O’Callaghan calls for scrapping of Charlemont Metrolink station

Southside Fianna Fáil TD Jim O’Callaghan has objected to a Metrolink station being built in Charlemont.

The public hearings for the Metrolink project have opened, with a variety of interested parties, local businesses and elected representatives giving their two cents as to how the project should pan out.

The Fianna Fáil South TD has called for the proposed station to be moved from his constituency.

Under the current plans, three stops would be located in Dublin Bay South.

Transport Infrastructure Ireland estimates that 10 million passengers a year will use Charlemont, figures which O’Callaghan claims the local infrastructure is unable to handle.

Speaking during An Bord Pleanála’s oral hearing into the MetroLink project, O’Callaghan said that the southern terminal for Metrolink should be in the city centre as opposed to the current plan which has the route terminating in Charlemont.

He proposed building the terminus stops on St. Stephen’s Green or Tara Street.

Speaking to the Business Post, O’Callaghan said “if you look at any railway link around Britain or in America, generally they link and terminate in the city centre; even if this is viewed as something which is beyond an airport link, it should still finish in the city centre.”

He stated that the proposed route, as it stands, would cause “too much traffic chaos if the Metro was to come up at Stephens’ Green or Tara Street.”

He proposed upgrading the Luas Green line if Charlemont becomes the terminus.

“That’s why they want it in effect, logic dictates that it would terminate in the city centre, but the reason they are going to Charlemont is they want to pre-determine a future planning application which is ‘sure we have to go out to upgrade the Green line’, because that is the only option that’s feasible when you look at where we have ended up.”

While not objecting to the idea of the Metrolink in principle, O’Callaghan said a number of issues needed to be ironed out such as the lack of taxi ranks at the proposed station.

“I am simply suggesting that it terminates in the city centre so we will have the option in future of extending it to the South West of the city. If it goes to Charlemont that option won’t be available. A decision by ABP that it stops at Stephens Green won’t delay it,” he said on Twitter.

Metrolink project director Aidan Foley told the hearing that the cost of linking MetroLink from St Stephen’s Green to Charlemont would be €650 million, which O’Callaghan said was a large sum of money for 1km of tunnel.

Independent Senator Michael McDowell said that Charlemont was chosen as the terminus in order to integrate the Green line in the future.

“I believe that the ulterior motive is to progress that particular project and that virtually everything that’s being done is being done with a view of its long-term implementation, even though at the political level, it’s been interrupted on a number of occasions.”

McDowell claimed that should the works proceed, Grand Parade which is “constantly traffic jammed at all times of the day” would become “virtually inaccessible” for traffic.

“Nobody with any degree of imagination would have selected Charlemont as the south city terminus if it were not for wanting to progress the Green line development. It’s the most unobvious place that you can imagine.”

The MetroLink has finally threatened to be built following years of delays, having been first proposed during Bertie Ahern’s first term as Taoiseach.

The 18.8km route, should it be built in its proposed form, will have an end-to-end journey time of 25 minutes.

Green Party TD Neasa Hourigan said in response to O’Callaghan’s comments “if you’re wondering why costs escalate in large Irish infrastructure projects – this is why.”

“We are 9 years into development and people are proposing massive redesigns with little evidence or reasoning provided.”

Green Party Councillor for Glencullen-Sanyford Oisín O’Connor accused O’Callaghan of calling for a years-long delay because of redesigns, saying his suggestions would cost “hundreds of millions more”

“I wonder if he will get a grilling on Prime Time about public transport not being good enough,” he remarked.

The Metrolink has a tentative construction start date of next year, but considering the woes that befell the National Children’s Hospital during construction, there is a flavour of scepticism at the hearings.

Labour’s transport spokesperson Duncan Smith made his feelings known about the Metrolink during the hearings, saying it is an “embarrassment” that Dublin doesn’t have a Metro system like other European cities.

With the bulk of the route running through his constituency of Swords, Smith said “Government’s procrastination has only exacerbated the challenges faced by our city and its residents.”

“We cannot afford to delay any longer. Metrolink is a pro-climate, pro-economy, anti-congestion project which will be transformative for our city.”

The hearings are scheduled to run until the last week of March.

In that time, local businesses, residents and elected reps are expected to give their opinion about the impacts – both positive and negative – of the proposed routes.