Delay to Metrolink a ‘catastrophe’ for Dublin says TD

The delay of Metrolink for at least ten years is a catastrophe for the greater Dublin region and means we are ‘almost assured’ of missing our climate action targets.

This is according to Social Democrats Transport Spokesperson Catherine Murphy who was responding to a draft strategy published by the National Transport Authority (NTA) which says that Metrolink will not be completed for another decade.

Another project that won’t be completed until after 2031 is the Luas line to Finglas according to the draft Greater Dublin Area Strategy 2022 to 2042.

“The revised Dublin transport plan will see costs more than double and a wholesale dumping of previous deadlines for the delivery of critical infrastructure projects like Metrolink and Dart+.

“This is a catastrophe for the greater Dublin region,” Deputy Murphy said.

“Between 1996 and 2016, population increases in the greater Dublin area and the commuter belt were largest in Fingal (41%), Meath (40%), Kildare (39%).

“The areas which have the greatest amount of residential development, where people are most car dependent, are the areas that are not reflected in this revised plan.

“We need to get real about this. Our climate action targets cannot be met without these large-scale public transport projects.

“As it stands, the government is making very dishonest announcements at Cop26 – revealing ambitious targets, with no credible way to reach them.

“It is not tenable to say we will meet our targets by motorists swapping from petrol and diesel cars to electric cars.

“Over €250 million has been spent on Metrolink and the Dart interconnector without delivering anything.

“You can’t keep expanding the footprint of a city, which has happened in the greater Dublin area, without providing the requisite public transport capacity for people to be able to move around, quickly, at scale.”

“These delays are beyond disappointing.

“They are an abdication of responsibility by the government.”