Residents call for extension of the Metro line to replace BusConnects
By Aideen O'Flaherty
Plans for the BusConnects system came under fire at a community meeting held in The Spawell in Templeogue last month.
A group of 20 residents’ associations demanded that the proposed underground Metro be extended in place of BusConnects.
BusConnects involves the implementation of continuous bus lanes along 16 key radial bus corridors around Dublin, with each corridor being part of a designated ‘spine’ or orbital route through the city.
The plans have caused consternation in Templeogue village, with proposals for the village including the loss of a number of residential gardens through compulsory purchase orders and the removal of 25 on-street parking spaces to facilitate the Tallaght to Terenure bus corridor.
A community meeting was held by the South Dublin County Public Participation Network (SDCPPN) last month, for a group of 20 residents’ associations, known as the Metro South West Group, where the group outlined their position.
The Metro South West group are calling for the MetroLink, which is to be built on the Northside of the city, to continue from the city on to Knocklyon/Firhouse, providing “the best possible transport option” for their area, instead of implementing BusConnects.
They argue that buses alone cannot provide “sufficient capacity” for the transport needs in the area, they added that meeting “even the tiny target of increasing transport capacity by eight per cent will be challenging” and also that an on-street Luas “would not be feasible” in the area.
They described a MetroLink in the locality as “the only solution” to transport issues in the area, and they are calling for a feasibility study into the potential extension of the MetroLink to serve South West Dublin.
The BusConnects plans are expected to be rolled out over a ten-year period, with the construction of new bus lanes to facilitate the project expected to start in 2021.
Elsewhere, the MetroLink, which is currently only planned to run through North Dublin to Stephen’s Green, isn’t expected to begin operating until 2027.
