Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan has secured agreement from Cabinet to move forward with the MetroLink rail project, according to a statement published on Gov.ie.
Details
According to the statement published on Gov.ie, Minister Ryan brought the MetroLink Preliminary Business Case to Cabinet yon 4 July, planning submission on the public transport "megaproject", will be lodged this September, and it is anticipated that MetroLink could be in operation in the early 2030s, with construction earmarked to start in 2025.
MetroLink will consist of a fully segregated railway, most of which will be underground, running from north of Swords to Charlemont in the south of Dublin city centre. The route will include 16 stations and serve multiple residential communities such as Swords, Ballymun and Glasnevin, as well as the city centre, Dublin Airport, and major employment, education, transport and other centres.
When operations commence, there will be trains every three minutes during peak periods. This can rise to a service every 90 seconds by 2060 with the system capable of carrying up to 20,000 passengers per hour in each direction.
The National Development Plan (NDP) 2021-2030 specifically lists MetroLink as one of its strategic investment priorities and it is fully aligned with the Climate Action Plan 2021 and other major strategic plans, according to the statement published on Gov.ie.
Statement By Minister Ryan
The statement published on Gov.ie included a statement from Minister Ryan that said, "MetroLink is a once in a generation project that is going to massively transform the public transport system in our capital city. This project in various guises has been on the table now for two decades, but the government's decision on the MetroLink Preliminary Business Case marks a significant milestone. Now this exciting transport megaproject starts to become a reality. We are giving the green light to a transport system that will be integral to the city and the country’s sustainable development in this century, and into the next.
"MetroLink is hardwired to our climate ambitions. It will provide over one billion carbon neutral, fully electrified, passenger trips by 2050. Over 175,000 people and 250,000 jobs will be accessible to the stations by foot alone. By interchanging with other public transport systems such as DART and Luas, MetroLink connects to more than a million people in the Dublin area, and more across Ireland. The project will improve the quality of the urban environment and people's lives, as well as enable the development of more well-connected homes in and around our capital city. It will contribute to a shift from the private car to more sustainable travel, helping to decarbonise the transport sector in line with government policy.
"I'm delighted that the government has agreed with my recommendation to proceed with the project, and I look forward to it entering the statutory planning stage this September."
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