Cork Luas project neglected under government’s new transport plan, councillors say

By Peter McCarthy, Corkman

Cork city councillors have criticised the government’s latest transport plan for including only one mention of the proposed Cork Luas and for pushing other planned transport projects out to at least 2030.

The Sectoral Investment Plan for Transport, which is part of the National Development Plan Review 2025, foresees multi-billion-euro investments in a series of road and rail projects in Cork city and county over the next decade.

However, all it says about the Cork Luas project, which is proposed to follow an 18km route between Ballincollig and Mahon Point Shopping Centre, is that a railway order application is expected to be lodged. No timeline is given in the plan for the light rail system’s procurement or construction.

Cork City Councillor Peter Horgan asked “how can a railway order for Luas Cork be considered soon when we don’t even know the real route?”

The Labour councillor said the plan pushes any benefits out into the next decade while Cork’s hard-pressed commuters need immediate action now.

“People will look at this document and initially will think the problems are solved but the reality is commuters won’t see benefits of this until well beyond 2030, according to the document itself,” he said.

"The only project making serious inroads is the commuter rail project. But that does nothing for the southside of the city. We need an interim plan of action led by an identifiable transport leader to say this is our plan to get us to where the infrastructure is built.”

Cllr Horgan called for temporary rapid bus transit corridors, more frequent BusConnects routes, dedicated traffic police for the N40 and the Jack Lynch Tunnel, the fast-tracking of automatic camera enforcement at pinch-point junctions and contactless payments on buses — “now, not in 2028. Give the commuters of Cork hope now and for the future.”

Cork City Green Party Councillor Honore Kamegni said the transport plan “turns back the clock” on sustainable transport and fails to deliver for Cork. “Cork deserves certainty and ambition. Luas Cork has been promised for years, yet this plan offers nothing more than a passing mention. There is no delivery timeline, no clarity, and no reassurance for the thousands of people who rely on this project to shape the future of our city,” he said.

“This plan is a step backwards for Cork and for Ireland. We had a clear commitment to prioritise public transport, reduce emissions, and build a safer, more connected country. This announcement weakens that ambition at precisely the moment when we need to accelerate it,” he added.

Cork city projects in the Department of Transport plan include the €1bn+ Cork Area Commuter Rail Programme, the already under construction M28 from Cork city to Ringaskiddy port, the Northern Transport Project and the Southern Ring Road. The plan says the projects will support housing in Blackpool, the City Quays area, Tivoli and Mahon with a potential for around 20,000 additional residential units identified.