Talks begin on extending Luas to Citywest

The Rail Procurement Agency (RPA) has confirmed that it has been in talks with developers with regard to extending the Tallaght Luas line to Citywest in West Dublin.

The RPA, the semi-State body charged with the development of the Luas and metro, said it had received proposals from developers about extending the line but that the discussions were at a preliminary stage.

The director of corporate affairs at the RPA, Mr Ger Hannon, told The Irish Times that discussions with developers in the Citywest area centred largely on the "concept" of extending the Luas line. The agency was interested in entering into public/private partnership arrangements but that matters in relation to Citywest were at an early stage.

Mr Hannon said the agency would have to look at possible route alignments, launch a public consultation process and examine issues such as land ownership and who would benefit from the extension of the Luas line before framing any public private partnership arrangement.

The agency believed that the main beneficiaries from Luas extensions, such as developers who could secure higher densities on foot of the availability of high quality public transport, should make a contribution towards the cost.

Last March, An Bord Pleanála upheld an appeal against the development of a hotel and conference centre at the Citywest Hotel, partly on the grounds of insufficient transport links in the area.

It has been reported previously that the developer of the hotel, Mr Jim Mansfield, had expressed an interest in funding a 5 kilometre extension of the Tallaght Luas line to Citywest.

South Dublin County Council subsequently rezoned the site at the hotel to facilitate the completion of the centre, which had already been partially built without planning permission.

Meanwhile, in a separate development, the RPA said it hoped to be in a position early next year to seek a railway order to allow for the extension of the Sandyford Luas line to Cherrywood in south Dublin.

A public inquiry will have to be held in advance of the signing of a rail order.

However Mr Hannon said if the rail order was signed by the end of next year, passengers could be travelling on the extended line by late 2008 or early 2009.

Mr Hannon said the RPA was also looking at route options to allow for the connection of the existing two Dublin Luas lines.

However, no decision had been taken on this issue.