Costello welcomes planning permission for light rail project

3 August 2012

by Cllr Joe Costello

The decision by An Bord Pleanala to grant permission for the construction of the Luas BXD light rail line is most welcome.

The Luas BXD will connect the Luas Line from St Stephen's Green with the Abbey Street Line. It will continue through the City Centre to the Broadstone and on to the mainline rail at Broombridge Station, Cabra.

The Luas BXD is also the Rail Interconnector which links the mainline with the Luas line and the big railway stations of Connolly and Heuston with each other. Specifically it provides public transport for the new third level DIT campus at Grangegorman which was given the green light last month. The DIT campus will accommodate over 20,000 students and 2,000 staff.

The Government has already allocated funding of €370 million in the 2012-2016 capital budget for the construction of the LUAS BXD. Work will begin next year and the project will be complete in 2017. The project is an excellent one and it will provide much needed light rail public transport in the City Centre.

Undoubtedly, there will be disruption to the business community in the course of the construction and it is important that every measure will be taken to carry out the work as quickly as possible with the minimum impact on business. Equally, the concerns of residential communities along the line, particularly in Dominick Street, Phibsborough and Cabra, must be taken into consideration. It is therefore essential that the RPA agree an effective communication and implementation strategy with both the residential and business communities.

When completed the Luas BXD will be a major transport hub into the heart of the City and should greatly enhance the shopping, dining, business and tourist core of the City. The Luas BXD will greatly assist in the creation of a living, vibrant City Centre.