The number of people travelling on Dublin's two Luas lines rose by 17 per cent to 26 million this year, according to the Railway Procurement Agency (RPA). Frank McDonald, Environment Editor, reports.
In an end-of-year statement issued yesterday, it said the Red Line linking Tallaght with Connolly Station had performed particularly well in 2006, with passenger numbers up 25 per cent.
The RPA has received Government funding to lengthen all 26 Red Line trams by 10 metres. This would represent a 40 per cent increase in capacity and will be introduced on a phased basis from May 2007.
Passenger numbers on the Green Line linking Sandyford with St Stephen's Green are up 10 per cent. The explanation for the difference is that there was a higher level of take-up on this line after it came into service in June 2004.
"Luas has become an established part of the Dublin landscape and has already made a significant contribution to the vitality of the heart of the city," the RPA said, adding that its success had provided a platform for the delivery of Transport 21.
It hailed 2006 for significant developments in the RPA's roll- out of Transport 21 projects.
These included railway orders for the Red Line extension to Docklands and the Green Line extension to Cherrywood in south Co Dublin.
Terms were also agreed between the RPA and developers for the construction of a Luas spur from the Red Line to the Citywest business campus.
An application for a railway order for this project will now be made to An Bord Pleanála.
Public consultation was started on a proposed extension of the Green Line from Cherrywood to the Bray area - although the initial extension from Sandyford to Cherrywood is currently held up by a legal action in the High Court.
The agency has also unveiled a revised option for linking the Red and Green lines in the city centre, which was designed to address concerns expressed by Dublin Bus and Dublin City Council during public consultations over the past year.
After another period of extensive public consultation, the RPA selected a route for Metro North which will link St Stephen's Green with Lissenhall in north Co Dublin, serving the Mater hospital, Dublin City University and Dublin airport.
The formal procurement process for Metro North was announced last week with the publication of an information notice - aimed at attracting major civil engineering contractors - in the EU's official journal.
Public consultation for Metro West - an almost 30km orbital route which would link Tallaght with Metro North, running via Clondalkin or Lucan as well as Blanchardstown and Ballymun - also started last last month.