Luas lines on schedule for completion in 2003, says O'Rourke

Dublin's Luas light rail lines from Tallaght and Sandyford to the city centre are still on schedule for completion in 2003, the Minister for Public Enterprise said yesterday.

Speaking after she received the latest report of the Light Rail Advisory and Action Group chaired by Mr Padraig White, Ms O'Rourke said it was hoped to have passengers on the Tallaght to Connolly Station line in October 2003 and on the Sandyford to St Stephen's Green line in December of that year.

The Minister noted that there had been "some slippage" in the deadline - last year it was hoped to have the Tallaght service operational by February 2003. In addition to the construction, work is continuing on the selection of an operator for the service and preparation is also being made to have the necessary safety approvals in place on time.

The seven-member advisory and action group was set up in November 1998 by Ms O'Rourke to oversee the timetable for the project. Its current report notes that substantial progress has been made over the last six months in a number of areas. These include:

The unveiling of the first Luas tram in London in May.

The start of work on the main infrastructure contract, tracklaying, cabling, light rail stops and shelters in April.

The shortlisting of five bidders for the operating contract

The laying of foundations for the Taney bridge in Dundrum.

The trams selected for both lines are Citadis, manufactured by Alstom. The basic tram can carry up to 235 people - 60 of them seated. The trams will emit no smoke or gases and are designed to create little noise pollution.

They have also been designed to cater for the needs of the disabled - features include tram floors at same level as stop platforms to allow level boarding. Yesterday's report noted that the Red Cow depot is to be completed within a matter of weeks.

However, the report did include a note of caution from Mr White who said "an immense degree of co-operation, efficiency and goodwill" would be necessary from all parties concerned, particularly in relation to the re-rerouting of existing services.

The introduction of a light rail transit system was originally proposed in 1994 in the final report of Dublin Transportation Initiative.

This was followed by four years of public consultation culminating in the Government's decision in May 1998 to put the city centre section of the system underground.

Last year the Luas system was incorporated into the Government's long-term multi-billion pound strategy for public transport in the Greater Dublin Region, A Platform for Change.