Petition for DART underground

[James Howard]

This really needs as many signatures as possible since it very much looks like DU isn't going ahead. In my opinion this is a complete disaster for the entire country as this is basically the single most important infrastructure project currently on the table. Nothing of consequence can happen to the Dublin rail system (and hence services to the rest of the country) without it.

Dublin needs DART Underground

[Jamie2k9]

It's pointless.

By not giving it the go ahead it ensures they can get more photo shots with lots of projects around the country instead to try buy the election.

[Inniskeen]

While large scale and far seeing investment is required in rail services in the Dublin area, turning the northern line into a tram route with everything stopping everywhere or following something that stops everywhere doesn't represent an improvement on the present inadequate services.

DART underground and Metro North should be combined as a single project and run Inchicore - City Centre - Airport-Swords-Donabate thus relieving rather than adding to congestion !

[James Howard]

The most important priority has to be DART underground as nothing else can happen to the heavy rail system without it.

I'm not so sure about Metro North. The original plan was heavily flawed and it was ruinously expensive. The designed train lengths were too short - it really was only a glorified underground tram. It may be that the Luas plan coupled with either a Northern line branch or a re-route of the main line would end up servicing the airport better than Metro North and at a lower cost. But none of it makes sense without the DART underground plan.

@Jamie2K9, I agree that the petition is probably a waste of time but it takes two seconds to sign it and if there was a big response to it, it might make somebody take notice. I disagree with the election point. There is no way a shovel will be stuck in the ground on any projects before the election.

[Jamie2k9]

@Jamie2K9, I agree that the petition is probably a waste of time but it takes two seconds to sign it and if there was a big response to it, it might make somebody take notice. I disagree with the election point. There is no way a shovel will be stuck in the ground on any projects before the election.

Maybe not a photo but you know the general concept, if he was to announce that the M20 would be built over the next 4 years for example it would do him massive favors in the South West etc.

Get a lot more vale nationwide than the just DU which would take up more less the whole budget.

While large scale and far seeing investment is required in rail services in the Dublin area, turning the northern line into a tram route with everything stopping everywhere or following something that stops everywhere doesn't represent an improvement on the present inadequate services.

DART underground and Metro North should be combined as a single project and run Inchicore - City Centre - Airport-Swords-Donabate thus relieving rather than adding to congestion !

Not a bad idea, was never a fan of MN to begin with.

I guess those in power know best

[James Howard]

I wonder how many members of the current Dail have taken public transport to work ever. It's easy for your perspective to be skewed towards the need for motorways when you spent half your life driving home to your constituency to go to funerals.

But I guess it is down to optics and the fact the Fine Gael need a fig-leaf to show that they're not spending all the money in Dublin. The stupid thing is that a properly integrated rail network for the city does as much for the rest of the country as it does for Dublin. This is obvious given the potential for easily connecting the airport after adding DU in the suggested combined DU / Metro North plan.

This country really is so hopelessly short-sighted. The reality is that the country is biased towards development in Dublin and the only way to deal with that reality is to construct a rail network in the city that services it. There is a massive housing shortage in the city yet huge tracts of green fields within 15 km of the city centre right beside heavy rail lines that need relatively little investment to provide a proper modern transport network.

Right now, my commute from Longford to the Grand Canal Dock area is as viable as a commute from City West or Lucan due to the relatively effective rail service to Longford.

[Mark Gleeson]

We don't have a formal announcement of whats in and whats out.

We don't know if the DART to Airport is happening, or Maynooth line electrification. Both are cheap and low in terms of disruption to implement

Doing either supports the DART underground cause

Its a mater of how shafted we are, until we know that we can't table a plan

[Eddie]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

We don't know if the DART to Airport is happening, or Maynooth line electrification. Both are cheap and low in terms of disruption to implement

Doing either supports the DART underground cause.

Let's hope both of these smaller projects do go ahead. Sometimes it makes sense to fix 2 other parts first so that the pressure builds to fix the bit in the middle.

Judging by the number of coach routes that shuttle between the larger towns and cities and Dublin Airport, you would imagine there would be sufficient demand if through train services were there.

[Thomas J Stamp]

well, it is coming up to election time, you cant re-launch something unless it lapses.