MetroLink (Dublin)


MetroLink is a planned metro line for the city of Dublin. It was first proposed in the then Irish Government's 2005 Transport 21 transport plan.
The sole line is proposed to run from Estuary on Dublin's northside to south of Ranelagh via Dublin Airport and St. Stephen's Green and Charlemont. The proposed route consists of mainly uncovered sub-surface track in the Swords area, a tunnel under Dublin Airport, further uncovered sub-surface track until the M50, with a deep bore tunnel running from Northwood to Charlemont. As of March 2018, the line was planned to begin operation in 2027.

History

Initial proposals

Rebranding to 'MetroLink' and emerging preferred route

On 22 March 2018, the National Transport Authority announced revised plans for the former Metro North railway line, now called 'MetroLink'. Costing an estimated €3 billion, the route extended further south from the original Estuary-St. Stephen's Green route down to Sandyford, subsuming the Luas Green Line tracks from Charlemont down to its final destination in Sandyford. It was planned to begin operations in 2027, and it combines the existing 'Metro North' and 'Metro South' lines together. If completed according to these plans, Luas services on the Green Line would cease between Sandyford and Charlemont, and be replaced by Metro services. This was met with opposition regarding the potential closure of the Green Line for an undetermined amount of time and issues regarding pedestrian and cyclist permeability along the line. As a result, revised plans were published in March 2019, where the Metrolink line would be delivered in two phases, meaning the Green Line would not be upgraded during the first phase. The Green Line Upgrade would happen as a second phase at a later date after Metrolink from Swords to Charlemont was operational. By developing in two phases the closure of the Green Line could be reduced and more time given to upgrading the existing pedestrian crossings to be fully grade separated through the use of underpasses.
A railway order is due to be sought for 'Metrolink' in the third quarter of 2019. A public consultation for the project closed on May 21, 2018.
The revised MetroLink project is proposed to open in 2027. In December 2019, test drilling for boreholes began for the line. Engineering consultant firm SNC-Lavalin was appointed by Transport Infrastructure Ireland in March 2020 as operations advisor for the project.

Operations

If opened as planned, MetroLink is due to operate a single line between Charlemont and Swords. All services are proposed to operate from Charlemont to the airport, with only some trains operating the full length of the line from Charlemont to Estuary.
While the metro is designed for 80km/h operation, the commercial operating speed is expected to be 40km/h. A single-bore tunnel has been decided upon for the underground section, in order to save on the cost of a twin-bore tunnel.

Cost

According to the National Transport Authority in 2018, the cost of the project was estimated to be €3 billion.

Former plans

Metro South

In 2006 Eamon Ryan, then transport spokesperson for the Green Party, called for the underground section of Metro North to be extended south to Beechwood, where it would then surface and provide a direct link to the Luas Green Line. This option would allow passengers to travel from the south of the city to the north, without having to change mode of transport. It is also consistent with the Dublin Transportation Office's suggestions in the Platform for Change document, which envisaged that a Metro line would run across the city following the upgrade of the Green Line to Metro by 2020.
When the Luas Green Line was constructed, it was designed to allow metro trains to operate on the line in the future. The interaxis between the tracks was built wide enough to allow wider trains to operate on the line, and the line's electrical systems were designed to handle longer metro trains in the future.
In the National Transport Authority's Draft Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area 2016-2035, it was proposed that the Metro North tunnel should be extended southwards to meet the Luas Green line in the Ranelagh area.
The Luas Green line would be converted to a metro line, with Luas services on the line ending and being replaced by metro services. Platforms at all stations would need to be lengthened and a number of road crossings on the line closed in order for this to happen.
In March 2019, the revised plans were released with the intention to upgrade the Green Line after the northern section is operational.

Metro West

Metro West was to run from an intersection with Metro North, just south of the airport at Santry, and from there pass through Blanchardstown, Liffey Valley, and Clondalkin before joining the Luas Red Line to continue towards Tallaght. Metro West was planned to be entirely above ground, at road level, with major junctions overpassed. Metro West was planned to be. Planning on the Metro West Project was suspended in September 2011 following a review by Leo Varadkar, then Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, as money to construct the new railway would not be available in the foreseeable future. The Metro West option had been set aside until economic conditions improved.
Two potential routes for Metro West were published by the Railway Procurement Agency in January 2007, with a number of sub-options also included. Following discussions and a public consultation process, the preferred route was announced in July 2007. This route started at Tallaght, then continued on through Belgard, Clondalkin, Liffey Valley, Blanchardstown. Stops were also planned for the National Aquatic Centre and Abbotstown, before continuing in the direction of Sillogue and Harristown. Following Harristown it would link with the Metro North, after Northwood and before Dardistown station. The line was expected to be 25 km long.
Although the Metro West was in the early planning stages and can change at a later stage, according to the design drawings produced by the RPA, the Metro West line would not be segregated from road traffic, unlike the Metro North proposal. Metro West plans propose lines which run overground, with some tunnels and bridges to avoid major road junctions. The preferred route would also see a number of interchanges with other modes of public transport. As well as the link with the Metro North, the line would also link with the Luas at Tallaght and Belgard, rail services at Fonthill and Porterstown and Dublin Bus services at a number of other stops. Park and ride facilities were also proposed at a number of stops.

Route through Finglas

Metro West would serve the northern parts of Finglas via stops at the N2 and Meakstown. When developing options for Metro West, the Railway Procurement Agency considered routes south of the M50, serving Finglas more directly. These routes were not deemed feasible as they would have considerable impact on residential and commercial properties in the area, require additional bridges over the M50 and add considerable journey time to the route. It was proposed in the NTA strategy that Finglas be served by a radial light rail line. The first phase of this was outlined in Transport 21 as running to Liffey Junction.

Route selection

On 11 November 2008, the RPA chose their preferred route for Metro West, including indicative stops, depot and Park and Ride locations. The preferred route for Metro West ran from Tallaght to Metro North at Dardistown, via Clondalkin, Liffey Valley and Blanchardstown. The preferred route was approximately 25.5 km long. The planned route would interchange with the Luas Red Line, Kildare Railway Line, Luas Line F, Maynooth Railway Line and Metro North Line, as well as local bus services.

Planning Process

An application for a Railway Order to construct Metro West was lodged to An Bord Pleanala on October 22, 2010. The application was withdrawn on September 26, 2011, due to the withdrawal of Government funding for the project due to the global financial crisis.

Future of Metro West

In late 2011, the Irish Government withdrew funding for the Metro West project due to budgetary constraints arising from the global financial crisis and recession.
In 2016, Metro West was excluded from the National Transport Authority's Transport Strategy For The Greater Dublin Area 2016-2035. The future of the project is highly ambiguous due to this, as it is not now due to be considered for government funding until after 2035.