Re: Re: Luas Central – Which Route?

Yes, strange alright. Then again, as has happened with other polls, the more something is discussed the more things seem to change, Dublin Bridges a case in point….

The maps are here though, so maybe they could be brought over to the other thread too?
Went along to the ‘Open Day’ today – very informative and pleasant, though what exactly the purpose of it was is anyone’s guess: it’s not as if the RPA reps were being swayed by what anyone was saying as far as I could make out….

But they were very helpful – a number of interesting things arose. If Route B goes ahead as planned, Foleys pub on the corner of Merrion Row and Merrion St will have to be demolished – the trams won’t make the bend otherwise. A great pity, as it’s a lovely stock brick Georgian building, albeit stuffed with PVC, while irritatingly the poor pastiche Georgians next door aren’t affected!

If the George’s St route goes ahead, the very substantial Georgian, perhaps Wide Streets Commission building on the corner of George’s St and Dame St will have to be demolished or partly demolished, as the trams won’t make this corner either. Saying that, I fail to see how they can make the Dawson/Nassau bend and not this broad spacious one! Perhaps it’s to keep the existing traffic lanes free.

Ger Hannon was particularly annoyed over the myth that was started in the Irish Times about the Trinity wall – it, nor the Provost’s carriage block, will have to be touched in any way, shape or form should Route A be chosen. There is also no issue about Luas turning this corner, not the Dawson bend – it fits fine :). Did Garret ever ‘clarify’ this matter?

The OPW paving on St. Stephen’s Green north would not be affected either, or if it is during construction will be reinstated. As most people know the current terminus on the Green is going be enlarged, but after the Christmas rush.

As for the Tara St/Butt Bridge option, another rep came across as rather vague on this – seemingly a mixture of the route being too congested, and it being too far from O’Connell St being the problem. But another rep by contrast said they’d like to get it as close to Connolly as possible to integrate the various rail modes, but proximity to the city centre would seem to be a priority…
On this route, the traffic congestion argument seems void to me as if the Luas is already coming up Pearse St, traffic volumes are already limited. So whatever limited traffic there is on Pearse St is going to be flowing onto Tara St also; Tara St doesn’t get most of its traffic from anywhere else.

In terms of which is the favoured route, it was funny, constantly all the reps were trotting out the same thing – ‘oh there’s no favoured route, that’s why we’re having this consultation’ – over and over again.
Yeah right 🙂

Even on what was the most popular route thus far amongst the public coming in, it was a bit vague – though judging by the clusters constantly around A and B, I think that says it all.
One rep (not mentioning names :)) really disliked the Pearse St/Route B option, almost to the point of him finding it difficult to imagine the traffic implications could ever be dealt with on Pearse St, while another rep liked this route as it affords the regeneration of Marlborough St into the future with a Luas extension north, as well as improving Pearse St itself, and Hawkins St. They were both coy in there avoidance of mentioning favourites.

As for cables etc, kinda went on a bit of rant at them :o, and got two different answers. One was of the ‘huh huh, well with digital photography nowadays we can just airbrush them out’ variety, along with ‘well O’Connell St with ah the Pillar, was a hub in the city in the days of yore, sure a platform in the middle will be just like the olden days’. Indeed when it was put to him about the cluuter behind O’Connell Monument, he even said that it mightn’t even go there – it ‘could go up near the Spire like it used to’ – pointing to the Plaza!! 😮
‘Sure it’ll all have to be dug up anyway’ – while another man there suggested there would be public support for this, which I’d question….

Ger Hannon seemed more conscious of the effect on the city centre, which is why the deviation off down College St was included as a proposal in Route D – it maintains the two roadways of O’Connell St and generally doesn’t interfere with the street, especially if a Luas extension north happens as planned in Transport 21 – Marlborough St would get it instead. The usual old Harcourt Street case was brought out as an example of cables working well in a sensitive area, but at least it was acknowledged that College Green is very different upon it being pointed out. It was noted that cables nowadays are not like the ‘knitting pattern’ or something of old….

On the crucial issue of whether the central corridor will actually link with the Red Line, believe it or not this is by no means set in stone. It’s still up in the air! ‘It’s being looked at.’ The rep speaking said they’ll either put a right angles terminus here, or curve them to join with the Red Line – but both were given equal weight on the few times it was mentioned. Very very surprising.