveney[7] and former Lord Mayor Mary Shields.[8]

Map of Proposed Cork light rail from the Cork metropolitan area transport strategy

Plans proposed in 2017, under the Ireland 2040 development framework, had suggested an 'east-west' light-rail corridor from Ballincollig in the west of Cork City, through the city centre, to Mahon in the east. A 'north-south' corridor was also contained in these plans, linking Cork Airport.[9]

During 2018, the People Before Profit (PBP) political party proposed a variant of these routes. One two-line proposal suggested one line running from Ballincollig to Mahon, and another from Cork Airport to Cork city center.[10] Another PBP proposal, from later in 2018, was based on three lines.[11]

In May 2019, the 'Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy'[12] was published by the National Transport Authority, and contained proposals for a one-line system running from Ballincollig to Mahon through the city centre. The project was unveiled alongside a number of other suggested transport investments, including an expansion of the Cork Suburban Rail. The light-rail proposal was costed at €1 billion, projected to include 25 possible stops along 17km of track. It is projected to be used by 46 million passengers per annum. Determination of the final LRT route alignment is starting in early 2020 with construction not expected to commence "until 2031 at earliest".[13][14] A park-and-ride service is proposed for the west of the city near Ballincollig. The line is proposed to then run eastwards, serving locations such as the new Cork science innovation park, Cork Institute of Technology, Cork University Hospital, University College Cork, Patrick street, Kent station, Páirc Uí Chaoimh and Mahon Point Shopping Centre. It has been proposed that the line would make use of disused Cork, Blackrock and Passage Railway when running through Blackrock.