NTA begins early work on Luas link to Wicklow as 2031–36 delivery window confirmed

By Hugh O'Farrell Walsh, The Wicklow People

The National Transport Authority (NTA) has begun a pre feasibility study on the long planned extension of the Luas green line to Bray and has told the Oireachtas that, subject to funding and the outcome of that work, the project will move into its first formal development phase in 2027.

It has also confirmed that the extension is now proposed for delivery in the medium term period between 2031 and 2036, marking the first time the project has been tied to a defined development window rather than the distant 2042 horizon previously associated with it.

The study now underway is the earliest stage of the NTA’s project pipeline. It examines demand, route possibilities, engineering constraints and whether the scheme should progress to Phase 1 of the authority’s approval guidelines.

Phase 1 is the point at which a transport project begins to take shape, with concept development, early design work and the identification of viable route options. The NTA said that if the study supports the project and funding is available, this phase will begin in 2027.

A Luas tram pulling into a station in Dublin

The authority’s confirmation places the Luas to Bray scheme firmly within the medium term delivery period of the Greater Dublin Area Transport Strategy, which runs from 2031 to 2036. That strategy divides major transport projects into short term, medium term and long term phases, and the Bray extension had previously been regarded as a long term proposal.

The shift into the medium term window signals that the NTA now sees the project as one that should begin development within the next few years rather than in the late 2030s or early 2040s.

The move comes against the backdrop of rapid population growth in north Wicklow and major housing plans on both sides of the county boundary. The Fassaroe masterplan provides for up to 2,600 homes, while the Old Connaught Local Area Plan in Dún Laoghaire‑Rathdown allows for more than 2,000 additional units.

These developments will reshape the region over the next decade and place further pressure on the N11 and M11, where congestion is already severe.

The area’s transport challenges are already evident. An €11 million park and ride facility at Fassaroe is substantially complete but cannot open because no bus services have been assigned to it. The facility was intended to provide a new transport option for commuters and reduce pressure on the N11 corridor, but remains unused.

Sinn Féin TD John Brady said the NTA’s confirmation is a welcome step and shows the project is finally moving into early development. He said the shift from a 2042 horizon to a defined 2031–36 window is significant and reflects the scale of growth planned for the region.

However, he warned that the move will mean little unless government commits to funding and ensures the project progresses beyond studies and timelines.

Deputy Brady said the government’s decision to omit the Luas extension from the National Development Plan for 2026 to 2030 raises questions about whether the project will receive the support needed to meet the NTA’s proposed schedule.

He said the project must now move into delivery, with the government matching the NTA’s work with funding and political commitment.