Sir, – I'm disheartened by the details of the recently announced capital plan for transport spending (September 30th). The Government has committed to building Metro North and a minor project to extend the Dart to Balbriggan, but to begin construction of the former in 2021 and deliver the latter in 2022, over two election cycles away. This "plan" reads more like an election manifesto than a commitment to invest any money in sustainable public transport, and as a result Dublin's traffic woes will multiply. Meanwhile I see that motorways are to see big investment. I see where the priorities lie. – Yours, etc,
GARY O’SULLIVAN,
Ballsbridge,
Dublin 4.
Sir, – So we still have to wait until 2027 for a rail link to Dublin Airport! – Yours, etc,
JIM DEEGAN,
Dublin 1.
Sir, – Just wondering if it would be cheaper (and faster) to build a new airport in west Dublin that already connects to a pre-existing train link? If having a train link is the overriding concern, that is.
It seems hard to justify €2.7 billion – albeit in six years – when the existing Aircoaches get you into Connolly station in 20 minutes. Sure, every modern European capital city should have a direct train link into the city, but needs must. We could use the money in a better way right now. Broadband, housing projects, early education initiatives, the list is endless. And in 2030, when we are back on track (if you will) let’s revisit Metro North. Note that I have not mentioned the pending election! – Yours, etc,
FRANK CLOHOSEY,
Douglas,
Cork.
Sir, – Given that the current Government has only a handful of months left in power and many items on such large capital expenditure plans never come to fruition, I think it’s apt to misquote Winston Churchill, “Never in the history of mankind has so much been theoretically spent by so few, for so many, with somebody else’s money”. – Yours, etc,
BRIAN CULLEN,
Rathfarnham,
Dublin 16.
Sir, – I was delighted to read on your front page that work on the €2.4 billion Metro North project, the stretch of railway from Dublin centre to the airport and on to Swords, is about to begin.
I thought I saw a start date of six months from now and that it would take five months to lay the 10 miles of track. Nearly but not quite as fast as China could get it done.
But on rereading the piece I see the start date is six years (not six months) from now in 2021, with “a view to completion” five years later in 2026.
If the free travel scheme is still operating in 2026, perhaps I will be around to use Metro North. – Yours, etc,
DAVID JACKSON,
Churchtown,
Dublin 14.