Dublin's long-delayed Luas light rail project was put back on track yesterday when CIE made a fresh application to the Minister for Public Enterprise, Ms O'Rourke, for an order to proceed with the construction of a 10 km line from Tallaght to the city centre.
The application came exactly two years after the Dublin Light Rail Act became law and 12 months after an abortive public inquiry opened into earlier plans for a more extensive 22 km line from Tallaght to Dundrum, running on-street through the central area.
As the latest environmental impact statement (EIS) notes, this scheme had to be revised following the Government's decision on May 5th to proceed with an even more extensive network with a crucial section running underground between St Stephen's Green and Broadstone.
This decision was made following the independent W.S. Atkins report which concluded that the surface option "is the most appropriate and cost-effective in meeting the transport needs of the city and providing capacity to meet long-term passenger demands", as the EIS puts it.
However, as a result of the Government's decision, CIE's light rail project team was told to proceed with plans for Line A from Tallaght to the city centre. This will run on-street from St James's Hospital to Middle Abbey Street, via Heuston Station and the Markets area.
It is being publicly exhibited until September 4th at CIE's head office in Heuston Station and other locations, after which the public will have two weeks to make written submissions to the Minister, who will then order a public inquiry.
Ms O'Rourke said she would shortly be appointing an inspector to conduct this inquiry, which she expects will start before the end of the year.
A separate inquiry is likely to be held next summer into CIE's plans for Line B, linking Sandyford with St Stephen's Green. Public consultations on the proposed line from Broadstone to Ballymun and Dublin Airport are expected to start in the autumn. By spring, the project team expects to have a design for the extended Line A from Middle Abbey Street to Busaras and Connolly Station.
In the meantime, a "preliminary study" of the 2.5 km underground link between Broadstone and St Stephen's Green will be initiated. But given the complex geotechnical issues involved, it is likely that further studies will be needed before this element of the project is concluded.
A spokesman for the CIE project team said yesterday that a newsletter would be delivered to every household in Dublin giving details of Government plans for an extended Luas system and an "indicative timeframe" for its completion.
Subject to the outcome of the forthcoming public inquiry, Ms O'Rourke said, Line A from Tallaght to Middle Abbey Street could start in spring 2000. The EIS envisages a three-year construction programme, and this suggests that trams should start running on it in spring 2003. No changes have been made in the route, despite a campaign by residents of Inchicore and Kilmainham to have it run through their areas - as originally envisaged - rather than via Rialto and the filled-in stretch of the Grand Canal next to Fatima Mansions.
It also confirms that Aran Quay Terrace, off Smithfield, which residents have been seeking to save, would be demolished to make way for Line A. Properties on James's Street, Bow Lane, Mary's Abbey and Upper Abbey Street will also face demolition.
The EIS concedes that the on-street engineering works in the city centre will be the most difficult. However, it contains firmer guarantees that "an intensive programme" of project management would be put in place to minimise disruption to businesses, residents and traffic.
