The advent of the LUAS light rail system which is planned to be fully operational by 2003 will hopefully contribute hugely to easing the traffic congestion that has been grinding Dubln to a halt recently.

Currently, two separate lines are under construction. The first will run from Tallaght to Connolly Station and the second will service a route between Sandyford Industrial Estate and Stephen’s Green.

“It’s obvious that the LUAS system will mean that less city dwellers will feel the need to take their private cars into the city,” Eamonn Brady of LUAS comments. “We are particularly targetting car drivers. Our ‘Park and Ride’ scheme enables drivers to drive to an outlying suburban stop and complete their journey by LUAS tram.”

Plans in this regrd are ambitious.

“The Red Cow depot,” Brady explains “will have parking space for 750 vehicles, and this system will also operate at other parts of the line. There will also be bycycle-parking

facilities.”

Dublin drivers however have hitherto been reluctant to use public transport. How will LUAS be different?

“There are a variety of reasons why we feel that people will avail of this new service. The quality of bus services in the past hasn’t been enough to attract people who would otherwise drive, but LUAS offers a competitive alternative.

“Firstly, the speed at which you can

complete your journey is significantly

shorter than the previous public services available. We anticipate a journey time of 38 minutes by tram from Tallaght to the city, or 38 minutes from Sandyford to St. Stephen’s Green.

“Another important factor is comfort. Our trams will be as comfortable to travel in as luxury coaches. You’ll have much more leg-room than you have in economy class on an areoplane. People rightly expect a level of comfort when travelling, and we’ll be able to meet that need.”

What about costs?

“City driving is an expensive business, with high parking-fees, maintenaince costs, fuel costs etc. LUAS will offer a better service at approximately the same costs as a bus journey.” The reactions to LUAS to date provides a solid basis for optimism about the future of the service.

“The feedback we received when we unveiled the new LUAS tram at a public display at Merrion Square recently was entirely positive and very encouraging. 32,000 people viewed the tram and the reaction was 100% positive. Dublin has a history of tram use anyway that’s become part of the city’s folklore.

“People have also seen successful tram operations in the UK and Europe, and recoqnise it’s a safe, ecologically-friendly and efficient way forward for urban transport.”

What will the impact of LUAS mean for the citys cyclists?

“Well, anyone who’s been to Amsterdam will have seen that trams and bicycles can co-exist successfully. Trams are a lot more stable than trucks or buses since they run on a track and follow an identifiable patch. You’ll never get a tram pulling out in front of you unexpectedly, as might happen with a regular road vehicle.

“Our tram-lines are countersunk into the roadway so there’s no danger of distracting cyclists who might fear bumping over the tramlines. Also, because our trams will run on electricity we hope for a substantial reduction in noxious gas emissions which will greatly help conditions for the urban cyclist. Finally the expected reduction in car use will make the roads considerably safer for the cyclist.”