Ahern calls for Metro South-West Feasibility Study
Ahern calls for Metro South-West Feasibility Study - The Labour Party
- Government must live up to their commitment
Labour’s Spokesperson on Transport Ciarán Ahern TD reiterated his call on Government to conduct a new feasibility study on a metro line to serve Dublin South-West. He was speaking in the Dáil today following a motion on investment in public transport.
Deputy Ahern said:
“It’s very much welcome that Government have included a new feasibility study for a metro for Dublin South-West in the Programme for Government, but we need to see action. This part of Dublin has been historically underserved by public transport; rail in particular.
“The two Luas lines run along the edges of the area and between those two lines there’s a gaping hole with a population of more than 350,000 people with zero rail infrastructure. We need movement on this sooner rather than later.
“The NTA feasibility study conducted in 2021 was a deeply flawed document, and an independent audit of the study commissioned by the Metro South-West Group, who have done fantastic work in getting this on the agenda, estimated that the cost-benefit ratio of extending the Metro out to Dublin South-West would be at least double if it was carried out to contemporary standards – a ratio of between 1.6 and 2.2.
“Getting the sod turned on Metrolink is obviously and understandably the Government’s priority. It’s a project I wholeheartedly welcome and support – it will be transformative for Dublin. But extending the Metrolink to Dublin South-West has to be part of the long-term thinking. To be clear, no one is asking that this be prioritised over Metrolink but simply that a new feasibility study is conducted with independent oversight.
“We know the massive positive impact that rail infrastructure has for communities and in encouraging people to use public transport – we’ve seen it with the Luas and the DART – not to mention the absolute urgency with which we need to reduce our transport emissions. Far too many people in Dublin South-West are excluded from those benefits.
“For too long, there has been a lack of joined up thinking in Dublin’s public transport system. Assuming this Government does get the sod turned on Metrolink – and I sincerely hope they do – then it must be done in conjunction with a new independent feasibility study on a metro for Dublin South-West. Minister O’Brien cannot put this on the long finger.”