Over €1.46m spent on Cork Luas project so far but criticism of planning delay remains

OVER €1.46m has been spent so far on costs associated with the Cork Luas project, with a delay in announcing the emerging preferred route described as disappointing.

An updated breakdown of the money spent on the project was provided to Labour Party TD for Cork East, Seán Sherlock this week by the deputy chief executive of the National Transport Authority (NTA) Hugh Creegan.

As of November 28, slightly over €1,461,632 has now been spent on the project which began in October 2020. Mr Sherlock had been informed in October that money spent on the project so far has been associated with fees for the development of route option selection and feasibility studies.

In the correspondence this week he was told the strategic assessment report is being updated following review by the Department of Transport.

“A preliminary business case will be developed for the project following the selection of a preferred route and will be submitted for approval in principle by the Government in advance of submitting a railway order application to An Bord Pleanála,” said Mr Creegan.

The emerging preferred route of the much-anticipated Cork Luas had been expected to be revealed at the end of this year but in recent weeks the NTA said it would likely be announced early next year.

Speaking to The Echo, Labour local area representative Peter Horgan said he was disappointed with the delay in announcing the emerging preferred route.

“The city and surrounds need to be shown some hope of a future in transport that doesn’t include snarled-up traffic shutting down suburbs and the city centre. We need to know that this is going to happen but we don’t want to see overspend like we have seen on Dublin transport links over the years,” he said.