Ireland’s Cabinet approved the planning stage process of Dublin Finglas LRT extension in the north of the capital, and by December, a Railway Order will be submitted to An Bord Pleanála, country’s national independent planning body.
Luas Finglas is the next extension of the Luas Green Line. It will create a new public transport connection between the communities of Charlestown, Finglas Village, Finglas west, St Helena’s, Tolka Valley and the city centre.
The proposed route is 3.9 km in length and will include four new stops – St Helena’s, Finglas Village, St Margaret’s and Charlestown. A 350-vehicle park and ride facility will be provided near the St Margaret’s Road stop, close to the M50.
The route will provide interchange opportunities with bus networks at all the new stops and with mainline rail services at Broombridge.
Most of the route will be built using grass track, an attractive and sustainable innovation for urban transport in Ireland.
Luas Finglas will be comparable to the higher speed sections of the Luas network. At present, journey times from Charlestown to Trinity College in the city centre take approximately 44 minutes during the morning rush hour. Luas Finglas will reduce this to approximately 30 minutes.
Two non-statutory public consultations on the emerging preferred route of Dublin Finglas LRT extension were completed in 2020 and 2021. The authorities have received submissions from local residents, businesses, statutory bodies, affected property owners, elected representatives and potential passengers.
The project is one of four Luas tram extensions identified in the NTA’s Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area 2022-2042. If accelerated, the Luas Finglas line could be operational by 2031, subject to planning and funding.
The Luas Finglas project will create a new high-capacity, frequent and speedy public transport connection for communities in the Finglas area, shortening journey times to/from Dublin city centre to approximately 30 minutes or less and providing for connections to other destinations.
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