Review of Luas green line planned ahead of north Wicklow extension

By Hugh O'Farrell Walsh, The Wicklow People

Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) have confirmed a capacity study of the Luas Green line will begin before the end of this year, as planning continues around the future extension of the route towards Bray in County Wicklow.

The Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area 2022-2042 prepared by the National Transport Authority (NTA) sets out the objective for an extension of the line south of Brides Glen in County Dublin towards the north Wicklow town.

A presentation from the NTA Park and Ride Team to Wicklow County Council in January 2023 outlined plans to extend the line by 2029, if there were no unexpected delays.

However, that timeline was later revised as part of the NTA’s strategy, which will be delivered over three phases – short term up to 2030 to align with the National Development Plan, medium-term from 2031 to 2036, and longer-term from 2037 to 2042. While the strategy does not include plans to extend the line to the Shankill Dart station, the Bray extension is forecast to be delivered during the medium term.

Before being able to extend the system, a need exists to increase the capacity of the existing Green Line to cater for the additional passenger demand from the new areas south of Bride’s Glen that would be added to the lengthened Green Line.

New briefing documents from TII show additional capacity on the existing line is a pre-requisite for any extension to Bray.

The state agency doesn’t believe extending the route would make sense unless the system was able to cater for the increased passenger demand.

The study will consider the outcome of the Metrolink railway order application, as that project has a considerable bearing on passenger flows on the existing Green Line.

TII believe it will next year before the study is concluded and proposals to increase the passenger capacity of the Green Line are finalised.

A separate transport study conducted by the NTA, Wicklow County Council, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and TII in 2019 suggested a 7.5-minute AM peak hour frequency with interchange with the proposed Metrolink at Sandyford.

The extension would have included stops at Stonebridge Road, Crinken Lane, Allies River Road, Old Connaught Avenue, Dublin Road, the former Bray Golf Club and Bray Dart Station.

It’s now expected a new options assessment process will take place to determine the most suitable stop locations between Bride’s Glen and Bray.

A TII presentation earlier this summer said that light rail would be “a key part of public transport in the region for the future and plans for new lines should be accelerated”.

It also recommended moving forward with the extension to Bray with an indicative start date of between 2028 and 2030, with construction expected to last between five and seven years.

The local area plan currently being drafted by Wicklow County Council for the Bray Municipal District highlights the Luas extension as a key part of promoting sustainable mobility.

Other short to medium term goals identified in relation to the development of the area include a requirement for high-capacity bus services between Bray and Fassaroe, a new distributor road, N/M11 upgrades and a new bridge to Old Connaught.