[Article] Proposed Rathfarnham Luas line would not meet running cost

[Colm Moore]

http://home.eircom.net/content/irela...view=Eircomnet

Proposed Luas line would not meet running cost
From ireland.comSaturday, 3rd May, 2008

A STUDY on a proposed new Luas line from Dundrum to Dublin city centre via Rathfarnham has found that delivery of its most feasible route would have "considerable adverse impacts" and would fall short of covering its operating costs by €2 million a year.

The Rathfarnham "E line" would also require the purchase of 150 private gardens and 10 buildings along the route.

The feasibility study, produced by the Railway Procurement Agency for the Minister for Transport, was presented to local representatives at a meeting yesterday. The 8.4 kilometre route "most likely to be feasible" begins at Christchurch and travels down Patrick Street and Clanbrassil Street before crossing the Grand Canal into Harold's Cross.

The line includes a single track loop between Harold's Cross and Terenure; the outbound track would travel down Brighton Square and on to Brighton Road and the inbound track would follow Terenure Road North, linking in with the outbound track at Rathfarnham Road. It would then travel on to Grange Road and Churchtown Road, terminating at The Oaks in Dundrum, where an interchange with the Luas Green would be built.

A section of the route which would have carried the line from Christchurch over O'Donovan Rossa Bridge to Constitution Hill at Broadstone on the north side of the city, was assessed as not feasible. The study found that there were too many engineering difficulties, including the vertical clearance for a tram at Christchurch Arch, the unsuitability of the bridge and the steep decline at Winetavern Street.

The "E line" would have considerable negative impact on traffic, the study found, and would require the removal of the Rathfarnham Quality Bus Corridor.

It also found that, based on current and projected population figures, passenger demand would not cover the running costs of the line and there would be a shortfall of €2 million a year.

Substantial property acquisition would be required: 150 private gardens would need to be purchased including some on Clanbrassil Street, Harold's Cross Road and at the Terenure Cross and Brighton Square junction. Some 112 gardens along the Rathfarnham to Dundrum section would be affected, including 50 on Grange Road and Nutgrove Avenue. Some 10 buildings would also have to be purchased.

As part of the study, an archaeological desktop report found that any route section located within the city's medieval town walls, "may have direct and indirect impact on a number of protected structures and national monuments, with an additional potential for impact on previously undiscovered archaeological remains".

Fianna Fáil TD Chris Andrews welcomed the report, but said a lot more detail and consultation would be required before a final decision on the line could be made.

Fine Gael spokeswoman on transport Olivia Mitchell said she was "bitterly disappointed" that the study looked at only one route.

"The plan is to build a Luas network in Dublin, and expanding areas including Rathfarnham, Templeogue and Knocklyon should be serviced as part of the overall network," she said.

Links:

ABOUT POSSIBLE LUAS LINE E http://www.rpa.ie/?id=381

Maps http://www.rpa.ie/?id=382

May 2008 - Luas Line E Rathfarnham to Dublin City Centre Residents News Letter.pdf(0.41MB) http://www.rpa.ie/cms/download.asp?id=705 (link currently broken)

Feasibility Study of Possible Luas Line from Rathfarnham to Dublin City Centre (Line E) http://www.rpa.ie/cms/download.asp?id=685

[chris]

The projected passenger figures seem a bit dodgy. (Fig 16, 17, page 81)

Why are more people going out of town than into town in the mornings?

Those are not peak figures, but on any measure they seem very optimistic for transfer at Dundrum, and very conservative for nearly every other intermediate stop.

- people do board at the penultimate stop. look at harcourt. especially if the line does connect to the interconnector and luas line F as predicted

- presuming 10 trams/hour average for AM, report estimates less than 5 people getting on/tram at churchtown, nutgrove, leonard's court and kevin st. given this includes peak time, it seems unlikely.

[Gary]

Would it not be possible to have more economical version whereby Rathfarnham was a spur off Dundrum line at say Harold's Cross?

[Aphfaneire]

Why doesnt it include a spur too Tallagh down the terenure road?

IT could be built in a kind of upsidedown T shape to interconnect the lines within the city intead of the propossed cross motorway route in Firhouse that isnt part of T21?

I know its crayonism, but it could make that entire route worth A LOT of money. But you could also send the tram down the hill into the wood quay site. Im sorry but if a Double decker bus can get under christ church, surely a tram can?

Either way, any tram route plan is a good one for Dublin, even if it wont make too much money, it will attract people too it, and any way to get people into the city without using thier cars is a good thing! For the sake of the future it should be built.

[Colm Moore]

Originally Posted by Aphfaneire

Why doesnt it include a spur too Tallagh down the terenure road?

The problem is Terenure Place, although cut and cover comes to mind.

I know its crayonism, but it could make that entire route worth A LOT of money. But you could also send the tram down the hill into the wood quay site. Im sorry but if a Double decker bus can get under christ church, surely a tram can?

The hill is steep and I suspect that even Liam Lawlor would allow them to put at catenary system attached to Christchurch.

[dowlingm]

Is there any likelihood of Line E being interlined with service south of Dundrum? There is discussion of an "interchange" with the Green Line but I'm not sure whether that means connecting the lines or merely having crossing lines with foot passage between the platforms.

[Thomas Ralph]

In any other country, yes.

In Ireland, they might just about get it to Ballinteer and say that that's within walking distance, which should be fine. The "that'll do" attitude is a hard one to overcome.

[Colm Moore]

I looked at the route last week and the only practical way to connect them is just west of the Dargan Bridge. I imagine operations would either see Christchurch-Dundrum (terminating) services or Christchurch-somewhere beyond Dundrum services, which would mean a third platform / track at Dundrum stop would be really useful.

There isn't really a useful space west of the bridge for platforms, so a 'nearby' solution is luckily unlikely. The terrain under the bridge means a continuation along Taney Road would also be unlikely.

Potentially you have Bray-St. Stephen's Green and Fassaroe-Christchurch (or vice versa) with staggered starts at Sandyford and / or Dundrum.