The Minister for Transport, Séamus Brennan T.D., today (Wednesday, 11th February 2004) welcomed the rebirth in a new century and in a new guise of a large section of the famous Harcourt Street railway line commuter service in Dublin.
Minister Brennan was speaking during a visit to Dundrum to inspect the first of the 'live' safety and engineering tests of Luas trams on the Sandyford-Beechwood (Dunville Avenue) section of the Sandyford to St. Stephens Green line.
The test was conducted along part of the track bed of the old Harcourt Street Railway Line that ran from Bray, though South County Dublin, to Harcourt Street from 1854 to 31st December, 1958 when the line was closed. The testing took the Luas trams across the spectacular new cable-stayed Taney Bridge in Dundrum and the historic Nine Arches Viaduct at Milltown. The testing involved the Railway Procurement Agency, Connex, the company with the contract to operate the Luas service, and the Railway Safety Inspectorate.
The 9 kilometre Sandyford to St. Stephen's Green Line is due to commence operation in June. It will include 13 stops on route to allow a full service for commuters. The journey by Luas from Sandyford to St. Stephens Green will take 22 minutes. At peak times there will be a tram every 5 minutes in both directions. Each 40-metre tram has a capacity of 310 people.
Minister Brennan today encouraged the public to take part in a competition that will be held over the coming months to identify the most appropriate name for the new cable-stayed bridge at Taney, Dundrum.
A Committee has been formed under the chairmanship of Mr. Jim Quinlan, Chief Architect of the Railway Procurement Agency, to oversee the competition, details of which will shortly be announced by the RPA. The new bridge, which is approximately 185 metres in length and 49 metres in height, has already received three distinguished awards.
Minister Brennan, who has vigorously campaigned since the 1970s for the re-opening of the Harcourt Street line, said: "Today we are witnessing another important milestone on the way to bringing alive again a highly efficient and regular daily commuter service along the old Harcourt Street Line after a gap of 46 years. The steam trains on the Harcourt Street Line were once a part of the everyday lives of generations of people. Within months much of that old route will again bustle with crowds and a great sense of anticipation and excitement as trams designed for transport needs in the 21st Century glide almost silently along the line. Today I have no hesitation in predicting that the Luas will be an undoubted success. It will be enormously beneficial in meeting commuter needs and in reducing the number of cars coming into Dublin city. The modern trams and efficient system will also further enhance Dublins reputation as one of Europes most progressive and cosmopolitan cities."
ENDS
Further information:
Tom Rowley (01) 6041089 087 8124723
Veronica Scanlan (01) 6041087 087 6430622
