The National Transport Authority has confirmed that the Metrolink will not continue south of the Charlemont Luas stop in Dublin.
In an announcement made on Tuesday, the NTA said that the proposed route to Sandyford would have meant a prolonged disruption to the Luas Green Line potentially lasting up to four years.
Since the announcement, both Fine Gael and the Green Party have come out in objection to the revised route saying that southern areas of the county need to be serviced by better public transport.
Ciaran Cuffe, the Green Party’s transport spokesperson said: “Today’s (Tuesday’s) announcement is a body blow to those who want a dramatic improvement in public transport in Dublin.”
“Putting half of the MetroLink on the long finger is the wrong decision.”
“This project should be the spine along which the city can develop over the next fifty years.”
“We need the MetroLink project to be built as soon as possible and for it to include a south side section from the start,” says Green Party leader Eamon Ryan.
“The National Transport Authority says integrating Metro on the Luas Green Line would involve a two-year closure of that line and that they will not now proceed with that extension.”
“We don’t believe delaying its progress for twenty more years is a viable option.”
Fine Gael’s Colm Brophy has also called on the Metrolink to be extended to the suburban communities of Rathfarnham, Firhouse and Knocklyon now that the original route is not going ahead.”
“I am asking the NTA to examine the possibility of diverting the existing boring machines from Charlemont to the areas of Rathfarnham, Knocklyon and Firhouse in order to extend the proposed metro service to people living in Dublin South West,” he said in a statement.
