Madam, - According to Michael Boyle (April 2nd), "Metro North" should be replaced by two Luas lines on the grounds of cost.
The plans for the "Metro North" line are actually being dictated entirely by cost.
"Metro North" is not a metro at all but rather an underground line for high-capacity trams.
Actually the more serious issues in relation to "Metro North" have been raised by former taoiseach Garret FitzGerald.
These issues are that it is planned that the tunnel will be so narrow as to preclude any possible upgrade to full metro status and that it is not planned to extend the tunnel south to Ranelagh to facilitate the eventual upgrade of the existing Sandyford Luas line to metro status.
"Metro North" will at least have the critical virtue of being fast, unlike Mr Boyle's proposal for two on-street Luas lines.
- Yours, etc,
CIARÁN DALY, Blackrock, Co Dublin.