Clearing way for Cork Luas: One option 'would include for some building demolition in the city centre'

Some building demolition work in the city centre would need to take place as part of one of the route options being considered for the Cork Luas project, The Echo has learned. 

The emerging preferred route (EPR) of the highly anticipated project was expected to be announced in July, but early last month the National Transport Authority (NTA) confirmed to The Echo that this would be delayed.

A spokesperson for the NTA said that, in discussions with Cork City Council, it was identified that some additional work should be undertaken in relation to the city centre section prior to the public consultation stage.

Information obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, shows that stakeholders are considering a further Luas option through the city centre and that this option would require some demolition work. 

An email sent on June 23 from NTA deputy chief executive Hugh Creegan to a Department of Transport employee informed the department that the NTA would not be launching the public consultation on the EPR of the Cork Luas in early July.

In that email, Mr Creegan said: “In discussions between Cork City Council, TII (Transport Infrastructure Ireland) and the NTA, the need to consider a further Luas option through Cork City Centre emerged. This additional option would include for some building demolition in the city centre. Building demolition in the city centre hasn’t been contemplated in the work done to date.

“The additional work to assess the extent of building impacts, and the full implications of this option, will take some time. We don’t know yet how long.”

Speaking to The Echo, Labour Party representative Peter Horgan voiced some concern that the need to consider a further Luas option through the city centre has only recently arisen “at the 11th hour” and renewed his call for a Cork public transport commissioner to be set up.

Mr Horgan said work to establish a route for the Luas should be an “iterative process” and said he would like to see documents relating to work on the emerging preferred routes published.

“I think everyone is in favour of a Cork Luas, but I don’t want it to become a white elephant like the Event Centre, where it becomes a figure of ridicule and people are tossing their eyes to heaven to say this isn’t going to happen,” he said.

The development of a light rail transit system running between Ballincollig and Mahon is one of the key objectives in the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy.

Expenditure on the project as of mid-June was over €1.8m.

A spokesperson for the NTA told The Echo that the options assessment study to identify the optimal alignment for the proposed Luas between these destinations has been a significant undertaking.

“This options assessment process has been a very comprehensive undertaking, with numerous routes identified along the overall corridor, each of which was checked for feasibility and comparatively assessed with the other identified options.

“That work is nearing completion with some additional assessment work still ongoing within the core city centre area.

“This additional work arose from discussions between Cork City Council, TII and the NTA where it was identified a further option in the city centre area, which would include building demolition, should be assessed and considered in the options assessment process,” they said.

“In terms of areas served, the proposed alignment will seek to serve key destinations and activity areas and will include interchange arrangements with the heavy rail network at Kent Station, in addition to also providing interchange arrangements with the bus station.

They said it is intended that the finalised options assessment report will be completed later this year and a public consultation process will then be undertaken on the emerging preferred routes.