Sir, – I wonder why Michael McDowell believes that we can’t overrun budgets just as easily with lots of small projects instead of just one big project and continue in that way to fail to solve so many of our problems just as we have failed up to now (“Before Metrolink juggernaut becomes a money pit, let’s look at alternatives”, Opinion & Analysis, December 27th).
His proposal of lots of “cheaper” tram lines is in the same psychological mould as those who would rather have stuck with buses and could barely convince themselves to go ahead with the Luas project, even with the limited and incomplete first project that eventually got approval.
I may not think that the Metrolink is the right project in the context of an integrated metropolitan and national transportation system but there is no question that we must, like the late Garret FitzGerald did at the time of the Luas planning, think a lot bigger than we did in the era of the Poor Mouth.
Surely the task is to address the problem of how we do these projects, a complex problem that might start with the current model of project cost-benefit analysis, which is essentially a Department of Finance tool to ensure that no money gets committed and nothing gets built, if at all politically possible, and anything that does get built should preferably be as near as possible to Merrion Street. – Yours, etc,
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LIAM MULLIGAN,
Letterkenny,
Co Donegal.
Sir, – I am frankly astounded that any serious politician or commentator would propose further prevarication in respect of the Dublin Metrolink project. It has been debated for decades. There has been more spent on consultants than it cost to build the original Dart system.
It is way past time to start building and to begin the journey toward a rail infrastructure in Dublin comparable to that enjoyed in peer European cities. – Yours, etc,
ANTHONY GRAY,
Drogheda,
Co Louth.
A chara, – Have Dubliners assigned one of their famously mischievous nicknames to the Metrolink yet?
Perhaps they are waiting to see if anything or anyone gets delivered by the project. Nevertheless, some suggestions from a blow-in: the Dubway; or to reflect the recommended local attractions and activities, the Drink Link; or to reflect a particular local accent, the Temple Bore; or to give a nod to issues in our public spaces and on public transport, the Crime Line.
It’s perhaps an interesting side note to advise that the top 10 “Dublin tours” on Trip Advisor include the Cliffs of Moher, Galway, Belfast, Blarney Castle and Kilkenny. Possibly an unfortunate consequence for local tourism of improved motorway access.
Maybe, one day, Metrolink will result in Dublin being a recommended day trip from London, thus saving the tourist the inconvenience of staying in the country at all. – Yours, etc,
JAMES McCARTHY,
Dalkey,
Co Dublin.