Re: Re: Metro West

@PVC King wrote:

The fact that the Luas couldn’t go any further is probably the main reason!!!!

The LUAS can, and eventually will, go further (as part of the link-up). But basically, I agree with what you say. The DTO’s plans wouldn’t have looked anything like as neat if a cross-town railway line didn’t meet up with the LUAS.

I’m not so sure that the Dame Street area is that much busier than the Green during the week]
The Dame Street area is considerably busier. There is effectively no demand to get to any of the streets you mention (Charlemont St, Harcourt St., Hatch St., Kevin St. and Golden Lane) after 9 a.m. on weekdays, and none at weekends. It’s possible that demand to get to those streets approaches that of the Dame St./Temple Bar area before 9 a.m., but I’d be surprised. After that time there would simply be no contest.

I think you may be forgetting about the metro north project. It is inevitable that this will be extended southwards at some stage (assuming that the thing is built at all!!). As many of the streets which you mention are 600-800 metres from the top of Grafton St. (approx location of the initial metro terminus), it seems very likely that there would be a metro station at a location which would be more convenient for streets such as Hatch St., Charlemont St., Charlotte Way, etc.

It would seem a pity to be incorporating a big diversionary loop into the interconnector route – If you’ve seen the proposed route you’ll know what I mean – to try to serve areas which in any case will be well served by the metro north project, but make it more difficult to reach areas of the city where there is consistent demand.

Integrated ticketing is a must whatever they do and 3 years after the RPA launched theirs with great fanfare it doesn’t work.

I fully agree. I understand the main problem is how revenue is to be shared among the various transport providers. I’d be surprised, however, if this problem has not been encountered (and solved) in other cities. The authorities really need to pull the finger out and start treating the matter seriously. It is quite frankly laughable that 40 million euro has already been spent on this project, without any visible progress being made.