Luas
Encyclopedia
Luas also promoted in the development stage as the Dublin Light Rail System, is a tram
or light rail
system serving Dublin, the first such system in the decades since the closure of the last of the Dublin tramways. In 2007, the system carried 28.4 million passengers, a growth of 10% since 2006.
There are currently two Luas lines. The Green line commenced operations on 30 June 2004, while the Red Line opened on 26 September 2004. As of July 2011, the system has 54 stations and 38.2 kilometres (23.7 mi) of track.
The Luas is operated by Veolia Transport
, under tender from the Railway Procurement Agency
(RPA). It is a major part of the Dublin Transportation Office
's strategy (2000–2016). There are several extensions as well as new lines at the planning stage.
(CIÉ), the state-owned public transport operator in Ireland, was asked to study the different options. They recommended two phases for the construction of a tram system:
The Transport Act, 1996 created a legal framework for CIÉ to build a tram system and in May 1997 the company applied for a Light Railway Order to construct the first phase, as well as the Dundrum/Balally to Sandyford part of phase 2.
An inquiry started in July 1997, but was put on hold to investigate the possibility of underground sections in the city centre. In May 1998 the government decided to build two lines, amending the plans. The first was to run from Tallaght to Connolly Station, while the second would run from Sandyford Industrial Estate to Dublin Airport, through the city centre and Ballymun. Part of the second was to be underground through the city centre.
The responsibility for developing the Luas was transferred from CIÉ to the Railway Procurement Agency (RPA), a separate government agency created in 2001.
Construction work began in March 2001 on the Tallaght to Connolly line, as well as the Sandyford to St. Stephen's Green section of the second line, with Ansaldo
of Italy and MVM of Australia getting the contract to build the system. The St. Stephen's Green to Dublin Airport section was dropped before construction began, as it was decided to serve the area by a metro
instead. The contract to maintain operate the system was awarded to Veolia Transport Ireland (formerly known as Connex).
The development of the Luas Red Line was facilitated by EU funding of €82.5 million under the European Regional Development Fund
(ERDF), and part of the cost of some proposed line extensions (e.g. over 50% of Line B1 to Cherrywood) is being raised though levies on development in areas close to the projected route.
The original launch date for the Luas was to be 2003, but delays in construction saw this date pushed back by a year. An advertising campaign took place to inform the public of the development of the system, while construction was taking place. Construction finished in February 2004 and a period of testing and driver training began. 30 June 2004 was decided on as the official launch date of the Green Line. The first tram went into service for the general public at 3 p.m. Several days of free ridership and a family fun weekend took place to launch the system. The Red Line opened on 26 September 2004, with six days of free travel for the general public.
Luas operates without a state subvention. The service recorded a surplus of €985,000 (€680,000 in 2004) - an achievement well ahead of an anticipated deficit of €2.5 million.
On the 8 December 2009 the Red Line C1 Connolly to Docklands extension opened. There are 4 stops: George's Dock, Mayor Square, Spencer Dock
(serving the new Docklands railway station
, approximately 500m away) and terminating in Point Village
, opposite the The O2
-this extension however bypasses Connolly. Construction started at the beginning of June 2007. Test runs began on the line in September 2009 before the opening.
The Railway Procurement Agency noted in their annual report that passenger numbers fell for the first time in 2009. The Luas had 25.4m passengers in 2009.
In June 2010, plans to join the two luas tracks were finalised.
The Red Line runs in an east-west direction through Dublin's Northside
, then crosses the River Liffey
and travels southwest to the heavily populated suburb of Tallaght
, and then on through the Citywest
campus and then terminating at Saggart
.
The Green Line is entirely in the south side
of Dublin city. It follows the route of the old Harcourt Street railway line, which was reserved for possible re-use when it closed in 1958
. The Red Line and Green Line are not yet connected to each other, with a 15-minute walk between the two closest points. There are a total of 32 stops on the Red Line and 22 on the Green Line.
DC
overhead power supply. The international standard rail gauge
of 1435 mm (4 ft 8½in) is used, rather than the Irish 1600 mm (5 ft 3 in).
The silver Citadis
trams, manufactured in La Rochelle
by French multinational Alstom
, reach a top speed of 70 km/h on off-street sections between Red Cow and Kylemore etc., but travel at a slower speed on-street where conflicts with other vehicles or pedestrians can occur. The 26 initial Red Line '3000' class trams were 30-m long Citadis 301 configurations with a capacity of 256. The 14 Green Line '4000 class' trams, each 40 m Citadis 401 configurations, have a capacity of 358 including two wheelchairs. Starting in 2007, all the Red line trams were upgraded to 40 m by inserting two more articulated sections, with the last one converted by June 2008. Both configurations of tramcars are fully compatible with both the Red and the Green Lines.
In other aspects, the two lines are identical except that the interaxis width between the tracks on the Green Line is slightly wider than on the Red Line. Note that this does not relate to the track gauge of 1435 mm, which is identical on both lines. This will allow wider metro
trains be run on the same tracks if a proposed upgrade to full metro service is implemented. This is possible because the route uses an old railway line and as such has few interactions with vehicular or pedestrian traffic. The Red Line was constructed largely on or beside public roads and is not suited to wider and faster metro trains. The Railway Procurement Agency has stated (November 2006) that "We still envisage conversion of almost all Luas lines to light metro standard in the long-term."
The main engineering structures on the Green Line at present are Milltown Viaduct, also known as The Nine Arches, a large stone viaduct dating from 1854, and the William Dargan
Bridge
, a large new cable-stayed suspension bridge at Taney Cross, near Dundrum
town centre.
The first of the new 43-m trams arrived at the Sandyford depot on 23 February 2009. They are known as the '5000 class'. The Green Line trams were stored at the new sidings at Sandyford. 26 trams were ordered for both the Red and Green lines, and all came into service in June 2009.
Luas tickets are purple in colour and credit card sized. They bear a magnetic stripe on the back although this is not used on Luas itself. Uniquely among Dublin's public transport, tickets are not checked upon boarding trams and an honour system, combined with random inspections, is used.
Ticket machines operate at every Luas stop and these are the only source of single-journey and return tickets. They also sell 1-day, 7-day and 30-day tickets, valid in either some or all the fare zones, for adults, children and students. It is also possible to purchase tickets valid on Luas and Dublin Bus. There is also a ticket valid on Luas plus Irish Rail commuter and DART services as far as Balbriggan and Maynooth. This is only available from Irish Rail ticket offices, not machines, and costs €8.60 as of May 2008. Certain ticket combinations are not possible (for example a one-day student ticket), and tickets can only be valid from the stop at which they are purchased and must commence their validity immediately. Certain tickets require the user to hold an ID card and write the number on the ticket, to prevent the ticket from being transferred to another person. Ticket machines accept card payments (by American Express
, Laser
, MasterCard
, or Visa for transactions between €5 and €50 (larger transactions are not permitted due to the risk of fraud as the machines do not have chip and PIN
equipment, and smaller transactions are not permitted due to processing costs).
Luas tickets are sold at newsagents and other shops, mostly in the vicinity of Luas stops. Joint Luas and Dublin Bus tickets can be purchased from Luas vending machines for immediate use, as well as from Dublin Bus ticket agents. Tickets bought at Dublin Bus agents must be validated on a bus before being valid for a tram (since Luas does not use ticket validation systems upon boarding the tram). Certain tickets are cheaper in shops than at ticket machines.
Both lines are divided into five zones, the central zone being shared. Fares are calculated based on how many zones a journey is taken through. There is a stop on the border of each zone, which is considered to be in whichever zone is more beneficial to the traveller. The two lines do not connect, but it is possible to purchase tickets that are valid for a journey using both lines. It is necessary to walk or take other transport between the two lines, most commonly between St. Stephen's Green (on the green line) and Abbey Street (on the red line). Alternatives include buses (the number 92 links St. Stephen's Green to Heuston and the number 18 links Ranelagh to Kylemore, although these are not included on the ticket) and taxis.
A smartcard can be purchased at a Luas ticket agent or online. The card costs €10, which includes a €3 non-refundable charge for the card, €3 of credit and €4 for a fully refundable 'reserve fund' which allows travel even if there is insufficient credit on the card for the journey. However, the card must then be topped up before another journey can be taken.
Smartcard fares are slightly cheaper than standard single and return fares from ticket machines. For example, a journey within a single zone costs €1.25 with the card, compared to €1.50 (€1.60 during peak time) single with a paper ticket, or €2.80 return. However, daily, 7-day and 30-day tickets generally work out cheaper, unless used only rarely. Unlike London's Oyster card
, Luas smartcards are unable to store multiple-journey tickets and these tickets are issued on paper only.
Dublin's state-run bus company Dublin Bus
has also begun a prepaid Smartcard system,
but this is currently a separate system to that used by the Luas. The state-run railway company, Iarnród Éireann
introduced Smartcards in 2010.
Although rolled out by the RPA, the Luas Smartcard is not compatible with the Railway Procurement Agency's integrated ticketing system Smartcards.
The Railway Procurement Agency's integrated ticketing system, when completed, should allow travellers to use the one card to pay for travel on all public transport in Ireland. This project began in 2001
and is many years behind schedule and is estimated to cost €30m to complete. It is expected to be fully operational in Dublin in 2010, and to become a national system in later years. As of March 25th, 2011, this system did not appear to be yet available, although Dublin Bus prints a claim that "[it] is working with Dublin's Transport Operators and the RPA to have a full integrated ticketing scheme wit ha single card available for use on all public transport services" on its "3-day rambler" smart cart tickets.
During the Christmas season (from early December to New Year's), a night service runs on the Luas during Friday and Saturday nights (as well as on New Year's), with the last trams departing the city centre at 03:30.
The low floors and wide spaces of the Citadis trams mean that wheelchair users can easily board. All stations have also been designed with ramps, to allow easy access. Several have lifts, such as Kilmacud and Dundrum on the Green Line, while Connolly Station has escalators that connect the Luas station to the main station building. The Luas website also has an accessibility newsletter.
Early investigations have suggested that the bus had the green light to move, and that the Luas must have had technical problems. The Luas driver was later charged with dangerous driving causing harm and operating a tram in a manner which posed risk to others.
This change was due to the increase in violence, criminal damage, breaches of byelaws and anti-social behaviour on board the trams. It is unclear whether the situation has improved since, and beggars are commonly seen at tram stops soliciting coin change from users of ticket vending machines.
It was envisaged in the original plans that the Green Line would intersect the Red Line at O'Connell Street. However two separate unconnected lines were built, leaving a 15 minute walk - through O'Connell Street
, Westmoreland Street
, College Green
and Grafton Street - between the two lines. Plans to link the lines were announced with the proposed building of the BX Line under Transport 21; this will now go ahead in 2012.
Park and ride charges have also attracted criticism. The cost of parking for a full day is €4. It was described by former government TD and head of the Dáil transport Committee Eoin Ryan as "unacceptable for Luas to charge passengers for parking at their Park and Ride facilities on top of ticket fares".
.. The Luas was stopped between the Heuston and The Point stops for 3 hours, trams between Tallaght and Blackhorse remained running throughout this period. Trams began running between Heuston and The Point again at 19:20. This was the second death involving the Luas since it began operating in 2004.
On 10 November 2011, the government announced that project to link the Red and Green lines, known as BXD project, will proceed in 2012. No other new lines or extensions are being funded.
The Transport 21
plan covered the period 2005–2010 announced by the Minister for Transport
on 1 November 2005 provided funding for seven Luas projects.
, Terenure
and Harold's Cross, was completed. The line was found to be feasible and it has been submitted to the Minister for Transport and awaits confirmation.
With the success of the Luas system in Dublin, there is very strong support for bringing tram to other Irish cities. During the 2007 election campaign Fianna Fáil
and the Green Party both announced plans for tram systems in Cork
, Limerick
, Galway
, Waterford
and Bray. The 2007 Programme for Government between these two parties and the Progressive Democrats
included a section which ensured feasibility studies would be carried out on these projects within the first two years of the government. Cork and Limerick were expected to complete their studies by "mid 2009".
, to coincide with the opening of the new Point and Bride's Glen extension.
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
or light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
system serving Dublin, the first such system in the decades since the closure of the last of the Dublin tramways. In 2007, the system carried 28.4 million passengers, a growth of 10% since 2006.
There are currently two Luas lines. The Green line commenced operations on 30 June 2004, while the Red Line opened on 26 September 2004. As of July 2011, the system has 54 stations and 38.2 kilometres (23.7 mi) of track.
The Luas is operated by Veolia Transport
Veolia Transport
Veolia Transport is the international transport services division of the French-based multinational company Veolia Environnement...
, under tender from the Railway Procurement Agency
Railway Procurement Agency
Railway Procurement Agency is a State Agency of the Department of Transport in the Republic of Ireland charged with the development of light railway and metro infrastructure...
(RPA). It is a major part of the Dublin Transportation Office
Dublin Transportation Office
The Dublin Transportation Office was a government agency, formed in 1996, which provides transport and land use advice to organisations operating in the Greater Dublin Area. It had relatively limited powers and is not a full transport authority...
's strategy (2000–2016). There are several extensions as well as new lines at the planning stage.
History
The idea for a new tram or light rail system for the city of Dublin was first suggested in 1994, by a Dublin Transportation Initiative (DTI) report, which referenced the original Dublin tramways, once running over 60 kilometres (37.3 mi)and reaching most parts of the city. Following this report Córas Iompair ÉireannCóras Iompair Éireann
Córas Iompair Éireann , or CIÉ, is a statutory corporation of the Irish state, answerable to the Irish Government and responsible for most public transport in the Republic of Ireland and, jointly with its Northern Ireland counterpart, the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company, between the...
(CIÉ), the state-owned public transport operator in Ireland, was asked to study the different options. They recommended two phases for the construction of a tram system:
- Phase 1: Tallaght to Dundrum/Balally via the City Centre
- Phase 2: Ballymun to the City Centre and Dundrum/Balally to Sandyford
The Transport Act, 1996 created a legal framework for CIÉ to build a tram system and in May 1997 the company applied for a Light Railway Order to construct the first phase, as well as the Dundrum/Balally to Sandyford part of phase 2.
An inquiry started in July 1997, but was put on hold to investigate the possibility of underground sections in the city centre. In May 1998 the government decided to build two lines, amending the plans. The first was to run from Tallaght to Connolly Station, while the second would run from Sandyford Industrial Estate to Dublin Airport, through the city centre and Ballymun. Part of the second was to be underground through the city centre.
The responsibility for developing the Luas was transferred from CIÉ to the Railway Procurement Agency (RPA), a separate government agency created in 2001.
Construction work began in March 2001 on the Tallaght to Connolly line, as well as the Sandyford to St. Stephen's Green section of the second line, with Ansaldo
Gio. Ansaldo & C.
Ansaldo was one of Italy's oldest and most important engineering companies, existing for 140 years from 1853 to 1993.-From foundation to World War I:...
of Italy and MVM of Australia getting the contract to build the system. The St. Stephen's Green to Dublin Airport section was dropped before construction began, as it was decided to serve the area by a metro
Dublin Metro
The Dublin Metro is a proposed metro system for the city of Dublin. The first two lines were set out in the Irish Government's 2005 Transport 21 transport plan: they are known as Metro North and Metro West...
instead. The contract to maintain operate the system was awarded to Veolia Transport Ireland (formerly known as Connex).
The development of the Luas Red Line was facilitated by EU funding of €82.5 million under the European Regional Development Fund
European Regional Development Fund
The European Regional Development Fund is a fund allocated by the European Union.-History:During the 1960s, the European Commission occasionally tried to establish a regional fund. Only Italy ever supported this, however, and nothing came of it. Britain made it an issue for their accession in...
(ERDF), and part of the cost of some proposed line extensions (e.g. over 50% of Line B1 to Cherrywood) is being raised though levies on development in areas close to the projected route.
Launch
2004 to present
By November 2006, over 50 million journeys had been made on the system. Around 90,000 Luas trips are made each day. 28.4 million journeys were made in 2007. 27.4 million journeys were made in 2008. 25.4 million journeys were made in 2009. To date, the busiest day on the Luas system was Friday, 21 December 2007 when 145,000 passenger journeys were recorded.Luas operates without a state subvention. The service recorded a surplus of €985,000 (€680,000 in 2004) - an achievement well ahead of an anticipated deficit of €2.5 million.
On the 8 December 2009 the Red Line C1 Connolly to Docklands extension opened. There are 4 stops: George's Dock, Mayor Square, Spencer Dock
Spencer Dock
Spencer Dock is a location within North Wall, Dublin, Ireland. The dockland area was originally part of the end of the Royal Canal, which still reaches the River Liffey here...
(serving the new Docklands railway station
Docklands railway station
Docklands Station is a new railway station serving the Dublin Docklands area in Ireland owned by Córas Iompair Éireann planned as part of the Government Transport 21 initiative....
, approximately 500m away) and terminating in Point Village
Point Village
The Point Village is a new 'city quarter' in the North Wall area of Dublin, Ireland. The €800 million development is currently under construction and was planned to feature a shopping centre, a cinema complex, a museum, offices and a hotel plus a five-storey underground car park.-Projects:The O2...
, opposite the The O2
The O2, Dublin
The O2 is a 14,000-seat amphitheatre located at North Wall Quay in the Dublin Docklands in Dublin, Ireland, which opened on 16 December 2008. The venue is jointly owned by Live Nation and Harry Crosbie with Live Nation in charge of programme booking and operating the venue...
-this extension however bypasses Connolly. Construction started at the beginning of June 2007. Test runs began on the line in September 2009 before the opening.
The Railway Procurement Agency noted in their annual report that passenger numbers fell for the first time in 2009. The Luas had 25.4m passengers in 2009.
In June 2010, plans to join the two luas tracks were finalised.
Stations and lines
The network currently comprises two routes:- Red Line: The PointPoint VillageThe Point Village is a new 'city quarter' in the North Wall area of Dublin, Ireland. The €800 million development is currently under construction and was planned to feature a shopping centre, a cinema complex, a museum, offices and a hotel plus a five-storey underground car park.-Projects:The O2...
to SaggartSaggartSaggart is a suburban village in South Dublin County, Ireland, south west of Dublin city. It lies between the N7 , Rathcoole, and Tallaght.-Name:A monk called Mosacra founded a settlement on the site of the village in the 7th century...
, 20.7 kilometres (12.9 mi) - Green Line: St Stephen's Green to Bride's GlenBride's GlenBride's Glen is a suburb in Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown, Ireland, South East of Dublin City. Bride's Glen is South of Cherrywood and north of Shankill. Bride's Glen is a popular location for Hikers in the Dublin Mountains...
, 17.5 kilometres (10.9 mi)
Northside (Dublin)
The Northside is the area in County Dublin, Ireland bounded to the south by the River Liffey to the east by Dublin Bay, to the north and west by the boundaries of County Dublin.- Introduction :...
, then crosses the River Liffey
River Liffey
The Liffey is a river in Ireland, which flows through the centre of Dublin. Its major tributaries include the River Dodder, the River Poddle and the River Camac. The river supplies much of Dublin's water, and a range of recreational opportunities.-Name:The river was previously named An Ruirthech,...
and travels southwest to the heavily populated suburb of Tallaght
Tallaght
Tallaght is the largest town, and county town, of South Dublin County, Ireland. The village area, dating from at least the 17th century, held one of the earliest settlements known in the southern part of the island, and one of medieval Ireland's more important monastic centres.Up to the 1960s...
, and then on through the Citywest
Citywest
Citywest is a business park and golf resort in the Saggart area, just north and northwest of Saggart village in South Dublin. The nearest major town is Tallaght. The business park has developed a modest residential population in recent years...
campus and then terminating at Saggart
Saggart
Saggart is a suburban village in South Dublin County, Ireland, south west of Dublin city. It lies between the N7 , Rathcoole, and Tallaght.-Name:A monk called Mosacra founded a settlement on the site of the village in the 7th century...
.
Southside (Dublin)
The Southside is not an official administrative area but a colloquial term referring to the area of County Dublin bounded to the north by the River Liffey to the east by Dublin Bay, to the south and west by the boundaries of County Dublin...
of Dublin city. It follows the route of the old Harcourt Street railway line, which was reserved for possible re-use when it closed in 1958
1958 in Ireland
-Events:*6 February - Dublin's Liam Whelan is among the dead when a plane carrying the Manchester United team crashes in Munich.*18 March - Taoiseach Éamon de Valera says he would be willing to have talks with the government of Northern Ireland on wider economic co-operation.*20 March - Work begins...
. The Red Line and Green Line are not yet connected to each other, with a 15-minute walk between the two closest points. There are a total of 32 stops on the Red Line and 22 on the Green Line.
Track and rolling stock
The system operates on a 750 VVolt
The volt is the SI derived unit for electric potential, electric potential difference, and electromotive force. The volt is named in honor of the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta , who invented the voltaic pile, possibly the first chemical battery.- Definition :A single volt is defined as the...
DC
Direct current
Direct current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through...
overhead power supply. The international standard rail gauge
Rail gauge
Track gauge or rail gauge is the distance between the inner sides of the heads of the two load bearing rails that make up a single railway line. Sixty percent of the world's railways use a standard gauge of . Wider gauges are called broad gauge; smaller gauges, narrow gauge. Break-of-gauge refers...
of 1435 mm (4 ft 8½in) is used, rather than the Irish 1600 mm (5 ft 3 in).
The silver Citadis
Citadis
The Citadis is a low-floor tram built by Alstom in La Rochelle, France, and Barcelona, Spain. 1,140 Citadis are currently in use in 28 cities, among others: Bordeaux, Grenoble, Lyon, Montpellier, Orléans, the Paris area, and Barcelona, Dublin, Gdańsk, Katowice, Adelaide, Melbourne, Jerusalem and...
trams, manufactured in La Rochelle
La Rochelle
La Rochelle is a city in western France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime department.The city is connected to the Île de Ré by a bridge completed on 19 May 1988...
by French multinational Alstom
Alstom
Alstom is a large multinational conglomerate which holds interests in the power generation and transport markets. According to the company website, in the years 2010-2011 Alstom had annual sales of over €20.9 billion, and employed more than 85,000 people in 70 countries. Alstom's headquarters are...
, reach a top speed of 70 km/h on off-street sections between Red Cow and Kylemore etc., but travel at a slower speed on-street where conflicts with other vehicles or pedestrians can occur. The 26 initial Red Line '3000' class trams were 30-m long Citadis 301 configurations with a capacity of 256. The 14 Green Line '4000 class' trams, each 40 m Citadis 401 configurations, have a capacity of 358 including two wheelchairs. Starting in 2007, all the Red line trams were upgraded to 40 m by inserting two more articulated sections, with the last one converted by June 2008. Both configurations of tramcars are fully compatible with both the Red and the Green Lines.
In other aspects, the two lines are identical except that the interaxis width between the tracks on the Green Line is slightly wider than on the Red Line. Note that this does not relate to the track gauge of 1435 mm, which is identical on both lines. This will allow wider metro
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
trains be run on the same tracks if a proposed upgrade to full metro service is implemented. This is possible because the route uses an old railway line and as such has few interactions with vehicular or pedestrian traffic. The Red Line was constructed largely on or beside public roads and is not suited to wider and faster metro trains. The Railway Procurement Agency has stated (November 2006) that "We still envisage conversion of almost all Luas lines to light metro standard in the long-term."
The main engineering structures on the Green Line at present are Milltown Viaduct, also known as The Nine Arches, a large stone viaduct dating from 1854, and the William Dargan
William Dargan
William Dargan , an engineer, often seen as the father of Irish railways, came from Killeshin, County Laois, Ireland. Born in 1799, he constructed Ireland's first railway from Dublin to Dún Laoghaire in 1833. He constructed over of railway to important urban centres of Ireland...
Bridge
Bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
, a large new cable-stayed suspension bridge at Taney Cross, near Dundrum
Dundrum, Dublin
Dundrum , originally a town in its own right, is now a suburb of Dublin in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, Ireland.The area is located in the postal districts of Dublin 14 and Dublin 16.-History:...
town centre.
The first of the new 43-m trams arrived at the Sandyford depot on 23 February 2009. They are known as the '5000 class'. The Green Line trams were stored at the new sidings at Sandyford. 26 trams were ordered for both the Red and Green lines, and all came into service in June 2009.
Ticketing
Ticket machines operate at every Luas stop and these are the only source of single-journey and return tickets. They also sell 1-day, 7-day and 30-day tickets, valid in either some or all the fare zones, for adults, children and students. It is also possible to purchase tickets valid on Luas and Dublin Bus. There is also a ticket valid on Luas plus Irish Rail commuter and DART services as far as Balbriggan and Maynooth. This is only available from Irish Rail ticket offices, not machines, and costs €8.60 as of May 2008. Certain ticket combinations are not possible (for example a one-day student ticket), and tickets can only be valid from the stop at which they are purchased and must commence their validity immediately. Certain tickets require the user to hold an ID card and write the number on the ticket, to prevent the ticket from being transferred to another person. Ticket machines accept card payments (by American Express
American Express
American Express Company or AmEx, is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Three World Financial Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States. Founded in 1850, it is one of the 30 components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The company is best...
, Laser
Laser (debit card)
Laser Card is a debit card scheme in Ireland. The Laser Scheme is maintained and operated by , a not-for-profit body owned by four leading financial institutions in Ireland and overseen since 2008 by the Oversight Unit of the Central Bank. The scheme was launched in 1996 and in 2010 there were...
, MasterCard
MasterCard
Mastercard Incorporated or MasterCard Worldwide is an American multinational financial services corporation with its headquarters in the MasterCard International Global Headquarters, Purchase, Harrison, New York, United States...
, or Visa for transactions between €5 and €50 (larger transactions are not permitted due to the risk of fraud as the machines do not have chip and PIN
Chip and PIN
Chip and PIN is the brandname adopted by the banking industries in the United Kingdom and Ireland for the rollout of the EMV smartcard payment system for credit, debit and ATM cards.- History :...
equipment, and smaller transactions are not permitted due to processing costs).
Luas tickets are sold at newsagents and other shops, mostly in the vicinity of Luas stops. Joint Luas and Dublin Bus tickets can be purchased from Luas vending machines for immediate use, as well as from Dublin Bus ticket agents. Tickets bought at Dublin Bus agents must be validated on a bus before being valid for a tram (since Luas does not use ticket validation systems upon boarding the tram). Certain tickets are cheaper in shops than at ticket machines.
Both lines are divided into five zones, the central zone being shared. Fares are calculated based on how many zones a journey is taken through. There is a stop on the border of each zone, which is considered to be in whichever zone is more beneficial to the traveller. The two lines do not connect, but it is possible to purchase tickets that are valid for a journey using both lines. It is necessary to walk or take other transport between the two lines, most commonly between St. Stephen's Green (on the green line) and Abbey Street (on the red line). Alternatives include buses (the number 92 links St. Stephen's Green to Heuston and the number 18 links Ranelagh to Kylemore, although these are not included on the ticket) and taxis.
Smartcard
In March 2005 the Luas smartcard was launched. This allows travellers to pay for travel on the Luas network. Credit is pre-loaded onto the smartcard at ticket machines by cash, debit card or credit card, with a minimum top-up of €5 and a maximum credit on the card of €100, and the customer must validate the card using readers on the platform before boarding the tram and then again after exiting the tram. This is referred to as 'tag-on' and 'tag-off'.A smartcard can be purchased at a Luas ticket agent or online. The card costs €10, which includes a €3 non-refundable charge for the card, €3 of credit and €4 for a fully refundable 'reserve fund' which allows travel even if there is insufficient credit on the card for the journey. However, the card must then be topped up before another journey can be taken.
Smartcard fares are slightly cheaper than standard single and return fares from ticket machines. For example, a journey within a single zone costs €1.25 with the card, compared to €1.50 (€1.60 during peak time) single with a paper ticket, or €2.80 return. However, daily, 7-day and 30-day tickets generally work out cheaper, unless used only rarely. Unlike London's Oyster card
Oyster card
The Oyster card is a form of electronic ticketing used on public transport services within the Greater London area of the United Kingdom. It is promoted by Transport for London and is valid on a number of different travel systems across London including London Underground, buses, the Docklands...
, Luas smartcards are unable to store multiple-journey tickets and these tickets are issued on paper only.
Dublin's state-run bus company Dublin Bus
Dublin Bus
Dublin Bus is a public transport operator in Ireland. It operates an extensive bus network of 172 radial, cross-city and peripheral routes and 18 night routes in the city of Dublin and the Greater Dublin Area. The company, established in 1987, is a subsidiary of Córas Iompair Éireann which is...
has also begun a prepaid Smartcard system,
but this is currently a separate system to that used by the Luas. The state-run railway company, Iarnród Éireann
Iarnród Éireann
Iarnród Éireann is the national railway system operator of Ireland. Established on 2 February 1987, it is a subsidiary of Córas Iompair Éireann . It operates all internal intercity, commuter and freight railway services in the Republic of Ireland, and, jointly with Northern Ireland Railways, the...
introduced Smartcards in 2010.
Although rolled out by the RPA, the Luas Smartcard is not compatible with the Railway Procurement Agency's integrated ticketing system Smartcards.
The Railway Procurement Agency's integrated ticketing system, when completed, should allow travellers to use the one card to pay for travel on all public transport in Ireland. This project began in 2001
and is many years behind schedule and is estimated to cost €30m to complete. It is expected to be fully operational in Dublin in 2010, and to become a national system in later years. As of March 25th, 2011, this system did not appear to be yet available, although Dublin Bus prints a claim that "[it] is working with Dublin's Transport Operators and the RPA to have a full integrated ticketing scheme wit ha single card available for use on all public transport services" on its "3-day rambler" smart cart tickets.
Hours of operation and frequency
Trams operate from 05:30 to 00:30 Monday to Friday. On Saturday the Green Line begins operating at 06:15, while the Red Line begins at 06:30. Both lines close at 00:30 on Saturday nights. On Sundays the Green Line runs from 06:45 to 23:30, while the Red Line runs from 07:00 to 23:30. Bank holidays are the same as Sundays, except trams run until 00:30. Services run at regular intervals, from every 4–5 minutes during peak times to every 15 minutes late at night.During the Christmas season (from early December to New Year's), a night service runs on the Luas during Friday and Saturday nights (as well as on New Year's), with the last trams departing the city centre at 03:30.
Accessibility
Safety
Before the Luas was launched a Safety Awareness Day was held in Dublin City Centre. Also thousands of reflective armbands were distributed to pedestrians and cyclists, in order to ensure their visibility for tram drivers. This policy seems to have worked as the Luas has been described as being "one of the safest transport systems in the world". Both trams and stops are monitored using CCTV 24 hours a day from the central control room, located in the Red Cow Depot. The first fatality following an accident on the Luas was in February 2008, after a man was struck by a tram in Tallaght. Apart from this there have been many occurrences of cars striking trams, mainly caused by motorists breaking red lights. On 16 September 2009, a Luas collided with a Dublin Bus on the O'Connell Street-Abbey Street Junction. 22 people were injured in the collision, 3 seriously, including the tram driver.Early investigations have suggested that the bus had the green light to move, and that the Luas must have had technical problems. The Luas driver was later charged with dangerous driving causing harm and operating a tram in a manner which posed risk to others.
Security
In February 2009 the company responsible for the management of the Luas system Veolia Transport terminated its contract with Federal Security, an Irish based private security firm and the contract to provide security services in and around the Luas system was won by STT Rail Security, an Irish based company specialising in rail/transit security.This change was due to the increase in violence, criminal damage, breaches of byelaws and anti-social behaviour on board the trams. It is unclear whether the situation has improved since, and beggars are commonly seen at tram stops soliciting coin change from users of ticket vending machines.
Issues
The cost of building the original Red and Green Lines was €728m.It was envisaged in the original plans that the Green Line would intersect the Red Line at O'Connell Street. However two separate unconnected lines were built, leaving a 15 minute walk - through O'Connell Street
O'Connell Street
O'Connell Street is Dublin's main thoroughfare. It measures 49 m in width at its southern end, 46 m at the north, and is 500 m in length...
, Westmoreland Street
Westmoreland Street
Westmoreland Street is a street in the southern city-centre of Dublin, Ireland. It is one of the two broad avenues - along with D'Olier Street - that converge at their northern ends at O'Connell Bridge over the River Liffey...
, College Green
College Green
College Green is a three-sided "square" in the centre of Dublin. On its northern side is a building known today as the Bank of Ireland which until 1800 was Ireland's Parliament House. To its east stands Trinity College Dublin, the only constituent college of the University of Dublin. To its south...
and Grafton Street - between the two lines. Plans to link the lines were announced with the proposed building of the BX Line under Transport 21; this will now go ahead in 2012.
Park and ride charges have also attracted criticism. The cost of parking for a full day is €4. It was described by former government TD and head of the Dáil transport Committee Eoin Ryan as "unacceptable for Luas to charge passengers for parking at their Park and Ride facilities on top of ticket fares".
Notable incidents
There have been several incidents involving the Luas, often leading to its temporary closure.2009 double-decker Dublin Bus/Luas collision
At 3 pm on 16 September 2009 a red line Luas tram and a double-decker number 16 Dublin Bus collided at the intersection of Abbey Street and O'Connell Street in Dublin city centre. The front section of the tram was derailed in the incident and the driver's cabin was crushed flat against the left hand side of the bus. At least 21 people were injured and three were seriously hurt, including the driver of the tram who had to be cut out from the wreckage.2011 fatal collision
At 16:20 on 11 October 2011, a 35-year-old man died after being struck by a Luas red-line tram on Steeven's Lane near Heuston StationDublin Heuston railway station
Dublin Heuston , commonly called Heuston Station , is one of Ireland's main railway stations, serving the south, southwest and west. It is operated by Iarnród Éireann , the national railway operator...
.. The Luas was stopped between the Heuston and The Point stops for 3 hours, trams between Tallaght and Blackhorse remained running throughout this period. Trams began running between Heuston and The Point again at 19:20. This was the second death involving the Luas since it began operating in 2004.
Planned extensions
- Line BX – City Centre link for Red and Green Lines. The RPA started public consultation on the route in December 2005. In March 2007 the preferred route was announced. This will see run from St. Stephens Green to College Green where the line changes from a double track to single track. From here it runs north through Westmoreland St., over O’Connell Bridge and along the west side of O’Connell St. to Cathal Brugha St. It then turns east into Cathal Brugha St. and turns south to run along Marlborough St., across the River Liffey on a new bridge, continues along Hawkins St. and College St. and joins up with the double track section of the line at College Green. Construction has not yet started. 2012 was the original completion date given in the Transport 21 plans. The RPA intends to apply for a Railway Order application to An Bord Pleanála soon for a combined Line D / Line BX Luas Line that will run from St. Stephen’s Green to Broombridge via the city centre and Broadstone / Grangegorman.
- Line D – City Centre to Liffey JunctionLiffey JunctionLiffey Junction is a former railway station and junction on the erstwhile Midland Great Western Railway in Dublin, Ireland.The station opened in 1864 upon the opening of the Liffey Line from this point to the River Liffey at the North Wall, Dublin...
. This will serve GrangegormanGrangegormanGrangegorman Development Agency is an agency of the Government of Ireland charged with redevelopment of the Grangegorman Campus, formerly within the curtilage of St. Brendan's Hospital...
, the site of the proposed new DITDublin Institute of TechnologyDublin Institute of Technology was established officially in 1992 under the but had been previously set up in 1978 on an ad-hoc basis. The institution can trace its origins back to 1887 with the establishment of various technical institutions in Dublin, Ireland...
campus. This line will linked with the MaynoothMaynoothMaynooth is a town in north County Kildare, Ireland. It is home to a branch of the National University of Ireland, a Papal University and Ireland's main Roman Catholic seminary, St. Patrick's College...
line.
On 10 November 2011, the government announced that project to link the Red and Green lines, known as BXD project, will proceed in 2012. No other new lines or extensions are being funded.
Proposed extensions under transport 21
There were plans for new Luas lines, as well as extensions to the two existing lines. In the original plans, Line B was the original name for the Green Line, and the Red Line route comprised Line A from Tallaght to Abbey Street and Line C from Abbey Street to Connolly Station. This terminology is still used for forward planning (e.g. on the Red Line route proposal A1 extends the original Line A and proposal C1 extends the original Line C).The Transport 21
Transport 21
Transport 21 is an Irish infrastructure plan, announced in November 2005. It aims to greatly expand Ireland's transport network. A cost estimate of €34 billion was attached to the plan at the time....
plan covered the period 2005–2010 announced by the Minister for Transport
Minister for Transport (Ireland)
The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport is the senior minister at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport in the Government of Ireland.The current Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport is Leo Varadkar, TD...
on 1 November 2005 provided funding for seven Luas projects.
Proposed lines
- Line B2 – Cherrywood to BrayBrayBray is a town in north County Wicklow, Ireland. It is a busy urban centre and seaside resort, with a population of 31,901 making it the fourth largest in Ireland as of the 2006 census...
environs extension (Green Line). Was a proposed extension of 6.8 km (4.2 mi). On 6 June 2007, the route of this Luas extension was announced. It was proposed to run from Cherrywood to Fassaroe and Bray (adjacent to Daly station), and would run very close to the M11 motorway, eventually crossing it near the Wilford interchange.
- Line F1/2 – City Centre to Lucan. On 27 September 2007, Noel Dempsey (Minister for Transport) launched the public consultation process for the planned Luas line to Lucan. Two main route options where identified, with a number of sub-options also identified. It was expected that would link with the proposed Metro West. The preferred route was announced in November 2008 and the RPA where planning the precise alignment and station and depot locations. The planning for the two lines was split in two. Line F1 was be the line from Lucan to where it will connect with the existing red line at Blackhorse and Line F2 will be where the line was to leave the existing red line at James and continue on to College Green.
Other projects
In May 2008, the feasibility study for a possible Luas line E, to run from Dundrum to the City Centre via RathfarnhamRathfarnham
Rathfarnham or Rathfarnam is a Southside suburb of Dublin, Ireland. It is south of Terenure, east of Templeogue, and is in the postal districts of Dublin 14 and 16. It is within the administrative areas of both Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown and South Dublin County Councils.The area of Rathfarnham...
, Terenure
Terenure
Terenure is a mainly residential suburb of Dublin, Ireland, largely in the administrative area of Dublin City Council but with parts in the administrative county of South Dublin County .-Location and transport:...
and Harold's Cross, was completed. The line was found to be feasible and it has been submitted to the Minister for Transport and awaits confirmation.
With the success of the Luas system in Dublin, there is very strong support for bringing tram to other Irish cities. During the 2007 election campaign Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
and the Green Party both announced plans for tram systems in Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
, Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
, Galway
Galway
Galway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
, Waterford
Waterford
Waterford is a city in the South-East Region of Ireland. It is the oldest city in the country and fifth largest by population. Waterford City Council is the local government authority for the city and its immediate hinterland...
and Bray. The 2007 Programme for Government between these two parties and the Progressive Democrats
Progressive Democrats
The Progressive Democrats , commonly known as the PDs, was a pro-free market liberal political party in the Republic of Ireland.Launched on 21 December 1985 by Desmond O'Malley and other politicians who had split from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, the Progressive Democrats took liberal positions on...
included a section which ensured feasibility studies would be carried out on these projects within the first two years of the government. Cork and Limerick were expected to complete their studies by "mid 2009".
On-board announcements
Since 2010 all on-board Luas announcements have been voiced by Doireann Ní BhriainDoireann Ní Bhriain
Doireann Ní Bhriain is an Irish independent radio producer. She began her career as a radio and television journalist, and started out reading children's stories on television...
, to coincide with the opening of the new Point and Bride's Glen extension.
See also
- Transport in IrelandTransport in IrelandMost of the transport system in Ireland is in public hands, either side of the Irish border. The Irish road network has evolved separately in the two jurisdictions Ireland is divided up into, while the Irish rail network was mostly created prior to the partition of Ireland.In the Republic of...
- List of Irish companies
- Public Transport Operators in DublinPublic Transport Operators in DublinA large number of companies operate public transport services in Dublin, most of which are state owned or semi-state owned.-Rail:* Iarnród Éireann, a subsidiary of state-owned Córas Iompair Éireann, operates all rail services in Dublin including the DART....
- Dublin United Transport CompanyDublin United Transport CompanyThe Dublin United Transport Company operated trams and buses in Dublin, Ireland until 1945. Following legislation in the Oireachtas , the DUTC and the Great Southern Railways were vested in the newly formed Coras Iompair Éireann in 1945.-Formation:The DUTC was formed by the merging of several of...
(leading pre-1950 operator of Dublin's original tram system) - DARTDublin Area Rapid TransitThe Dublin Area Rapid Transit is part of the suburban railway network in Ireland, running mainly along the coastline of Dublin Bay on the Trans-Dublin route, from Greystones in County Wicklow, through Dublin to Howth and Malahide in County Dublin.Trains are powered via a 1500V DC overhead catenary...
- Trams in EuropeTrams in EuropeEurope has an extensive number of tramway networks. Some of these networks have been upgraded to light rail standards, called Stadtbahn in Germany, premetros in Belgium, sneltram in the Netherlands, and fast trams in some other countries.- Overview :...
External links
- Luas website
- Luas Smartcard
- ALSTOM website - French manufacturer of Trams, metros and Trains
- Photos of Luas Green line(Harcourt Street)
- Rail Users Ireland Ireland's National Rail Users Group
- http://www.hidden-dublin.com/images/thumbs/luasTN01.html Photos of Luas construction
- Railway Procurement Agency
- http://www.tribune.ie/news/home-news/article/2009/jul/19/luas-ups-security-after-surge-in-violent-threats/