Sir, - The long term implications and opportunities that the LUAS provides are relevant to the whole of the country and should be seen in the context of a sustainable and balanced development. It is regrettable that Senator Morris repeats the counterproductive remarks made by a few consultants on the restricted capacity of the LUAS system. There is within the LUAS system a satisfactory solution for the daily peak periods in Dublin's transport system.
It is unfortunate that the Senator only refers to projects (Strasbourg, Sheffield) where intensive work is carried out on further improvements by the designers and political decision makers - who incidentally do not doubt the validity of the basic concept. Other projects like the one in Karlsruhe/ Germany have been accepted by the population and are economically very successful. It would be a good idea to hold an international conference on the subject of "Supertram" and "Light Rail" in Dublin and the Irish Isle.
A successful Light Rail concept in Dublin has to be seen as the first step to a nationwide, socially acceptable, environmentally friendly, permanent public transport system. It is essential that future plans include the use of existing CIE tracks, particularly when it is remembered that CIE is already investing in a computerised modern signalling system.
People in the West of Ireland are more and more critical of the disproportionally high concentration of EU structural funding in Dublin, eg road building. It should be unthinkable for Senator Morris to increase this imbalance by investing in extremely costly underground transport systems. Investment into the rail infrastructure, including Light Rail, on the other hand provides an opportunity to reverse this trend.
Rural Ireland, the neglected half of the Republic, too will benefit from CIE's current investments. The reopening of disused railway lines in the West and North of the country for Light Rail opens up great opportunities for a balanced public transport system and helps to create a new economical space between Limerick and Derry.
An innovative design of LUAS in Dublin's Georgian streets can also be seen as a symbol of a socially balanced progress, as it does in other European countries. But it is vital for Ireland's rural economies that CIE's railtrack network is protected and Irish politicians are encouraging CIE towards a future orientated internal structure. Senator Morris's contribution in such a context would be very much respected by the people in the West of Ireland. - Yours, etc.,
Dipl. Ing.
Healthy Buildings Co.,
Doon Lough,
Co Leitrim.