Lahart discusses ongoing issues with Citywest Luas in Dáil

THE inadequate and inconsistent Luas Red Line services to Citywest have been causing frustration and annoyance for local commuters for the past year.

Dublin South West TD, John Lahart, recently highlighted these ongoing, pressing issues in the Dáil.

Speaking in the Dáil on Thursday, February 8, Deputy Lahart pointed out the ongoing challenges faced by commuters due to inadequate and inconsistent service levels, calling for urgent action to address the matter.

“In the past number of months, the very vibrant and hard-working Citywest Community Council, led by a very dedicated chair and committee, has raised with Transdev and the National Transport Authority, NTA, the issue of Luas trams that are outbound, particularly from the city, destined for Citywest and Saggart, actually stopping at Belgard in Tallaght and not continuing on to Saggart,” Deputy Lahart said.

“This forces passengers to disembark and to wait and queue until the next red line tram bound for Citywest and Saggart comes along.

“This is not acceptable late at night, never mind at other times during the day, especially for particular cohorts of our society, including students and young women.”

Lahart called on the Minister for Transport to intervene directly, stating that “While the Minister doesn’t have statutory responsibility, he is the Minister, and every so often you need to call people in, knock a few heads together, and explain why absences are so high?”

Responding to Deputy Lahart’s concerns, the National Transport Authority (NTA) acknowledged operational issues affecting Luas performance on the Red Line throughout 2023.

According to the NTA these issues primarily revolved around tram availability and driver absence.

Tram availability, which is crucial for maintaining service frequency, was hampered by maintenance challenges faced by the Luas Operator and Maintainer.

Additionally, excessive driver absence, reaching levels as high as 12% at times, further exacerbated service disruptions.

Lahart stressed the rapid population growth in Citywest and emphasised the urgent need for service improvement, expansion, and extension of the Red Line services to cater for the expanding suburb.

He called for new trams, longer trams, and increased capacity to meet the evolving transportation needs of Citywest residents in his constituency of Dublin South West.

In response, he was informed that Transport Infrastructure Ireland has instructed Transdev, the LUAS operator, to devise a new LUAS timetable to provide for additional services on weekdays and at weekends.

In light of Lahart’s address and the growing concerns among commuters, Lahart urged stakeholders to prioritise the enhancement of Luas Redline services to ensure reliable and efficient transportation for all residents and commuters in the Citywest area.