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Irish Independent

Dublin's Luas network set for major upgrades and new lines under 2050 plan

At a recent Lean Construction Ireland webinar, Anthony Duffy, Head of Project Services at TII, outlined its vision to expand and modernise Dublin's light rail network over the next 25 years. He said the agency is moving away from piecemeal project delivery towards a more coordinated, system-wide approach. 'We're not simply delivering individual projects,' Mr Duffy said. 'We're building a connected, strategic light rail network that will serve Dublin and its surrounding region right through to 2050.' The Luas 2050 plan covers everything from new lines in Finglas, Lucan, and Poolbeg, to the complete replacement of the ageing Red Line fleet between 2028 and 2029, designed to ease overcrowding during busy periods. In addition, upgrades to key depots and interchanges, including the Red Cow Bus Interchange, are intended to streamline connections between bus and tram services and reduce delays. New stops will also be introduced in developing areas such as City Edge on the Naas Road. Mr Duffy acknowledged the challenge of bringing multiple projects together under one flexible strategy. 'With the network's technological complexity and the urgent need to update key assets, Luas 2050 is crucial to coordinating efforts and planning for future demand,' he said. However, the pace of the rollout faces barriers outside the project team's control, including planning delays, requirements set by the National Transport Authority (NTA), and Government procedures. ADVERTISEMENT Workshops held by TII identified these issues as key bottlenecks slowing down progress. A presentation given to the TII Board earlier this year highlights that accelerating the Luas expansion will require cooperation between TII, the NTA, local authorities, and political stakeholders to overcome these hurdles. The same presentation reveals an ambitious timeline, dependent on funding. By 2026, TII hopes to be actively working on five Luas lines, including Finglas (aiming to start construction soon after planning permission); Lucan (finalising route selection); Cork (in preliminary design); and Poolbeg (project commencement pending official approval). A fifth new line, yet to be confirmed, is also being considered as part of the overall plan. Alongside these projects, major works such as the Red Cow Bus Interchange and depot extension are slated for completion between 2027 and 2028, alongside the awarding of a rolling stock contract and order for the new Red Line fleet. Looking further ahead, the plan targets commencing a new Luas line every 1-2 years from 2029 onwards to meet the 2050 vision. While the network's current Green Line is expected to have sufficient capacity until around 2027, the Red Line is already at or near capacity, with constraints on increasing services without more trams and depot expansion. TII's longer-term vision also includes potential orbital lines around Dublin, designed to improve connectivity between suburbs without needing to travel into the city centre. However, these remain dependent on Government funding and planning.