Sligo to Dublin airport – on the underground

[philip]

http://www.sligoweekender.ie/news/story.asp?j=27551

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Sligo to Dublin airport – on the underground

A RAIL link from Sligo to Dublin airport is being proposed as part of the new Dublin metro system.
The plan is that passengers from Sligo would be able to link directly to the new Dublin underground train service at a station in Drumcondra.
This is in the same way as mainline and underground stations are integrated in London.
The idea is being put forward by a Dublin engineer Philip Murphy, who says that decisions being made now by our politicians will have an effect right along the existing railway line as far as Sligo.
Mr Murphy has put forward his proposal as part of the public consultation phase of Dublin's airport metro (metroNorth), which is underway.
Mr Murphy told the Sligo Weekender that currently there are plans for the metro to cross under the Sligo railway line but no concrete plans to provide proper integration with that line.
“This integration is essential for Sligo/Edgeworthstown/Longford/Mullingar/Enfield/Maynooth passengers to be able to access Dublin Airport quickly and easily.”
He said that people who have been abroad would have experienced proper rail-based transport to and from major airports.
“There's no reason why one couldn't take a train from Sligo and make a straightforward change to metro to reach Dublin airport. The only thing stopping this is government funding.”
He said that pressure must be applied to the government to deliver quality integrated transport to Dublin airport for all concerned.
Mr Murphy’s submission is to highlight the potential benefits of developing a major public transport interchange for metro/commuter rail/inter-city rail and bus services in the region just east of Cross Gunns Bridge, or on Drumcondra Road immediately north of the Midland Railway Line (which runs alongside the Royal Canal) and adjacent to the existing Drumcondra Station, providing a near vertical interchange between that station and the metroNorth underground line.
He said this new interchange adjacent to the present Mountjoy Prison site or at the Drumcondra Station location was not only compatible with the Government’s Transport21 plan, but would add significantly to the potential of the MetroNorth,
MetroNorth is a high-capacity, fully segregated metro line currently under construction, which will link Saint Stephens Green with Swords via Dublin Airport.
The route will provide interchange opportunities with the Luas network at St. Stephens Green and in the O’Connell Street area.
MetroNorth will serve the Mater Hospital before passing under the existing Maynooth/Navan/Sligo railway lines at Cross Gunns Bridge or at Drumcondra and from there will serve Dublin City University (DCU) and will surface to serve Ballymun before crossing the M50 motorway and on to Dublin Airport and Swords.

I just sent them a copy of my submission to the RPA on metroNorth. Fair play to them for printing it all up. The politicians in that part of the world are great at getting what they want so we may as well use that to everyone's genuine advantage. I wonder will Sligo readers prefer a direct one change from a comfy Mitsui Railcar to high frequency airport metro to an airport with direct flights to hundreds of cities, or a 29000 and bus connection to Knock, Shannon or Galway. No contest really. Hopefuly we can garner support in the Northwest for proper integration at Drumcondra, which is already a popular station (remember the politicians up there complaining to IE over student teachers having to trek to Connolly?)