Sir, Frank McDonald's continuing references (December 9th) to the Grenoble tram system as a model for the proposed Luas cannot go unchallenged. Having lived, worked and commuted by car through the Grenoble traffic, I have had the opportunity to make the following observations.
In the first place, Dublin and Grenoble differ enormously in terms of size, population density and existing roads systems. Grenoble is a compact city with approximately one-third the population of Dublin, and it does not have the large suburban residential belts from which so many of the cars in Dublin commute every day. Moreover, it has a convenient and extensive ringroad system which is in easy and short reach of all parts of the core city areas.
The most convenient way to get from one area of Grenoble to another is often via the ringroad which is convenient, usually free-flowing and, let it be said, untolled. In these circumstances, the above-ground tram system works successfully in the main, but facile comparisons with such a system in Dublin are seriously flawed.
Secondly, there are traffic problems in Grenoble despite, and maybe as a result of, the trams. In the narrow city-centre streets, the combination of trams and cars crawls along during peak hours. The car stuck behind the trams in your original photograph tells its story. In a city such as Dublin, the combination of trams with cars which have no alternative routes will be disastrous.- Yours, etc.
Sandymount, Dublin 4.