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[Article] Luas will hit passenger targets - Brennan

28-06-2004 6:50pm

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Victor

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http://www.breakingnews.ie/2004/06/28/story154570.html

Luas will hit passenger targets - Brennan
28/06/2004 - 16:31:17

Luas can reach its target of 20 million passengers per year Transport Minister Seamus Brennan said today.

Speaking at the depot for Dublin’s new transport system in Sandyford, the minister said: “From the surveys that the Railway Procurement Agency have undertaken they are very confident they’ll meet those targets.

“Just anecdotally, this is part of my own constituency so I know the people fairly well and I can sense great excitement. If only half the people who tell me they’re going to travel on the Luas do so, we’ll certainly meet those numbers.”

Mr Brennan launched a set of stamps featuring the Luas trams to mark the opening of the Sandyford to St Stephen’s Green Luas line which is due to open at 3pm tomorrow after more than three years of construction work.

Thousands of people will be able to travel on the trams for free until charging begins next week.

Minister Brennan said there will be inspectors on the Luas trams in the future but that he did not anticipate any significant problem with non-payment of tickets.

“The cost of the Luas to travel is reasonable. On the Sandyford line, it’s €2 for a 22-minute trip. I expect most people will do the decent thing,” Minister Brennan said.

The second Luas line, which runs from Tallaght to Connolly station will open in July.

Both lines will run separately but Mr Brennan said this problem would be addressed with the construction of the Dublin Metro system.

“Assuming that the Government finally takes the decision to go ahead with the Metro it will actually be the mechanism by which you link the two lines. So ultimately it is agreed that the lines will link up.”

During the start-up period Luas trams, which can carry up to 320 people each, will run every 10 minutes. The Railway Procurement Agency, which is responsible for the Luas project, said the trams were capable of arriving every five minutes.

Chief Executive Frank Allen said: “We have the capacity to do it and if demand warrants it in years to come we can increase the frequency of the service.”

“We are very excited about the launch of services on Wednesday and we’re urging the people to come out and see what it’s like for themselves. I think people will like it,” said Mr Allen.

He said he hoped many of the false stories about Luas would now go away.

“Just yesterday there was a story about a tram breaking down for a photo opportunity for the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Mary Coughlan. There was no truth in it whatsoever. But I’m not sure these urban myths are going to disappear overnight.”

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