Taoiseach promises to ‘accelerate’ Cork Luas project but concerns raised about passenger journey numbers, timeline and lack of northside stops by opposition

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has launched a public consultation for the emerging preferred route for the 18km, €1bn-plus Cork Luas scheme.

Mr Martin — who earlier on Monday morning joined EU commissioner Michael McGrath to launch the new €23m Platform 6 at Kent Station — said that the Cork Luas would be a significant and transformational development for the city.

“What we’re launching today is something that is very much integrated and connected with the development in Kent Station, and also with BusConnects,” Mr Martin said.

“So we’re looking at, in the overall, a transport plan and framework that will meet the needs of a growing and developing Cork.”

Green Party councillor Dan Boyle, Lord Mayor of Cork, said the Cork Luas was “a long-awaited, missing but vital link in the city’s transport infrastructure”.

“It will provide real choice to have more people travel by public transport, reduce car dependency, connect key locations, and allow for significant additional growth in the development of the city,” Mr Boyle said.

“The challenge is to see it constructed and operating in the shortest possible timeframe.”

Luas Cork is a proposed 18km light rail line with up to 25 stops running from Ballincollig to Mahon Point, connecting key destinations such as MTU, Cork University Hospital, UCC, Cork city centre, Kent Station, Cork Docklands, Blackrock, and Mahon. The scheme includes a new public transport bridge connecting Kent Station to Kennedy Quay and new cycling infrastructure along much of the route.

The EPR also includes a proposed 1,000-vehicle park and ride facility in Ballincollig and a mobility hub in Mahon.

However, all indications are that it will be several years before construction will begin on the project, with the Taoiseach declining to be drawn on a projected date for completion.

“I’m not going to give a timeline, because I want to accelerate the timeline,” he said.

“I’m wary because in other projects in the past, if you give a specific timeline, people are back onto you; we’re going to get this done as efficiently and effectively as we can.”

There was laughter when Mr Martin was asked if he planned to still be in office when the Cork Luas was completed.

“Ah now, come on, I don’t want to worry my colleagues too much,” he said.

Mr Martin said he was hopeful that the public would have their say on the Cork Luas EPR, saying public consultation mattered, and often proved helpful.

“The public know their city very intimately and very well, and so therefore it’s important that we consult them, and very often, consultation helps the planning process subsequently, because when you get early buy-in from people, it enables the project to proceed more efficiently and in a streamlined way.”

Green Party councillor Dan Boyle, Lord Mayor of Cork, said he believed that as a TD he had been the very first elected representative — as far back as 2006 — to raise the possibility of a Cork Luas.

“It wasn’t until 2008 in the Cork area strategic plan that the first official reference to a route was made, and from that gave us this route from Ballincollig to Mahon,” he said.

Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik said she was delighted to be in her native Cork for the launch of the EPR consultation on the Cork Luas, and she urged the Government to expedite the work once that consultation was complete.

“We have called in our manifesto for work to begin on the Cork Luas by 2030, and of course we want the requisite public consultation process to take its course, that’s very important, but we are now at a fairly advanced stage in the process and we believe things now should move on swiftly,” she said.

Labour Party senator Laura Harmon said reliability of public transport was something that always came up when representatives were canvassing.

“I do feel Cork has been left behind when it comes to public transport, compared to Dublin; you know, we are the second city, the real capital, we need to get our Luas moving,” she said.

Green Party councillor Oliver Moran said answers were needed as to why the number of predicted passenger journeys for the Cork Luas had dropped from the 46m predicted when the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy (CMATS) was first drafted to the current projection of 16m.

“If that’s due to inefficiencies in the planned route, sharing road space with private traffic or a reduction in frequency, then that has to be addressed in the consultation that’s now open,” Mr Moran said.

He added that a key question would be the timeline for delivery.

“The outline I was given is that a second public consultation could happen in 2026 and a railway order sought in 2027. Construction would then take five to six years. That’s the kind of pace of timeline we need.”

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire, Sinn Féin TD for Cork South Central, said the likely current timeline for completion was far too long.

“It could be up to 15 years before passengers are on it. We need to be starting on the construction by the end of the decade,” he said.

Mr Ó Laoghaire added that he was disappointed there had been no consideration given to a route going from the south to the north, taking in places with large populations and heavy traffic such as Carrigaline, Douglas, Cork Airport and other areas.

NORTHSIDE

His party colleague in Cork North Central, TD Thomas Gould, expressed disappointment that the proposed route includes no planned stops on the northside of the city.

“The entire Luas route is on the southside. Once again, the northside is being left behind in big infrastructure developments,” he said.

“Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are happy enough to open a second prison on the northside but won’t even consider our communities for a Luas line. It is unacceptable.

“This proposal must be the first phase to be followed closely by an interconnected second phase that will deliver for communities on the northside.

“Areas like Glanmire, Knocknaheeny, and Ballyvolane are currently undergoing extensive construction — now would be the perfect time to begin installing a Luas line.

“Unfortunately, this Government moves at a glacial pace and, if they have their way, the children of the northside will be pensioners before consultation opens on the northside Luas,” he added.

“There are 6,500 people working in Apple in Knocknaheeny.

“There are tens of thousands of people who leave Glanmire every day for work. There are plans to build hundreds of houses in Ballyvolane.

“This project means nothing to these people, because it will have no impact on their lives.”

Pádraig Rice, Social Democrats TD for Cork South Central, said there was no time to waste when it came to upgrading public transport services in Cork, which were, he claimed, currently in a state of disrepair.

“Today’s announcement of the Cork Luas public consultation represents a step forward, but we still have miles to go,” he said.

“Cork needs a public transport transformation — too many buses are delayed or don’t show up at all.

“Countless commuters are stuck in traffic for exorbitant lengths of time as a result of having no access to a reliable public transport service.

“We need a clear timetable for the Cork Luas. We need a dedicated funding stream. We need the project to progress as quickly as possible — this shouldn’t take decades.”

CORK TRAM SYSTEM

Social Democrats city councillor Niamh O’Connor noted that light rail for Cork had first been mooted in the 1970s, something that had been preceded decades earlier by the closure of the tram line in the 1930s.

“Cork’s transport system needs to reflect the transformation of the city, and look towards the future,” she said.

Transport minister Darragh O’Brien said that by providing a “modern, reliable, and efficient public transport option”, Luas Cork would encourage a shift away from car use, “reducing traffic congestion, lowering carbon emissions, and improving air quality”.

Hugh Creegan, interim CEO of the National Transport Authority, said Luas Cork was a central part of the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy.

“CMATS will deliver a series of public transport services, including Luas Cork, BusConnects Cork, heavy rail improvements, safe cycling and walking infrastructure,” he said.

“This new era of public transport will enable Cork to develop into an accessible, connected and vibrant city.”

There will be a number of open days across the city during the public consultation, where drawings can be inspected and staff from TII will be available to answer questions.

For more information on the Luas Cork project, see luascork.ie.