A Government TD has called for work on extending the Luas line in west Dublin to Saggart to begin without delay as public consultation on the project today closed.
Fianna Fáil TD Charlie O'Connor urged the Railway Procurement Agency to assess submissions as quickly as possible to identify the best route and stops.
"The tens of thousands of extra people who will be served by the extension do not want to see the process bogged down in red tape," he said. The extension is a key plank of the Government's ambitious Transport 21 plan.
The four-kilometre spur of the Red Line runs from Belgard, Tallaght to Saggart serving the residential and commercial centre of City West including the National Digital Park. It will also serve estates in west Tallaght including Fettercairn and Cheeverstown.
Following construction, the Red Line is expected to carry an extra 3.5 million passengers a year by 2016. Construction is due to be completed by 2009.
"So far the project has progressed quickly, it is important now that we begin to see work on the ground and see the trams rolling into new areas of Dublin south west as soon as possible," Mr O'Connor said.