Madam, - I think we need to get a sense of perspective about the problems facing the Luas project. Some things may not be as bad as they have been made out.
The option of trams bound for Docklands having to reverse at Connolly is not ideal, but not a big problem. There are alternatives, but they too have their snags. Far more important is that Connolly must not be bypassed by trams bound for Docklands.
Concerning the Red Cow, the principle is the same as at other junctions in general: while one lot of traffic waits behind red lights, traffic moving parallel to the trams will get a green light. So it's not a matter of everything stopping to let the trams pass. Of course it's not ideal, but what I dispute is the presumption that there will be total chaos.
Nor is the different standard for the two lines a disaster (how did this rumour of different gauges start?). The London Underground and Paris Metro each have two standards. In London the low trains can use the high tunnels but not vice versa. The reason is similar to Dublin's - anticipated flexibility.
However, there is no excuse for the length of time spent on building works in each street. The first stage, diverting underground services, is by nature unpredictable. But the construction of the track itself follows a predictable sequence, and could be done in a few weeks. The lack of day-to-day consultation with residents is also inexcusable.
Peter Coogan (July 1st) asks why we need rails. This is often asked, so I will offer a brief summary of the reasons.
1. In suburban situations, light rail lines have a higher capacity than bus corridors, and heavy rail lines higher still.
2. Steel wheels on steel rails use less fuel than pneumatic tyres.
3. The general preference for rail vehicles over buses (if all else is equal) leaves its mark on passenger statistics, and throws the whole anti-rail argument off course, no matter how good the bus service is.
The last point rarely gets mentioned, but it is pivotal. The lessons of past rail closures, if properly learned, should caution us against the economist's dream of an all-bus solution. It may look good, but experience shows that the theory is flawed, and I wish it could be treated as discredited.
There may be legitimate worries about details of the Luas scheme, but let us not imagine that there is some other solution to Dublin's transport problems, better suited to the Irish temperament.
The only way forward is to learn to build railways and tramways more quickly and cheaply. And in the case of the proposed metro, that learning process is now beginning. - Yours, etc.,
ALAN FRENCH, Mulgrave Street, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin.