‘No-brainer’ to expand Luas to Lucan, says Moynihan

Local Fianna Fáil TD Shane Moynihan has said it is a “no-brainer” to expand the Luas out to Lucan.

The Dublin Mid-West TD told the Dáil that the issue of poor public transport in the area was a refrain heard on the doorsteps in last year’s November general election.

He said that he wants to use his position as a government TD to improve public transport in the area, and giving Lucan a Luas stop is high on his wishlist.

“As a government TD, I am determined to bring a renewed focus to this project, not just because it is politically convenient but because it is strategically necessary for people in Dublin Mid-West,” he told the Dáil.

“Communities such as Lucan are expected to shoulder significant housing expansion, but we cannot keep on asking people to wait for transport infrastructure that is always promised but never prioritised or delivered.”

Moynihan noted that extending the Luas out to Lucan would be delivered “quicker than the Metrolink” as the infrastructure is already in place.

Whereas a shovel has yet to be placed in the ground on the Metrolink, which was first proposed all the way back in 2001, the Luas has been in operation since 2004.

“Lucan’s population, transport demand and existing congestion make it an ideal challenge for light rail,” Moynihan noted, and said that “rapidly growing areas like Adamstown and Clonburris make the case undeniable.”

He cited other Southside areas such Dundrum, Inchicore and Sandyford as areas where the Luas has been “highly successful” in encouraging people to switch from their cars.”

“Put simply, light rail delivers a level of service that transforms how people travel and how they plan their lives around transport,” he said.

Moynihan, who was recently named as Fianna Fáil’s new spokesperson on transport, said “the Luas has been one of the most cost-effective infrastructure projects in Irish history.”

“It removes the need for millions of car journeys and has the lowest CO2 emissions per passenger kilometre among motorised modes of transport. It is time-effective. People vote with their feet, as evidenced by the sustained demand on Luas lines every day of the week.”

“It is time for us (politicians) and agencies like the NTA to get real about transport policy. There is a clear need to refocus and review how we approach transport projects, not just through the lens of aspiration but through the lens of delivery. It is not enough to plan; we must build and deliver, and I know the new Minister for Transport, Deputy O’Brien, understands this.”

He commented, “we must push past inertia, especially bureaucratic and legal hurdles, ensuring that areas like Lucan, with growing populations and public transport deficits, are not permanently left behind.”

“A Luas line for Lucan is not a luxury but a necessity.”

In April, the government announced a slightly revised version of the National Planning Framework, with Minister for Housing James Browne stating “our growing population places greater demands on housing and infrastructure, and we need to plan for the provision of the right number of homes in the right places – including new sustainable communities at brownfield and greenfield locations along existing or planned high capacity public transport corridors.

Minister of State Jennifer Murnane O’Connor said in reply to Moynihan that “the government understands the merits of the proposed Luas to Lucan project. It is one of a number of projects that have been highlighted to the Minister for Transport for acceleration as part of the review of the national development plan, which is planned to take place soon.”

At present, a Luas line to Finglas and construction of a Luas service in Cork are on top of the government dance card, and a planned Luas line to Lucan would only be likely to happen within the 2031-2036 timeframe.

In the meantime, O’Connor said, expanded BusConnect routes to Lucan and Liffey Valley, would bear the brunt of commuter demand in Dublin Mid-West. 

She added that Transport Infrastructure Ireland, which has responsibility over issues such as the Luas, will present their findings for the preferred Lucan Luas route sometime early next year.

I understand the merits of the proposed Luas line to Lucan, as does the government, and we look forward to seeing it progress through infrastructure guidelines,” she said.

Moynihan said that while the expanded BusConnects service is welcome in his constituency, he expressed concerns over the “very large public transport deficit in Lucan.”

“BusConnects has taken some steps towards the catch-up that we need to play, but there is a huge opportunity for us here to get this right with the extension of the Luas infrastructure to Lucan.”

“I am thinking especially of the working mother in Lucan who spends over an hour commuting by bus into the city centre. Her journey time could be halved, enabling her to have a better quality of life. I think of the older person living in the area who finds current transport options very limiting in terms of accessibility and cost. A Luas stop would provide that person with greater independence and access to essential services.”

In recent weeks, TDs from both government and opposition parties have called for the expansion of public transport services on the Southside.

Fellow government TD James Geoghegan told the Dáil in March that “we need some common sense and joined-up thinking when it comes to delivering public transport in Dublin.”

The Fine Gael TD has advocated for the Red Line to be extended from the Point through Ringsend and Irishtown in his constituency of Dublin Bay South.

Geoghegan noted, “a major new bridge is already planned as part of Dublin Port’s 3FM expansion, with construction expected to begin by 2027. It would be madness not to integrate the Luas extension into this project rather than trying to retrofit a solution years later at a far greater cost to the taxpayer.”

Dublin South-West TD Ciáran Ahern said that Ireland could stave off billions in European Union fines by investing in public transport.

The Labour transport spokesperson noted that Ireland faces the prospect of being forced to pay between €8 billion and 26 billion to other EU member states in the form of carbon credits should Ireland not meet its climate targets; Ahern says that investing in public transport would help kill two birds with one stone.

“Decarbonising our transport system is not a panacea, but investing in reliable public transport and active travel could radically impact our carbon emissions,” he said.