Reduced Luas timetable on St Patrick’s Day ‘ludicrous’, says TD

Transdev’s decision to introduce a reduced Luas service for the St Patrick’s Day Bank Holiday has been described as “ludicrous” by a south Dublin TD.

Dublin Rathdown Deputy Neale Richmond has called on management to have an “urgent rethink” as they announced that Luas services will only operate on Sunday hours on Thursday, March 17 and Frdiday, March 18, despite the expectation that tens of thousands of people will visit the city centre.

“After almost two years of restrictions due to the Covid19 pandemic, this year we will have a massive double Bank Holiday celebration,” Deputy Richmond said.

“Tens of thousands of tourists and revellers will come to Dublin to enjoy the wonderful St. Patrick’s festival after two years of it being absent.

“The response of one of the main public transport providers to this is to announce they will only operate a reduced Sunday timetable.

“While partial closures of the line for a period of time to facilitate the parade is understandable, reducing the service the rest of the day is not.

“This decision is both ludicrous and dangerous.

“We will see so many people pack on to the few LUAS trams running while the lack of a late-night service will see many revellers stranded in the city centre late at night with very limited transport options.

“This is a direct dereliction of responsibility of duty by LUAS to the city and the people it serves.

“LUAS need to urgently rethink this proposed timetable and appreciate the need to ensure the city is serviced properly for these two Bank Holidays,” Deputy Richmond concluded.