Sir, - Your Editorial of April 29th on Luas is unbalanced, unreasoned, misleading and obviously written without even a cursory reading of the Atkins Report. You state that the report "came down firmly and unequivocally in favour of the aboveground option". This is not so. As Garret FitzGerald pointed out in his article in the same issue, the Atkins Report makes a strong and convincing case for the underground option. To quote Frank McDonald, who has been a strong advocate of the overground option, "The underground option could carry a substantially higher number of passengers than the surface option with a higher level of comfort and reliability, the Atkins study says. More seats would be available and it would also be less constrained in catering for future demand". Is this not what we need to attract motorists and others to use public transport?
At the end of the day, the consultants recommended the overground option because in hard money terms it would cost £232 million less to build. This is on the assumption that the lines would go underground at the canal ring. The extra cost would be substantially less if the Dundrum line went underground at St Stephen's Green West, as proposed in the very practical plan proposed by the Progressive Democrats. However, even an extra expenditure of £232 million over five to seven years is very little when put in the context of a tax overrun of at least £500 million in the current financial year and the potential proceeds from the sale of State assets which will amount to up to £2 billion over the next two years.
In addition, one has to consider the very real benefits of going underground. Firstly, as outlined by Atkins, economic benefits of £300 million, which taken with additional disbenefits of £100 million on the overground system give a total economic benefit of £400 million. Secondly, the aesthetic benefits of saving our city centre streets from disfiguration by the tram lines, wires and supporting poles - an issue always ignored by the advocates of overground Luas.
The decision on Luas is probably the most crucial ever taken on the business and social future of the city centre. The Government's deferral of the decision for a week is, therefore, to be welcomed rather than condemned for, as asserted by you, a lack of courage. The Atkins report is massive and complex and its final recommendation irrational. Congratulations to the Government for not being steamrolled into a decision after only an hour's deliberation on such an important issue. I am amazed that you advocate such a slipshod way to run the country. - Yours, etc.,
Des Gilroy
Bailey Green, Howth, Co Dublin.