Minister Ryan welcomes planning application for MetroLink

• planning application marks a key stage in moving MetroLink to construction
• ambitious rail “megaproject”, mostly underground, will connect North and South Dublin
• part of wider roll out of new public transport infrastructure across Ireland

The Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan has welcomed the progression of MetroLink to the next major milestone, with the submission today of a planning application from Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) to An Bord Pleanála for the rail route.

This planning application (Railway Order) marks a key stage in the development of the ambitious MetroLink “megaproject”. MetroLink consists of a new fully segregated railway, most of which will be underground, between the Swords area and Charlemont in the south of Dublin City Centre. The route will serve multiple residential communities such as Swords, Ballymun and Glasnevin, as well as Dublin Airport, the City Centre, and major employment, education and other facilities.

By interchanging with heavy rail, DART, Luas and bus services, MetroLink will connect to more than a million people in the Dublin area and more across Ireland. This key national project will enhance accessibility and connectivity, improve the quality of the urban environment in Dublin, and help to decarbonise the transport sector.

Minister Ryan commented:

Chief Executive of TII, Peter Walsh, commented:

Dependent on the outcome of the planning and procurement processes, construction of MetroLink is earmarked to commence in 2025 with a view to operation in the early 2030s. In the meantime, there are many other public transport projects in progress across the country:

• as part of BusConnects, new bus services were introduced in north and west Dublin last year, covering areas such as Howth/Malahide and Lucan. Northern Orbital services were introduced in May, covering Finglas and Blanchardstown, while new services to Ballyfermot and on the southside will be operational before this Christmas
• 41 new intercity railcars will enter service across the Iarnród Éireann network in 2023, increasing peak time capacity on intercity services by around 34% compared to today
• in July the number of off-peak weekday trains operating in Cork was doubled to every 30 minutes, to/from both Cobh and Midleton. Major infrastructure improvements in Cork commuter rail in the coming years will see further service improvements by the end of 2026
• the draft Iarnród Éireann timetable from this December, currently open for public consultation, proposes improvements that include 12 more off-peak commuter services between Newbridge and Heuston and a 15-minute journey time reduction on Ballybrophy-Limerick services following line infrastructure works this year
• CIÉ lodged a planning application for DART+ West with An Bord Pleanála in July, a project that will double the train services on the Maynooth line. Furthermore, 95 new DART carriages have been ordered and should enter service, including to Drogheda, in late 2025
• in September, Galway City Council lodged a planning application with An Bord Pleanála for the Galway Cross-City Link, which will provide a fast and efficient bus route across the city as part of BusConnects Galway
• the NTA began rolling out improved rural bus services as part of Connecting Ireland in 2022 in areas such as Castlebar and Tullamore. Improved Local Link services will continue to be rolled out from 2022-2025 under Connecting Ireland

Metrolink in numbers

• 1st of its kind in Ireland
• 18.8 km in length, with 15 stations on opening and another opens later
• only 25 minutes end to end journey time on route
• in initial years, trains every 3 minutes at peak time, system will be capable of carrying up to 20,000 passengers in each direction every hour
• 1 airport, 2 interconnecting train stations on route, 1 main Luas connection, and enhanced connectivity to 2 major inter-city train stations
• growing population of 175,000 people within easy walking distance of the route, connecting more than a million people in the Dublin area
• 250,000 jobs within easy reach of the route
• €9.5 billion central capital cost estimate, €13.7 billion benefits to the economy and society over 60 years

MetroLink route and capacity

• MetroLink is a mostly underground 18.8km rail route between the Swords area and Charlemont in the south Dublin City Centre. See a map of the route
• MetroLink will serve a growing population of circa 175,000 people living within easy walking distance of the route, including in Swords, Ballymun and Glasnevin, with Fingal having one of the fastest growing populations in the country. It provides access to employment, education, leisure and healthcare facilities. This includes Dublin Airport, the Rotunda Hospital, the Mater Hospital, Dublin City University and Trinity College Dublin
• MetroLink significantly improves wider connections across Dublin and beyond. The stations on its route will connect to Irish Rail, DART and DART+ services (at Tara Street and Glasnevin train stations), Luas services (at the Charlemont stop), bus and BusConnects services, as well as to Dublin Airport. MetroLink is therefore a transformative railway project, widening bus and rail connectivity for over a million people in the Dublin area as well as an even greater number across Ireland
• MetroLink will be a fully automated system offering safe and reliable transport to circa 100 million passengers per annum by 2060. MetroLink trains and stations will have accessible and safe designs to improve mobility for all passengers
• during peak periods there will be a capacity of 20 trains operating per hour each way, at a frequency of three minutes between trains when operations commence. This can rise to a service every 90 seconds by 2060, with MetroLink capable of carrying up to 20,000 passengers per hour in each direction
• the peak passenger demand for MetroLink (in a core scenario) is anticipated to rise to circa 15,000 passengers per direction per hour by 2060. For comparison, the maximum capacity of the Luas is currently circa 9,000 passengers per direction per hour, and it is not considered feasible to upgrade it beyond a maximum capacity of circa 12,000. Hence, the capacity of MetroLink is robust to cater for likely future passenger demand on the route, in a way that other transport options such as Luas and bus are not

Governance and economics

• MetroLink is fully aligned with the government’s National Planning Framework, the Climate Action Plan 2021, the Greater Dublin Area Transport Strategy 2016-2035 (and draft update to 2042), Housing for All, and the Sustainable Mobility Policy. The National Development Plan (NDP) 2021-2030 specifically lists MetroLink as one of its strategic investment priorities
• Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) is the Sponsoring Agency for MetroLink and is responsible for the delivery of the project, while the National Transport Authority (NTA) is the Approving Authority and has oversight of TII’s delivery
• on the basis of the evidence, the Department of Transport recommended that the Minister for Transport present the MetroLink project for approval to the Cabinet under Decision Gate 1 of the Public Spending Code. Cabinet approval was accordingly provided on 4 July 2022
• as MetroLink is at a relatively early stage of development, the precise capital delivery cost of the project is not yet known. At this stage of the project, there are three main scenarios:

o A lower-end P30 cost, the target cost for management, at €7.16 billion;

o The central P50 cost, at €9.5 billion;

o An upper P80 cost, with high inflation and contingencies, €12.25 billion

• MetroLink provides for benefits to the Irish economy and society to the tune of €13.7 billion over 60 years, representing a positive Benefit-to-Cost ratio of 1.4 for the Irish economy. In other words, for €1 of incremental economic cost, MetroLink delivers €1.40 of economic benefit to the Irish economy. It should be noted that this is a conservative estimate, and for example does not monetise wider benefits from the project such as greenhouse gas emission reductions

Next steps

• assuming timely planning approval from An Bord Pleanála, and government approval at MetroLink in 2023 as part of Decision Gate 2 of the Public Spending Code, the procurement process for the project will be finalised in 2025
• on the basis of the above, a final project tender price for the project could be submitted to Government for its decision at Decision Gate 3 in 2025. MetroLink could commence construction in late 2025 such that it would start operations in the early 2030s