Luas extension to Wicklow via UCD named preferred route for eastern bypass corridor
The Wicklow PeopleIf you’ve ever tried to get from Bray to UCD, you know the struggle. You’re either wedged onto an E1 bus crawling along the N11 or hiking from a Dart station. It’s a transit headache for one of Ireland’s biggest universities.
A transport study from Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown County Council now outlines plans for a high‑capacity Luas line running from Dublin city centre to Bray via UCD and Sandyford.
A Luas extension to Bray has long been considered necessary to support projected housing development, including in Fassaroe and Old Connaught.
A 2019 study by the National Transport Authority (NTA) found that major future growth in these areas required high‑capacity transport.
This new study notes that road capacity on the N11 is at operational limits and identifies light rail as the preferred option for accommodating that population growth. Under the proposal, the Luas route known as Option 5b would connect Bray, UCD and Sandyford, providing an alternative to car‑based commuting.
The route would provide a direct rail link through the UCD campus, creating new public‑transport connections for north Wicklow.
The study reports that trams running via UCD could reduce journey times by approximately 52 per cent and highlights potential walking and cycling infrastructure along the corridor.
Similar Luas projects, such as the Luas Finglas extension, are projected to remove approximately 10,000 daily car journeys by 2035; a Bray extension via UCD is expected to exceed this due to the higher density of commuters in north Wicklow.
The NTA’s current programme places the proposed Bray extension in the 2031–2036 delivery window.
The extension requires prior upgrading of the existing Green Line to metro standard to accommodate projected passenger volumes.
Local planning documents identify Old Connaught as a Strategic Development Zone and designate it as a transition point for the proposed Luas line.
The indicative station location is within the Old Connaught Demesne. Plans recommend provision for safe bicycle parking and potential park‑and‑ride facilities. A spur from Old Connaught Avenue to Fassaroe is also under consideration.
For residents of Bray, Enniskerry and Kilmacanogue, the Luas plan represents a relief valve for the N11, which currently sees car travel dominate at 70pc, while public transport sits at just 11pc.
By providing a park and ride or feeder bus system into the new Luas stops at Old Connaught Avenue, Dublin Road, and Bray Dart Station, the council can drastically reduce the number of vehicles entering the M50/N11 merge.
The report findings mark a departure from earlier proposals for a motorway route through south Dublin, including tunnelling beneath Booterstown Marsh and infrastructure extending into Dublin Bay.
Green Party transport spokesperson Cllr Feljin Jose believes the findings underline the need to prioritise public transport over additional road capacity.
“You can’t solve congestion by building more roads. The evidence here is clear: expanding road space does not resolve congestion in the long term. You solve it by giving people a fast, reliable alternative and that’s exactly what this Luas line will deliver.
“The analysis also indicates the scheme would increase public transport use in the corridor and significantly expand access to high-frequency services within walking distance.”
The Luas extension remains dependent on funding decisions at national level, and the NTA will continue to evaluate next steps under the Local Area Planning Framework.