Metro North may be reconsidered

THE National Transport Authority (NTA) will shortly commence a feasibility study to look at all options for a rail corridor from the city centre to Swords and on to the airport.

The Department of Transport confirmed the development. It said the NTA would be looking at all existing plans involved in the much-needed project for Northside commuters and visitors arriving at Dublin Airport.

Since the economic downturn, the Metro North project has seemingly been dead in the water, but there are hopes now that it can be revived.

Local TD Tommy Broughan, who has always been strongly supportive of the plan to build a rail line between Dublin Airport and the city centre, welcomed the news. He described it as a key development in the transport infrastructure of the Greater Dublin area.

“I welcome the indication from Minister for Transport and Sport, Leo Varadkar, that Metro North may be considered again,

? Deputy Broughan told Northside People.

In response to a recent parliamentary question, Minister Varadkar told Deputy Broughan:

“The NTA is undertaking a technical consultancy to assess the long term rail transport requirements of the North Dublin/Fingal corridor, extending from Finglas to Malahide and including Dublin Airport and Swords.

“This review will examine existing proposals as well as other options for a rail-based transport solution to meet the area’s needs in the long term.

“It is also worth pointing out that it is already possible to travel by bus from the airport to the city centre in less than 30 minutes. I expect to have this report from the NTA by the end of the year.

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Deputy Broughan said he would be closely following the ongoing NTA review. A medium term solution for improving public transport options between the airport and the city centre is the new Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system.

However, Deputy Broughan said he still sees Metro North as offering the best longer-term solution of better transport links between the airport and the city centre and improving journey times for the millions of passengers travelling through Dublin Airport every year.

Local councillor Andrew Montague (Lab), chair of Dublin City Council’s transport and traffic committee, also welcomed news that the NTA will look at all options for the rail corridor from the city centre to Swords.

“Metro Dublin, an engineering consortium, has set out plans for building a metro system for Dublin at a much lower price than the original Government plans and in a much shorter timeframe,

? said Cllr Montague.

“I believe that these new plans should be evaluated thoroughly and if they are viable, they should form the basis of a new plan to provide a metro for Dublin.

“I invited Cormac Rabbitt, managing director of Metro Dublin, to present his metro proposals to the city council’s transport and traffic committee last November.

“Our committee voted to request the Minister to undertake substantive engagement with the Metro Dublin proposal. I’m delighted that the Minister has agreed to our request.”

Cllr Montague added: “Instead of a dead-duck metro plan, we have a new proposal that could deliver a metro for Dublin.

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A spokesman for the Department of Transport told Northside People:

“The National Transport Authority will shortly commence a feasibility study to look at all options for a rail corridor from the city centre to Swords and on to the airport, and has said it will look at all existing plans.

“Mr Rabbitt should engage with the Authority as part of that process.

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