Metro route should deter use of M50, says Cullen

A PROPOSED new rail line directly linking major population centres in west Dublin with Dublin Airport should persuade many car users to avoid using the M50, according to Transport Minister Martin Cullen.

More than 20 million passengers are expected to use the proposed Metro West route, due to be operational by 2014.

It is estimated that up to half of the total users will be passengers who previously used cars to commute to their destination.

Announcing details yesterday, Mr Cullen said the orbital route was a key element of the Government’s Transport 21 programme.

He claimed Metro West would provide commuters with a “high quality public transport alternative” to the M50 — the country’s most congested road.

The Railway Procurement Agency, which carried out preliminary design work on the project, outlined two alternative routes linking Tallaght and Dublin Airport via Lucan and Blanchardstown ranging in length from 24 to 28 kilometres.

It is estimated that the total journey time will be around 60 minutes.

The new line will also link with the Tallaght Luas line, the Kildare and Maynooth railway lines and the planned Lucan Luas and Metro North as well as numerous bus routes.

Two new rail stations are being planned by Iarnród Éireann at Fonthill and Porterstown, where the Kildare and Maynooth lines respectively intersect with Metro West, while park and ride facilities will also be provided along the route.

“Because of this level of integration, it will open up a great number of additional travel responsibilities with minimal interchange for the commuters of west Dublin and for people from many regions of the country to the city and airport,” said Mr Cullen.

No cost estimates for the Metro West were given.

Although he acknowledged a recent report by the National Roads Authority which highlighted the high cost of land acquisition in Ireland for public-private partnerships, Mr Cullen said he welcomed the findings that the overall cost of major road projects in the Republic was 50% less than similar ones in Britain.

RPA chairman Padraic White said Metro West was the seventh and final major rail project to be announced by the agency.

Asked about the RPA’s criticism of his plans for it to be absorbed into the proposed Dublin Transport Authority, Mr Cullen said he was confident that the issue would not impact on the deadline for the Metro West project.