To ask the Minister for Transport the extent to which further underground or overground light rail services are contemplated other than those already announced; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
- Bernard J. Durkan.
For WRITTEN answer on Wednesday, 18th June, 2003.
Ref No: 17182/03 Proof: 252
Answered by Minister for Transport
(Séamus Brennan)
REPLY
The Railway Procurement Agency (RPA) is mandated to secure the provision of or to provide light railway or metro railway infrastructure as may be determined from time to time. The RPA are currently examining proposals to extend the Sandyford line to Cherrywood near Shankill and the Tallaght line to the Docklands. I will consider these extensions when a business case has been prepared and examined by my Department.
The Dublin Transportation Office strategy, A Platform for Change, represents a blueprint for the public transport network for the future. I am mindful of the DTOs proposals for extension of Luas and Metro. As you will appreciate, the planning of future extensions to the light rail network will be determined, to a large extent, by the route alignment chosen for the Metro. Therefore, while preliminary consideration has taken place in relation to light rail lines, no detailed planning will be undertaken in advance of a decision on the Metro. Further extensions of the light rail network will be examined in due course.
