Fourth Report of the Light Rail Advisory/Action Group

February 2001

To the Minister for Public Enterprise

Members of the Light Rail Advisory & Action Group

Chairman: Padraic A. White

Other Members: Andrew Cullen, Department of Public Enterprise

Gerry Duggan, E.S.B. International

Caroline Gill, Insurance Ombudsman

Donal Mangan, Light Rail Project Director

Pat Mangan, Department of Public Enterprise

(until November 2000)

Oliver O’Connor, Special Adviser to the Tánaiste

Tom Wall, I.C.T.U.

Co-ordinator: Monica Wallace, Department of Public Enterprise

Pat Mangan of the Department of Public Enterprise, who was a

member of the Advisory Group from its inception, resigned in November

2000 following a change in his responsibility in the Department to

the regulatory and restructuring area of public transport. The Group

benefited greatly from his expertise in all aspects of public transport

policy. He was replaced by Andrew Cullen who has responsibility

for public transport planning and investment.

Contents

Role of the Light Rail Advisory & Action Group 2

An Expanded Light Rail and Metro Network for Dublin 3

Introduction by the Chairman 4

Overview of Progress on the Light Rail Network 6

Group’s Findings 9

Tallaght to Abbey Street (Line A) 9

Sandyford to St. Stephen’s Green (Line B) 12

Abbey Street to Connolly Station (Line C) 14

Emerging Issues 16

Annex A: Terms of Reference for the Light 18Rail Advisory & Action Group

Annex B: Progress against the Indicative 19Timetable for the Light Rail Project

Annex C: Operational Guidelines for the Light 20Rail Advisory & Action Group

Annex D: Overview of Implementation and 22Monitoring Structure

The Light Rail Advisory & Action Group was

established by the Minister for Public Enterprise

in November 1998. The mandate of the Group,

since that time, has been to oversee the

planning and implementation of the light rail

network as decided by the Government in

May 1998. This network comprised five light

rail lines and broadly envisaged two major

routes, from Tallaght to Connolly Station

and from Sandyford Industrial Estate to the

Airport via an underground section in the

City Centre. The Advisory and Action Group’s

particular focus has been on adherence to

the indicative timetable, published by the

Minister, for implementation of that network.

In January 2001, the Minister adjusted

the mandate of the Group, in order to

accommodate new proposals for an

expanded Dublin light rail network as

outlined in the Dublin Transportation Office’s

recently published strategy, “A Platform for

Change”. Also, the change in mandate was

to reflect a Government decision of July

2000 to develop a metro system for Dublin,

which would include, at a later date, the

upgraded light rail Line B from Sandyford

to St. Stephen’s Green and an extension

of this line south to Shanganagh, near Bray,

and north to Swords via the City Centre and

Dublin Airport.

Accordingly, the Minister confirmed the Group’s

continuing terms of reference in relation to the

Tallaght to Connolly Station line and the

Sandyford to St. Stephen’s Green line (Lines

A, B and C), and to the indicative timetable

for completion of construction of these lines

as set down by Government in May 1998.

The Minister also extended the Group’s

mandate to specifically include monitoring

of the arrangements for communication with

the public during the construction phase of

Lines A, B and C. In addition, she indicated

that the Group would have a further role to

play in relation to future metro or LUAS lines,

when detailed implementation plans for the

DTO’s proposals have been considered. (See

revised Terms of Reference for the Group at

Annex A).

Our role is to advise the Minister as to whether

the project is on schedule or deviating from

schedule. We can also raise early warning

flags if we see problems emerging. We will

also review and make recommendations in

relation to effective communications with the

public and with those directly affected by the

construction works. The Group is an advisory

group only – it does not have executive

responsibility for implementation. It is an

action group only insofar as our deliberations

influence others or our advice to the Minister

highlights the need for action to keep the

light rail and metro projects on schedule.

The Light Rail Advisory & Action Group’s Role

2/3

An Expanded Light Rail and MetroNetwork for Dublin

What is Metro?

Metro is a light rail system that is similar to LUAS

except that it runs on completely segregated

lines throughout its entire length (that is, it has

no on-street sections). This means that it can

have longer trains, operating at higher speeds

and higher frequency and therefore has the

potential to provide very high passenger

capacity. Tunnels may be needed to maintain

segregation in densely developed areas.

Government Decision to Develop aMetro for Dublin

On 31 July 2000, the Minister for Public

Enterprise announced the Government’s

decision, in principle, to develop a metro for

Dublin. The Government also decided that the

metro system would be developed on a public

private partnership basis using a design, build,

finance and operate mechanism. The system is

to include:

■ a line from Shanganagh (near Bray,

where passengers can interchange with

DART) to Swords via the City Centre and

Dublin Airport. Construction of this line

will entail the upgrading of the light rail

Line B to Metro between Sandyford and

Ranelagh;

■ a line from Finglas to Tallaght via

Blanchardstown and Clondalkin; and

■ a line from Citywest to the City Centre

via Tallaght and Kimmage.

The Light Rail Project Office is currently working

on initial implementation plans for the Metro.

“A Platform for Change” - DublinTransportation Office Proposals forMetro and for an Expanded Light RailNetwork

In September 2000, the Dublin Transportation

Office published its outline proposals for an

integrated transportation strategy for the

Greater Dublin Area for the period 2000 to

2016. The DTO strategy includes proposals for

the metro which had already been approved,

in principle, by the Government. The strategy

also includes proposals for additional light rail

lines, including:

■ the extension of LUAS Line C to the

Docklands;

■ a north-south line from Sillogue to

Dundrum via Ballymun, Whitehall, the

city centre, Harold’s Cross, Terenure

and Rathfarnham; and

■ an east-west line from Lucan to

Docklands, via Ballyfermot, Dolphin’s

Barn, the South City Centre and the

proposed Macken Street Bridge.

Map of Metro and Extended LRT

We can report that completion of the LUAS

lines on the two main routes from Tallaght

to Connolly Station and from Sandyford to

St Stephen’s Green in the target year of 2003

remains feasible and will result in the hard

pressed commuters in the catchment areas

of these lines having an attractive new form

of public transport available to them some

two years from now.

In May 1998, the Government set down an

indicative timetable for completion of the

Tallaght and Sandyford routes at various dates

in the year 2003 and, while variation from an

exact target month is possible, the finishing of

construction and commencement of passenger

services during the year 2003 is a realistic

prospect. It is worth re-iterating that there has

been no change or postponement in the

commitment to the year 2003 start–up for

these 2 LUAS routes. The Government approval

in principle for a new Metro system and other

aspects of the DTO (Dublin Transportation

Office) strategy up to the year 2016 will

complement the LUAS service now under

construction – it does not imply any delay

whatever in the current LUAS projects.

The planning procedures for the lines under the

Light Rail legislation have now been completed.

A second public inquiry under Judge Sean

O’Leary into the Store St – Connolly section

was held in September 2000. He approved the

revised proposals for the terminus at Connolly

Station, the Minister for Public Enterprise Mary

O’Rourke, T.D., accepted the recommendations

in November and the consequent light rail

orders are now in force.

There is commendable progress on a host of

works to facilitate the LUAS service. The major

depot at the Red Cow interchange on the

Tallaght line is well underway and construction

of the depot at Sandyford is due to commence

shortly. The first tram is scheduled for delivery

in October and 6 trams per quarter will

be delivered from January next.

We report that there has been a slippage of

some 5 months in the timetable for awarding

the main contract to lay the track bed and

do the mechanical work associated with it –

instead of October 2000, it is now estimated

that the contract will be awarded in March

2001. The Project Team decided to seek to

have one contractor

Introduction by the Chairman

for all the lines as they believed this would

be more cost effective and that one contractor

would be more efficient in delivering on time.

Until the chosen contractor is in place, it is not

possible to assess if there will be a knock-on

delay of some months but we do not, at this

stage, see the slippage as materially affecting

commencement of services during the

year 2003.

One of our tasks as an Advisory Group is

to raise warning flags where we encounter

anything that would threaten the achievement

of the LUAS start-up timetable. There is now

evidence of a lack of inter-agency co-ordination

where other agencies do not share the LUAS

timetable priority, with resulting slowness of

decision making, delays in funding allocation

for related works and lack of speed of

implementation. These can all threaten the

timetable for completion of a line. It takes

only a delay at one junction or spot on the

route which LUAS must travel on to impede

the commencement of services. Our report

most strongly recommends that every effort

is made - including Cabinet intervention if

necessary - to resolve these difficulties urgently

and to secure the commitment of other

agencies in aligning their work priorities

with the LUAS timetable.

I would also draw attention to other services

which must be in place so that passenger

services will commence on schedule in the

year 2003. The operating franchise for the

lines is to be awarded following an open

competition announced by Minister O’Rourke

on 2nd January and is expected to result in

a preferred bidder being recommended to

the Minister next Autumn. A new Railway

Procurement Agency (R.P.A.) is to be

established in the autumn also subject

to the legislation – the Transport (Railway

Procurement) Bill 2001 - being enacted. The

new Agency will take over the responsibilities

of the Light Rail Project Office and will sign

the contract with the selected franchise

operator. These significant developments

are being synchronised so as to provide the

operator with ample time to prepare for the

2003 service start.

Another crucial objective will be to test and

commission the trams and the track in good

time so as to secure the necessary safety

certification from the Inspector of Railways.

Finally, we wish to report that the Minister

has adjusted and extended our mandate

from January 2001. She has re-affirmed our

mandate in relation to the LUAS lines which

have a specific completion time-table (Tallaght

and Sandyford lines). As the heavy

construction phase of the LUAS work is about

to commence, she has extended our mandate

to include “monitoring of the arrangements

for communication with the public during the

construction phase”. She has indicated her

intention of considering the role of the Advisory

Group in relation to the new Metro and further

light rail projects.

Padraic A. White

Chairman

February 20014/5

The first phase of the light rail network which

is being implemented, and the timetable for

which the Advisory and Action Group is

mandated to review, consists of two

major routes:

■ A surface line from Tallaght to Connolly

Station via Abbey Street, and

■ A line from Sandyford to St. Stephen’s

Green, using the old Harcourt Street

railway alignment as far as Ranelagh.

In our previous four reports we have

consistently been able to report that work

on the Sandyford and Tallaght lines was

on schedule for completion of construction

in 2003, in accordance with the indicative

timetable set down by the Government in

May 1998.

We can report that completion of the lines

in 2003 remains feasible even though some

slippage on contract placement has occurred

and inter-agency delays have eroded some of

the “float” time available. There is accordingly

little scope for any slippage in placing or

completing contracts in order to ensure

timely completion.

An estimate of the timescales involved in

implementing the network was set down

in an indicative timetable. The main findings

of the Group in respect of adherence to the

indicative timetable are summarised as follows:

There has been a five month delay in letting

the main construction contract for both lines

(track laying and mechanical/electrical

equipment installation). The target date

of October 2000 for awarding this contract

has not been met and it is now likely that

the main contractor will be appointed in

mid-March. This delay is largely due to the

decision to incorporate construction work

on all lines into this contract, thereby achieving

certain economies of scale for the project.

The Group will further assess the implications

of this slippage on the programme when the

contract has been awarded.

In most respects, preparatory work on the

Tallaght to Abbey Street line has been

progressing steadily and is generally on

schedule. The contract for construction of

the Red Cow depot was awarded in October

2000 and construction is well underway.

Difficulties have occurred in a number of areas

where preparatory work is being undertaken

in cooperation with other agencies. The

relocation of facilities at St. James’ Hospital

and new roadworks by South Dublin County

Council at the Longmile Road have both been

delayed due to funding problems. The Group

advises that both these issues are on the

critical path for adherence to the project

timetable and must be resolved immediately.

If not resolved soon, these problems could

result in further delays.

Overview of Progress on the Light Rail Network

In relation to the Abbey Street to Connolly

Station line (Line C), a second public inquiry

was held in September 2000, following the

Minister’s decision not to approve the original

proposals for the terminus at Harbourmaster

Place. The Inspector to the inquiry submitted

his report to the Minister in October 2000,

having found that the revised proposals for

the terminus at Connolly Station were

acceptable. The Minister subsequently made

two light railway orders on 22 November 2000

in respect of this section of the line. No appeals

to the orders were submitted within the judicial

review period, which expired on 22 January.

The Group considers that work on this section

of the line could be completed at the same

time as the Tallaght to Abbey Street line.

The target date of Summer 2003 for

the commencement of services on the

Sandyford to St. Stephen’s Green line (Line B)

remains feasible. Property acquisition and

preparatory works on this line are progressing

in accordance with the project timetable.

Work on the Dundrum by-pass, including the

foundations for the new bridge over Taney

Road on which LUAS will travel, is about to

commence. The heavy construction work on

this line, including track-laying, mechanical

and electrical installations as well as the

construction of the depot at Sandyford and

of the Taney Bridge, will commence on target

shortly after the award of the main construction

contract referred to above. The plans for the

bridge over the Taney Road/Dundrum junction

required modifications so as to be able to

support the longer and heavier vehicles

envisaged when the line moves from light

rail to Metro standard.

6/7

The first Dublin tramon the production linein La Rochelle, France.

The original target dates for the LUAS lines

referred to completion of construction. But

for a service to be available to the public

there are a number of other critical targets

to be achieved in synchronisation with the

construction schedule. They include particularly

the arrangements for the appointment of the

operators of the service and they, in turn, have

to gear up to be operational on the planned

start-up day.

Another critical milestone to start-up will be

the commissioning of the vehicles and the

Railway Inspectorate acceptance of the safety

case, which demonstrates that the system is

safe for the travelling public.

As regards the commissioning and operation

of the three light rail lines, the necessary

preparations are underway and are being

planned in accordance with the target dates

for commencement of passenger services.

A timetable for the award of the operating

franchise has been drawn up and the

competition for the franchise has commenced

on schedule. The franchise is due to be

awarded in October 2001, allowing the

operator sufficient time for testing, training

drivers and obtaining the safety approvals.

In advance of the award of the franchise,

an operations expert has been engaged to

ensure operational input to the finalisation of

design and the construction phase. The Group

is satisfied that this will help eliminate any

potential setbacks to the project during the

operator’s “settling in” period.

Overview of Progress on the Light Rail Network (continued)

Line A depot at Red Cow - West Elevation.

Under the indicative timetable for this line,

construction should be completed by end

January 2003.

It is likely that there will be a five-month delay

in awarding the main construction contract.

The target date for awarding the contract was

October 2000, but this target has not been

met, due mainly to an incorporation of

construction work on Lines B and C into the

contract. Negotiations with the two shortlisted

bidders are still on going but it is expected that

the contract will be awarded by mid-March

2001. Until the contractor is chosen, it will not

be possible to realistically assess if the 5 month

delay can be recovered or will lead to

construction completion being marginally

extended from January 2003 to mid-2003.

There are a number of difficulties involving

other institutions and third parties which

need to be resolved as a matter of urgency.

These issues arise where there is a degree of

dependency on third parties in respect of other

essential works. To date, none of these issues

have eroded the timetable but they threaten to

do so if not resolved quickly. The Group advises

that the following issues in particular should be

addressed as a matter of urgency.

■ The need to secure funding for South

County Dublin’s development of a

junction at the Longmile Road; and

■ a delay in completing the contract to

allow for the relocation of the mortuary

and laundry building at St. James’

Hospital in order to facilitate LUAS

travelling within its perimeter as indicated

by the Inspector to the public inquiry.

8/9

Findings of the Light Rail Advisory & Action Group

Tallaght – Abbey Street ((LLiinnee AA))

Diversion of main Cork-Dublin gas pipeline

Work in progress at Steevens’ Lane

In other respects, progress on Line A has been

satisfactory and on schedule. The preparatory

construction work, including utilities diversion

work and necessary roadworks, is well

underway. Preparatory work on the section

from Tallaght to Red Cow is now substantially

complete. Work on widening access routes to

the Square shopping centre in Tallaght should

be completed by March. Bórd Gáis has also

begun diverting the main Cork-Dublin gas

pipeline from Suir Road bridge to facilitate

the line on Davitt Road in Inchicore. Steevens’

Lane, near Heuston Station, will continue to be

closed to traffic for some time while work is

progressing on the diversion of water mains

and telecom cables. Work on the Line A

depot at Red Cow is progressing according

to schedule. The steelwork for the central

control room is almost complete and the

administration block walls have been built

to second floor level. The depot will stable

26 trams for operation on the Tallaght to

Connolly Station line.The first tram will come

off the production line in March and is due to

arrive in Dublin, after testing, in October 2001.

Overall production of the trams is on schedule

for delivery of 6 trams per quarter, from

January 2002.

Most of the heavy construction on Line A will

take place during the coming year. The extent

of the traffic disruption will be significant in

some areas, and the patience and co-

operation of commuters and of the local

communities will be a key factor in ensuring

that work progresses smoothly. The Group

welcomes a number of initiatives planned to

manage the disruption and to keep the public

well informed in advance of developments.

A Traffic Management Committee, comprising

representatives from the local authorities, the

Garda Síochána, the utility companies and

Findings of the Light Rail Advisory & Action Group

Tallaght – Abbey Street ((LLiinnee AA)) (continued)

representative business and trade union

interests, has been established. Construction

updates have been issued regularly to

residents and businesses along the line, and

this information will shortly be available in

more detailed and regularly updated form on

the LUAS website at www.luas.ie. The website

will provide up to date advice regarding traffic

diversions and alternative routes.

In addition, a series of workshops were held

during January 2001 with “frontagers” in the

city centre section of the line, i.e. with retailers

and businesses fronting directly onto the

alignment in that area. The workshops served

to appraise business interests of the work to

be carried out and the level of disruption to

be expected, and also to obtain information

regarding their access and delivery needs.

This information will be used to inform the

traffic management process during the difficult

construction period.

In March 2000, the Government decided

that the Tallaght to Connolly Station line would

be operated on a public private partnership

basis. The Government subsequently decided,

in July 2000, that the Sandyford to St. Stephen’s

Green line would also be operated on this

basis. Accordingly, the Department of Public

Enterprise engaged consultants Masons,

Booz-Allen Hamilton and Babtie Group to

design and conduct a competition leading

to the award of an operating franchise.

A timetable for the competition has been

drawn up with a target date of October

2001 for award of the franchise. The

competition was launched by the Minister

on 2 January 2001, in accordance with the

competition timetable.

10/11

Work on the Line A depot at Red Cow

Preparatory work on the Sandyford to

St. Stephen’s Green line is now well advanced,

particularly on the old Harcourt Street railway

line. Work on the Dundrum by-pass, which will

incorporate the foundations for the new bridge

over Taney Road on which LUAS will travel, is

expected to commence in the near future. In

the city centre section, the planning of utility

diversions from Grand Parade to St. Stephen’s

Green has begun. The Light Rail Project Office

has recently initiated negotiations with

Eirgrid/E.S.B. to advance the date of a major

electricity diversion in Harcourt Street, in order

to reduce the potential for delays to the

timetable nearer the target date for completion.

The delay in awarding the main construction

contract will not have a knock-on effect on

the timetable for Line B, due to some flexibility

in the programme and to the extent of the

progress already made. The main construction

contract also includes the construction of the

Line B depot at Sandyford. This major project

is due to commence shortly after award of the

contract. We believe that the target of Summer

2003 for the commencement of services will

be met.

In a previous report, the Group suggested that

interim services could possibly be introduced

on this line, from Sandyford to Ranelagh, by

end-2002. The Group subsequently asked its

Findings of the Light Rail Advisory & Action Group

Sandyford – St. Stephen’s Green ((LLiinnee BB))

Proposed developmentat Taney Bridge

consultants to examine the feasibility of this

proposal in detail. The consultants reported to

the Group on this matter in November 2000,

concluding that interim services would, in fact,

be difficult to achieve. The main reason for this

is that services on Line B will be controlled from

the Line A depot at Red Cow. The construction

programme for the new Taney Bridge,

Dundrum, on Line B and the tram delivery

programme for this line will also not allow

for services on this line to be brought forward.

The prime focus of the Advisory Group will

consequently be on bringing the full service

into operation at the earliest possible date.

In its last report, the Group noted the plans to

upgrade this line to a metro service at a later

date and to extend it to Shanganagh to the

south and also to Swords via Dublin Airport.

The Group also notes new proposals to initially

extend the line south as far as Cherrywood,

financed by private developers.

12/13Landscaping on depotsite at Woodford

Cleared line in the vicinityof St. Benildus’ College

Site of Line A depotat Sandyford

Findings of the Light Rail Advisory & Action Group

Abbey Street – Connolly Station((LLiinnee CC))

In relation to the Abbey Street to Connolly

Station section of the line (Line C), a second

public inquiry was held in September 2000,

following the Minister’s decision not to

approve the original proposals for the terminus

at Harbourmaster Place. The Inspector to the

inquiry found that the revised proposals for the

terminus at Connolly Station were appropriate

and, in his report to the Minister in October

2000, recommended that they be approved.

The Minister accepted the Inspector’s

recommendations and subsequently made

two light railway orders on 22 November

in respect of this section of the line. These

orders are now in place. The Group is satisfied

that work on this section of the line could be

completed at the same time as the Tallaght to

Abbey Street line. However, due to the delay

in awarding the main construction contract,

completion of the Abbey Street to Connolly

Station line is likely to be affected in like

manner to the main section from Tallaght.

Until the contract is awarded in March 2001, it

is premature to assess the possibility of making

up the 5 month delay in awarding the contract

or to say if the completion of construction may

have to be marginally extended from January

2003 to mid-2003.

Proposed development outsideWynn’s Hotel on Abbey Street

14/15

Since publication of the Group’s last report

in August 2000 and with the development

of the construction phase of the project, a

number of issues have emerged with the

potential to influence the project timetable.

The Group has also noted changes proposed

for the environment in which the project is

administered and for the development of

Dublin’s public transport in general. These

issues and changes must be managed so

as to ensure the prioritisation of Lines A, B

and C and the adherence to the timetable

for commencement of services on these lines.

■ Inter-Agency Co-ordination

The construction of the LUAS lines involves

parallel works in a number of key areas,

carried out independently by other agencies

or in co-operation with the Light Rail Project

Office. These agencies are mainly the local

authorities, the utility companies, Dúchas

and St. James’ Hospital. A key issue is

the need for these institutions to align

their priorities, decision-making, funding

and speed of implementation with the

requirements of the LUAS programme.

This report highlights a number of areas

where lack of inter-agency co-operation

is now putting the programme at risk,

particularly on Line A. The Group strongly

advises that every effort is made to resolve

these difficulties as soon as possible

and to secure the commitment of other

agencies to integrate their work with the

project timetable. Where these issues

cannot be resolved at inter-agency level, the

Cabinet Sub-Committee on Infrastructure

Development should be informed.

■ Commissioning of LUAS into Service

Besides construction of the system, a

number of activities will be necessary

before commencement of passenger

services. These activities include the

engagement of an operator for the system

through a competitive process, testing the

system and obtaining the necessary safety

approvals. The Group has reviewed the

franchise timetable with the consultants

charged with designing and conducting

a competition for the operating franchise.

The necessary preparations are underway

for the timely commencement of passenger

services. However, the Group will continue

to monitor a number of areas critical to the

success of this phase of the project, such

as the timely passing of the new Transport

(Railway Procurement) Bill 2001, which

provides for the on-street running of light

rail and for a legally acceptable contract

structure for the operating franchise.

■ New Administrative Framework for implementation of LUAS

The proposed Transport (Railway

Procurement) Bill 2001 will establish

a new agency called the Railway

Procurement Agency, with responsibility

for the procurement of new railway

infrastructure in Ireland (including any future

light rail lines or metro lines). It is proposed

that this agency, to be established by

Autumn 2001, will also take over the

responsibilities currently held by the Light

Rail Project Office and will be the contracting

body for the light rail operating franchise.

Emerging Issues

The Group considers it essential that this

change in status and expanded role of the

Light Rail Project Office is implemented in a

structured way and that the delivery of Lines

A, B and C will continue to be prioritised.

■ Expanded Light Rail and Metro Network

The Group has met with the Dublin

Transportation Office for discussions

regarding that agency’s recently published

“A Platform for Change”, a revised strategy

for the Greater Dublin Area up to 2016.

The Group notes that the LUAS lines,

together with plans for an extended LUAS

network and Metro, form an integral part of

the future for public transport in the Greater

Dublin Area and the Group will continue to

work and support that objective.

■ Communications with the Public

The Group has continued to emphasise the

importance of effective communications with

the public and with those directly affected

by the construction works, and we note the

Minister’s decision to extend our mandate in

this regard. We intend to focus on this issue

as a priority as the project enters the main

construction phase and significant traffic

disruption occurs. The Group welcomes

the recent series of media initiatives, such

as the publication of a special 16-page

supplement in the Irish Independent on

20 January, and the development of the

LUAS website (www.luas.ie) to provide

up-to-date, online information regarding

traffic disruption. However, these initiatives

must be sustained and intensified, with the

objective of reaching all people affected

by the development and of promoting, to

a wider constituency, the benefits of this

new form of public transport.

16/17

Proposed LRT at the LongmileRoad/Naas Road junction

TOD

UBLIN

NA

AS

ROA

D

LON

GM

ILER

OA

D

KILL

EEN

ROADN

AA

SRO

AD

TOM

50

The LUAS website at www.luas.ie

Updated January 2001

1 The Light Rail Advisory/Action Group will

oversee the planning and implementation,

by CIE initially and, when established, by the

Railway Procurement Agency, of the light rail

lines approved by statute, as follows:

■ a line from Tallaght to Abbey Street, as

approved by the Dublin Light Rail – (Line A

– Tallaght to Abbey Street) Order 1999, and

an extension of that line from Abbey

Street to Connolly Station, as approved

by the Dublin Light Rail – (Line C – Abbey

Street to Store Street) Order 2000 and by

the Dublin Light Rail – (Line C(S) – Store

Street to Connolly Station) Order 2000.

■ a line from Sandyford Industrial Estate

to St. Stephen’s Green, as approved by

the Dublin Light Rail – (Line B – Sandyford

Industrial Estate to St. Stephen’s Green)

Order 1999.

It will also monitor the arrangements for

communication with the public during the

construction of the above light rail lines, with

an emphasis on effective communications

with residents, businesses and the general

public as an important factor in the delivery

of the project.

2 In carrying out its functions under paragraph

1, the Group will have regard to the

indicative timetable announced by the

Minister for Public Enterprise in Dail Eireann

on 12 May, 1998.

3 The group will be chaired by Padraic White,

former Managing Director of the IDA and

a director of a number of leading Irish

and international companies. The other

members are: Donal Mangan, the Light Rail

Project Director; Andrew Cullen, Assistant

Secretary, Department of Public Enterprise;

Tom Wall, Assistant General Secretary,

ICTU; Gerry Duggan, Manager of Strategic

Consultancy Group, ESB International;

Caroline Gill, Insurance Ombudsman; Oliver

O'Connor, Special Adviser to the Tánaiste.

4 The Group will report directly to the Minister

for Public Enterprise and its reports will

be published.

5 The Group is authorised to retain

consultants to advise and assist it in

the performance of its functions. The

Department of Public Enterprise will act

as client for any consultancy contract.

The consultants will participate, as

required, in meetings of the Group.

6 The functions of the Group do not, and

are not intended to, prejudice the statutory

responsibilities of Coras Iompair Eireann

(CIE) under the Transport (Dublin Light

Rail) Act, 1996. It is clearly understood that

CIE is responsible for the planning and

implementation of the light rail project

and that the role of the Group is confined

to overseeing their work.

Annex ATerms of Reference for the Light Rail Advisory & Action Group

Line A - Tallaght Route Targets

Design LRO Display PL Tendering & Contracts Preparatory Works

Progress Construction Complete Winter 2002Construction

LRO Submitted 22/7/98

Public Inquiry Comm

enced 2/11/98

Inspector’s Report Issued 18/12/98

Rolling Stock Contract Signed 14/1/99

Ministerial Order Signed 1/3/99

Preparatory Works Com

menced 9/8/99

Utility Diversions Comm

enced A100 7/12/99

Depot Construction Comm

enced

Operator Competition Com

menced 02/01/01

F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J

Spr Sum Aut Win Spr Sum Aut Win Spr Sum Aut Win Spr Sum Aut Win Spr Sum Aut Win Spr Sum1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

Line B - Sandyford Route Targets

Studies Design LRO Display PL Tendering & Contracts Preparatory Works

ProgressConstruction Complete Summer 2003Construction

LRO Submitted 14/12/98

Public Inquiry Comm

enced 6/4/99

Inspector’s Report Issued 16/6/99

Ministerial Order Signed 8/9/99

Basement & Site Surveys Underw

ay

CPO/Property Acquisition Process Underway

F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J

Spr Sum Aut Win Spr Sum Aut Win Spr Sum Aut Win Spr Sum Aut Win Spr Sum Aut Win Spr Sum1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

Line C - Connolly Route Targets

Studies Design LRO PJ Tendering & Contracts Preparatory Works

ProgressConstruction Complete Winter 2002

Newsletter Issued 15/2/99

Newsletter No.2 Issued 16/8/99

LRO Submitted 29/9/99

Public Inquiry Comm

enced 9/11/99

Inspector’s Report Issued 14/1/00

Ministerial Approval for Route to Store Street

Decision on Revised Scheme for Connolly Station

Revised LRO submitted 1/6/00

Public Inquiry Completed 20/9/00

Ministerial Orders Signed 22/11/00

F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J

Spr Sum Aut Win Spr Sum Aut Win Spr Sum Aut Win Spr Sum Aut Win Spr Sum Aut Win Spr Sum1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

Site clearance & Landscape Work

Comm

enced 14/2/00

Construction

Annex BProgress against the Indicative Timetable forthe Light Rail Project

18/19

1 Overall mission

To oversee the planning and

implementation of the Dublin LRT

project as approved by statute.

It is an Advisory group to the Minister.

It does not have a “line” or “executive”

function.

There is an existing implementation

structure – the Department of Public

Enterprise; LRT Monitoring Group; CIE;

LRT project office; Joint Utilities Group.

The Advisory Group will not substitute for

or diminish the statutory responsibilities of

the Departments and agencies responsible

for planning, funding & implementation

of the LRT and which are part of the

implementation structure.

2 Twin objectives key to the overall mission

There are twin and parallel objectives

which the Advisory Group will regard

as paramount to its overall mission.

The first objective is timeliness ofimplementation of the LRT – in the words

of Minister O’Rourke, the Advisory Group

will “assist in keeping up the momentum

so that Dublin will have a light rail network

within the shortest possible time”.

The Group regards the Indicative Timetable,

announced by the Minister for Public

Enterprise in Dail Eireann on 12 May 1998,

as the minimum acceptable time scale.

The Group will continuously seek to identify

and advise the Minister on ways in which

the Indicative Timetable can be improved

on in the interests of ameliorating the traffic

congestion in Dublin and enabling citizens

to avail of the benefits of the LRT at the

earliest possible opportunity.

The second objective is the maximum

practical adherence to the light rail project as approved by Government on 5 May 1998.

The Government decision is incorporated in

a statement of the planned network and the

map of the network produced at the time.

The Advisory Group, in overseeing the

planning and implementation of the

project will use, as its reference point,

the content and intent of the Government

decision of 5 May 1998 and any relevant

subsequent statements by the Minister,

while recognising that some deviations

may prove unavoidable for geological,

community or other valid reasons.

Annex COperational Guidelines for the Light Rail Advisory & Action Group

3 Areas of particular focus in meetingits twin objectives

The Advisory Group will focus on a small

number of areas of interest which it

considers critical to meeting the twin

objectives of timeliness and adherence

to the Government network decision and

which are consistent with its overseeing role.

The relevant areas of interest are those

which can reasonably be anticipated as

sources of delay or where, on the other

hand, initiatives can be taken to speed

up the implementation. The areas of

interest include:

a) Timely availability of funding;

b) The implications of any planned public-

private sector participation (PPP) for

the timetable;

c) Adequacy of Staffing and expertise

available to the implementation

organisations;

d) Adequacy and speed of decision makingprocesses and execution in the various

implementation organisations;

e) Effectiveness of institutional relationshipsand co-operation between the

implementation organisations.

4 Use of Consultants

The Advisory Group can avail of consultants

to assist in its work.

5 Reporting to the Minister for Public Enterprise

The Group will report directly to the Minister

and its reports will be published. The

intention is to report initially every 6 months.

The Group can convey its views and advice

to the Minister on important matters within

its remit at any time.

6 Other aspects

The Group, at its discretion, may wish to

convey its views to the Minister on proposals

for extension or modifications of the Dublin

Light Rail network and the implications for

the indicative timetable and funding of the

network as approved by Government on

5th May 1998.

Note: These guidelines were adopted in December1998 and will be reviewed by the Advisory Groupfrom time to time.

20/21

Traffic Diversions at Naas Road

Annex DOverview of Implementation and Monitoring Structure

Minister for Public Enterprise

The Minister decides on application for light railway

orders, provides a policy framework for the project and

allocates funding.

CIE LRT Project Office

The CIE Light Rail Project Office is

responsible for implementation

of the project.

Light Rail Monitoring Committee

Membership comprises

representatives from the

Departments of Public Enterprise and

Finance and CIE. The Group’s

mandate relates primarily to the

project budget, programming and

project management.

CIE Board

CIE has overall responsibility for

the project.

Light Rail Advisory/Action

Group

The Group advises the Minister on

timely implementation of the project

and adherence to the Government’s

indicative timetable.