RPA Looking For Something To Do...

[comcor]

Draft rail strategy suggests need for Luas lines in regional cities

Cork, Limerick and Galway should get their own versions of Luas, according to a draft light rail investment strategy prepared by the Railway Procurement Agency.

The document, released under the Freedom of Information Act, says it is now increasingly recognised that traffic congestion is not a phenomenon unique to Dublin, but an "everyday reality in all of Ireland's cities and many of its large towns".

Saying congestion "can only be addressed through the delivery of high quality public transport", the agency says it will "identify the opportunities to develop light rail in the regional cities of Cork, Galway and Limerick where that need exists in the period to 2008".

According to its draft strategy, "this may involve the delivery of strategic light rail studies for each of these cities" to complement existing and proposed transportation strategies, land use proposals and local area plans drawn up by the relevant local authorities.

The document points out that trams are operating successfully in several small- to medium-sized cities in Europe such as Grenoble (population 160,000), Orleans (120,000), St Etienne (185,000), Baden-Baden (55,000), Bonn (310,000) and Utrecht (270,000).

The agency's draft strategy envisages that light rail projects could be developed for Cork, Limerick and Galway through a mixture of Exchequer funding and development levy, similar to the way the planned extension of Luas from Sandyford to Cherrywood is being funded.

While conceding that light rail outside Dublin was not in the Government's Transport 21 programme, a spokesman for the Rail Procurement Agency said yesterday: "If the local authorities were to contact us in the morning about it, we would be happy to talk to them about its feasibility."

However, a spokesman for the Department of Transport said that although installing light rail systems in the regional cities was "not a priority project" under Transport 21, "that's not to rule it out for the future. But obviously a lot more work would need to be done".

Meanwhile, a rail transport researcher has drawn up a number of route options for a low-cost Luas type system for Galway city and its surrounds.

According to Brian Guckian's Luas local lines national light rail development framework, the new routes could be built for as little as €1.5 million per kilometre.

Road schemes can cost more than €10 million per kilometre.

Mr Guckian's proposal says several route options are being looked at, including an initial two-way network running from Knocknacarra and Rahoon to Oranmore.

The second proposed line would run from Eyre Square to Newcastle and on to Moycullen, and there would be an interchange between the two lines just north of the university.

The Luas local lines initiative aims to bring low-cost light rail to Irish towns and cities, making use of the existing Iarnród Éireann transport system.

As well as carrying passengers, the proposed system could also be used for freight, with depots located outside towns for freight to be removed.

Unlike the Luas, the service could be laid on a ballast at the side of the road rather than embedding tracks in roads. Because of its flexibility it can follow contours and sharp curves when crossing through land.

Mr Guckian said extensions could take in Headford and Salthill, and the final shape of any system would be a matter for public consultation.

http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/ire...7CORKLUAS.html

I'm not sure they'd have wanted the association with Brian Guckian though...

[Mark Gleeson]

Not content with breaking the one they built in Dublin they want more

Cork is a possibilty but Limerick and Galway I think not, afterall Limerick has a excellent is unused rail network and Galway we have a very nice proposal in part of which was key to securing Oranmore

[MrX]

It would be very effective in Cork. Also it might save us from Bus Eireann!!!!

Cork's >300,000 people despite the official city population being a lot smaller due to ridiculous city limits not including most of the near suburbs! A tram system would be highly sucessful.

To be fair to RPA they didn't break the Luas system. It's just a freakish design problem that wasn't predicted.

Trams in Cork could work :

Western route South Mall & Grand Parade - Washington Street - Western Road - UCC - onwards to Bishopstown/Wilton & CIT... out to Ballincollig.

Southern Route: Grand Parade, South Mall, past City Hall, down the quay side, on to Blackrock, Mahon via Mahon Point, over the South Link, into rochestown and Douglas and south to Carriagaline.

Eastern Route: Starting at Merchant's Quay...Connecting with the bus station.. over a new bridge... past the end of mc curtain street, into Kent Station / Major new quay side development.... Along the lower glanmire road...
Flat route : continue along the lower glanmire road and into glanmire / riverstown along the old N8 route.

Hilly route: along the lower glanmire road... up the silver springs hill serving eastern parts of mayfield and then cross-country to glanmire taking a more gentle incline than the existing roads.

Northern Route:
Along the quays (either side)... into shandon ... blackpool village ... up and into knocknaheeny / hollyhill (hills may be a problem but im sure it could be worked around ... I'm not sure what the max incline for a tram system is. Alternatively, it could have bus connections from the hillier northern suburbs and the tram could serve the flat route along the blarney road.

The city would have 2 hubs, 4 lines and interconnection possibilities.. Unlike Dublin!

Hub A: End of the Southmall.
Hub B: Beside the bus station (in front of flor griffen)
Interconnecting line running between the two along the side of Merchant's Quay Shopping centre i.e where the car park enterance is(can't remember the name of the street)

[Mark Gleeson]

Originally Posted by MrX

To be fair to RPA they didn't break the Luas system. It's just a freakish design problem that wasn't predicted.

There ain't no system (yet)

This is outside Transport 21 so its +10 years away at best

[MrX]

It's a shame as we could have public transport networks built in Cork, Limerick, Galway at reasonable costs now. If they wait too long Cork will also be a retrofitting job costing a fortune just like Dublin is today.