Dublin - Metrolink (Swords to Charlemont only)

There'll have to be other entrances added in the future. Currently it's planned for Stephens Green Station to have a single entrance, a big mistake from an overcrowding pov.

I don't think that money is really an issue, as demonstrated the surplus Corp tax for 10 months of one year alone is about enough to cover the cost outright. The issue is perception of money being spent in the capital with a rural party like FF in power. There is also the issue that irelands debt is high, about €238bn and there is an argument that surpluses should be used to reduce that debt.

Do you not think having the OCS station so far from the red line is in fact a massive issue?

Case in point: family of 5 from tallaght are going on holiday 2 adults 3 young kids and they want to use PT to get to the airpot- they’d have a 6 minute walk with 5 suitcases plus a buggy each way from the Luas to the metro!

That’s not connectivity to be fair.

If they really want, they can get the Luas to Connolly, Dart to Tara, Metro to airport. But when you consider the amount of walking involved in most modern airports, whats another 6 minutes in the grand scheme of things.

Or maybe in the future they'll be able to get Metro west from Redcow to join up somewhere with Metrolink.

The great thing about a network is that not every line has to connect to every other line. There just needs to be enough connections for a network effect benefit to kick in.

We are supposed to be encouraging people to take PT and take a car off the road.

How will this encourage families to take PT to get to the airport if they’ve suitcases and buggies to lug around from a Luas to a metro via a busy main shopping road with no luggage trollies?

It’s fairly ludicrous tbh.

My example was 5 suitcases and one buggy- as in a baby and two kids under ten.

Sorry I should have made that a bit clearer.

This scenario would be fairly common though. Would it not be better to design the system to facilitate these types of journeys to encourage cars off the road?

It will absolutely be a nightmare lugging 5 suitcases and a buggy plus three kids up the capitals main shopping road.

Very few families in Tallaght would use the Luas, it’s very far removed from most of the housing stock in the area where families live. Obviously a fair few would be living around the square but to most people not within ten min walk of the Luas would call getting to it a “trek” and would go for the 77a or 49.

i haven’t measured it but I’d say Tara Street is closer to Abbey Street than OCS? The main issue is walking that way with anything on your person is like an obstacle course with the quays and narrow footpaths and such.

sure the connection could be closer, but babies and bath water and all that

Random families, specific journeys???!

Dublin Airport is in the top 10 busiest airports in the EU. Estimated 40million passengers in 2022. That's including a suppressed long haul market and before the new runway opened. Those numbers are only going up.

I think you'll find the Metro has very specifically been designed for the airport.

How is it an extreme sample?

its extreme because of all the journeys to the airport how many are going to be family’s of 5 coming in on the red line with all their luggage and a buggy?

What are we even discussing here? The merits of the "pram" example? 😂

The red line connection is far from ideal - this cannot be argued. Walking 6 minutes in your suburb and walking 6 minutes in an airport are very very different to walking 6 minutes on the busiest street in the country, whether alone or a "herd" of children behind you.

Even in Heathrow, the crowd are only traveling a limited number of directions and there are signs everywhere. This versus the chaos of OCS.

Another alternative to avoiding OCS is a Red Luas to New Spencer Dock Dart station and switch to Metro at Glasnevin. I'd take that any day of the week over switching on OCS.

Are we really discussing the merits of a public transport network plan based on a Fast Show sketch?