Work on Luas to continue over Christmas period but without restricting traffic

LUAS works will not stop for the Christmas period as reported, but will continue within the confines of the tram lines, the Railway Procurement Agency said yesterday.

RPA spokesman Ger Hannon said that there would be no road restrictions or roadworks for Luas as part of Operation Freeflow.

“Operation Freeflow is about free-flowing traffic, it’s not about stopping Luas works. There’s lots of works going on,” said Ger Hannon.

It was reported yesterday that Luas works would cease for the next five weeks for Operation Freeflow.

But Mr Hannon said: “Along the designated tram lines the work will go on, as long as we’re not restricting lanes.”

He said the bulk of the heavy construction and filling work would be done by Christmas. “We’re well on the way. Middle Abbey Street is well advanced. There’s a small bit on Liffey Street and their working away like beavers to have that done by Thursday night.”

He said remaining works on Adelaide Road and Harcourt Street would be done within the next seven days.

Mr Hannon said once Operation Freeflow finished on January 5, work would concentrate on erecting the overhead power cables and that this wouldn’t require significant road restrictions. He said the Sandyford line should start next June, followed by the Tallaght line in August, and that the RPA would come within itstheir 775m budget.

Tom Coffey of the Dublin City Centre Business Association said they were delighted with Operation Freeflow. “One of the big problems in October and November was that there was so much Luas work in order to get ready for December. That affected retailers.

“The important thing is that now Luas is back in behind the railings and footpaths are cleared and people have access to the car parks.”

Gina Quinn of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce said St Stephen’s Green was yesterday the clearest she had seen it. “We’re happy to see Luas works continuing as long as it is at a minimum level of disruption to the city. Our real focus for the next five weeks is to ensure consumers and businesses can get in and around the city as quickly as possible.”

An additional 140 gardaí are to be deployed in the city under Operation Freeflow.