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Luas
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Luas | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Type | Public Private Partnership |
| Founded | 2004 |
| Headquarters | Dublin, Republic of Ireland |
| Area served | Republic of Ireland |
| Industry | Infrastructure & Public Transportation State Administrator |
| Parent | Department of Transport |
| Website | Luas |
Luas [ɫ̪uəsˠ] (Irish for 'speed'), also promoted in the development stage as the Dublin Light Rail System, currently encompasses two unconnected on-street light rail lines in Dublin, Ireland. It is one of 450 light rail systems operating in cities around the world.
Originally under the organisation of Córas Iompair Éireann, the project was moved to the Railway Procurement Agency upon that body's inception, while it is operated by Veolia Transport Ireland (formerly known as Connex). The system is also often called a tram network. The Luas is a major part of the Dublin Transportation Office's strategy (2000-2016).[1] It is estimated that around 80,000 people use the Luas daily; and, as of November 2006, over 50 million journeys have been made on the system.[2] The Luas is also one of the safest transport systems in the world. [3]
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Services commenced on the Green Line on Wednesday 30 June 2004, with free fares for the first five days of operation. The Red Line opened on 28 September 2004, almost a month behind schedule. It remains to be seen whether the Luas will prove effective in combating Dublin's traffic congestion problems.
The Red and Green Lines are separate lines, with separate depots and facilities, and fixed allocations of trams; there is no simple method to transfer trams between the two lines.
Luas daily passenger use rose to 80,000 by November 2006. Luas operates without a State subvention. The service recorded a surplus of €985,000 (€680,000 in 2004) - an achievement well ahead of an anticipated deficit of €2.5 million.[4].
The system runs off a 750 V DC overhead power supply, and one two-unit tram can carry 235 people. The international standard rail gauge of 1435mm (4ft 8½in) is used, rather than the Irish 1600mm (5ft 3in).
The system was built comprising two lines:
- Red Line (Line A): Connolly Station to central Tallaght, 15 km (9 mi)
- Green Line (Line B): St. Stephen's Green to Sandyford, 10 km (6 mi)
In the original plans, the Red Line was divided into Line A from Tallaght to Abbey Street and Line C from Abbey Street to Connolly Station, whilst Line B was the alternative name for the Green Line. This terminology, which split the network into three lines, is not currently used. Early reports also discussed a Line D from Broadstone to Ballymun and Dublin Airport and an underground Line E from St Stephen's Green to Broadstone - these would have formed a third line, from St Stephen's Green to Dublin Airport. However no firm details were set, though several proposed routes were investigated with a completion date of 2005 envisioned at the time. (One early configuration of the proposed route to Ballymun had a road-bound alignment following Drumcondra Road, Collins Avenue Extension and Ballymun Road.)
The Red Line runs in an east-west direction through Dublin's Northside, then crosses the Liffey and travels south-west to the town of Tallaght. The Green Line is entirely in the south side of Dublin city. Apart from the city-centre section, where it runs down Harcourt Street to St. Stephen's Green, it follows the route of the old Harcourt Street railway line, which was reserved for possible re-use when it closed in 1958. The Red Line and Green Line are not connected to each other, with a 15 minute walk between the two closest points. Services run at regular intervals, from every three minutes during peak times to every 15 minutes late at night. The last tram leaves the terminus at 00:30 (23:30 on Sundays and public holidays).
The silver Citadis trams, manufactured in La Rochelle by Alstom, reach a top speed of 70 km/h on off-road sections, but travel at a slower speed where conflicts with other vehicles or pedestrians can occur. Interestingly, the Red Line trams, despite operating on a busier line with a higher population and intersecting three transport interchanges and two major hospitals, were delivered at only 30m long with a capacity of 235. The Green Line trams, at 40m each, have a capacity of 358 including two wheelchairs. Red line tramsets are being gradually upgraded to 40m by inserting two more articulated sections.
In other aspects, the two lines are identical except that the clearance between the lines on the Green Line is slightly wider than on the Red Line. Note that this does not relate to the track gauge of 1435mm, which is identical on both lines, contrary to an urban myth which has gained wide currency in Dublin. This will allow wider metro trains be run on the same tracks if a proposed upgrade to full metro service is implemented. This is possible because the route uses an old railway line and as such has few interactions with vehicular or pedestrian traffic. The Red Line was constructed largely on or beside public roads and is not suited to wider and faster metro trains. However both existing sets of tramcars are fully compatible with both the Red and the Green Lines.
The main engineering structures on the Green Line at present are Milltown Viaduct, also known as The Nine Arches, a large stone viaduct dating from 1854, and the William Dargan Bridge, a large new cable-stayed suspension bridge at Taney Cross, near Dundrum town centre.
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This article or section contains information about a planned or expected public transportation infrastructure. It may contain information of a speculative nature and the content may change dramatically as the construction and/or completion of the infrastructure approaches, and more information becomes available. |
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On 26 February 2007 pre-construction works began on the Green Line extension (Line B1) which will take the line from the current terminus at Sandyford to Cherrywood.
The Transport 21 plan[5] covering the period 2005-2015 announced by the Minister for Transport on 1 November 2005 envisages the following Luas line extensions:
- 2009
- Line C1 – Connolly to Docklands extension (Red Line) - The Report of Public Inquiry recommended that this 1.7 km (1.1 mi) extension proceed subject to certain conditions concerning effective risk management to avoid potential services disruption. The extension will run along Mayor St, Upper and Lower. There will be 4 stops: George's Dock, Mayor Square, Spencer Dock (serving the new Docklands railway station, approximately 500 metres away) and terminating at the Point Depot. Construction started at the beginning of June 2007.[6]
- 2010
- Line A1 – Tallaght to Citywest link (Subject to developer contribution). This will be a 4 km (2.5 mi) extension. Construction has not yet started.
- Line B1 – Sandyford to Cherrywood extension (Green Line). This line may be converted to a metro at a later stage. This extension of the Green Line will be 7.2 km (4.5 mi) long. Construction commenced on 26 February 2007. The planned route leaves the old railway alignment after Sandyford to Central Park stop, crosses the M50 and runs down Ballyogan Rd. with stops at Glencairn, The Gallops, Leopardstown Valley and Ballyogan Wood. It then crosses the M50 again, re-joining the alignment at Racecourse stop, west of Glenamuck Rd. Continuing along the original alignment it passes by the original Carrickmines station to Carrickmines stop and Brennanstown stop. The Carrickmines stop will incorporate Park and Ride facilities; both it and Brennanstown will be accessed by new roads from the M50 side, not from the Brennanstown Rd. side. Beyond Brennanstown the route crosses open countryside, diverging slightly from, but paralleling the old alignment to Laughanstown stop, Cherrywood stop and ending at Bride’s Glen stop, adjacent to Dell.
- 2012
- Line D – City Centre to Liffey Junction. This will serve Grangegorman, the site of the new DIT campus. This line will link with the Maynooth line. Construction has not yet started.
- Line BX – City Centre link for Red and Green Lines. The route has not yet been decided, so construction has not yet started.
- 2013
- Line F – City Centre to Lucan. On Thursday 27 September 2007, Noel Dempsey (Minister for Transport) launched the public consultation process for the planned Luas line to Lucan. It is expected that it will link with Metro West. Construction has not yet started.
- 2015
- Line B2 – Cherrywood to Bray environs extension (Green Line). This is an extension of 6.8 km (4.2 mi). On 6 June 2007, the route of this Luas extension was announced. It will run from Cherrywood to Fassaroe, and will run very close to the M11 motorway, eventually crossing it near the Wilford interchange. Construction has not yet started.
There are also plans for a new line from the City Centre to Rathfarnham, Terenure and Harold's Cross. However, the feasibility study has yet to be carried out, so construction has not yet commenced. It is unknown when the project will be completed.
For the very distant future there have been proposals to link the Red and Green Lines via the southern suburbs of Dublin. This idea involves routing the Luas from Tallaght through Firhouse and Knocklyon and Ballinteer, then to Dundrum or perhaps Sandyford. There is sufficient space for such a tram line alongside the M50 motorway, which runs more or less along this route.
With the success of the Luas system in Dublin, there is very strong support for bringing light rail to other Irish cities, including Belfast, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford. [1][2][3][4]
Most Luas tickets are purple in colour and credit-card sized. They bear a magnetic stripe on the back although this is not used on Luas itself. Uniquely among Dublin's public transport, tickets are not checked upon boarding trams and an honour system, combined with random inspections, is used.
Ticket machines operate at every Luas stop and these are the only source of single-journey and return tickets. They also sell 1-day, 7-day and 30-day tickets, valid in either some or all the fare zones, for adults, children and students. It is also possible to purchase tickets valid on Luas and Dublin Bus. Certain ticket combinations are not possible (for example a one-day student ticket), and tickets can only be valid from the stop at which they are purchased and must commence their validity immediately. Certain tickets require the user to hold an ID card and write the number on the ticket, to prevent the ticket from being transferred to another person.
Luas tickets are sold at local shops, mostly in the vicinity of Luas stops. Certain tickets are slightly cheaper in shops than at ticket machines. Dublin Bus and Luas tickets can also be purchased from shops, although these must be used on a bus before they are valid for use on a Luas.
The red line is divided into four zones, and the green line into three zones. Fares are calculated based on how many zones a journey is taken through. There is a stop on the border of each zone, which is considered to be in whichever zone is more beneficial to the traveller. The central zone is common to both lines.
The two lines do not connect, but it is possible to purchase tickets which are valid for a journey using both lines. It is necessary to walk or take other transport between the two lines, most commonly between St. Stephen's Green (on the green line) and Abbey Street (on the red line). Alternatives include buses (the number 92 links St. Stephen's Green to Heuston and the number 18 links Ranelagh to Kylemore) and taxis.
In March 2005 the Luas smartcard was launched. This allows travellers to pay for travel on the Luas network. Credit is pre-loaded onto the smartcard at ticket machines by cash, debit card or credit card, with a minimum top-up of €5 and a maximum credit on the card of €100, and the customer must validate the card using readers on the platform before boarding the tram and then again after exiting the tram. This is referred to as 'tag-on' and 'tag-off'.
A smartcard can be purchased at a Luas ticket agent or online.[7] The card costs €10, which includes a €3 non-refundable charge for the card, €3 of credit and €4 for a fully refundable 'reserve fund' which allows travel even if there is insufficient credit on the card for the journey. However, the card must then be topped up before another journey can be taken.
Smartcard fares are slightly cheaper than standard single and return fares from ticket machines. For example, a journey within a single zone costs €1.25 with the card, compared to €1.40 (€1.50 during peak time) single with a paper ticket, or €2.60 return. However, daily, 7-day and 30-day tickets generally work out cheaper, unless used only rarely. Unlike London's Oyster card, Luas smartcards are unable to store multiple-journey tickets and these tickets are issued on paper only.
The Smartcard project is part of the Railway Procurement Agency's integrated ticketing system, which, when completed, should allow travellers to use the one card to pay for travel on all public transport in Ireland.
The Luas became the subject of a spoof rap song in 2007 entitled "The Luas Rap". The accompanying music video directed by Liam Geraghty as well as the raps creators Dr. Stu and Keith O'Neill became a hit on social networking site BEBO which led to clips of it being broadcast on RTE's The Podge and Rodge Show.
- ^ Dublin Transportation Office. DTO strategy (2000-2016). Retrieved on 2006-12-10.
- ^ RTÉ News. 50 million journeys made on Luas. Retrieved on 2006-12-10.
- ^ Luas 'one world's safest transport systems'. Breakingnews.ie (03/06/2007). Retrieved on 2007-12-02.
- ^ Railway Procurement Agency. 2005 Annual Report. Retrieved on 2006-12-10.
- ^ FinFacts Ireland (1 November 2005). Government launches €34bn '21st century transport plan for 21st century Ireland'. Retrieved on 2006-12-10.
- ^ Inquiry backs extension of Luas Red Line - RPA website
- ^ Luas Smart Card.
- Transport in Ireland
- List of Irish companies
- Public Transport Operators in Dublin
- Trams in Europe
- Harcourt Street railway line
- The DART
- Dublin United Transport Company (pre-1945 operator of Dublin's original tram system)
- Luas
- Luas Smartcard
- ALSTOM website - French manufacturer of Trams, metros and Trains
- Photos of Luas Green line(Harcourt Street)
- Platform 11 Ireland's National Rail Users Group
- [5] Photos of Luas construction
- [6] Music video for "The Luas Rap"