Comment & Analysis: Years ago, I read or scanned nearly every public Metro North document when that failed project was at the planning stage. With MetroLink, its replacement project, Ive stuck more to key documents. But still, I regularly smile at how many of MetroLinks detractors are not even aware of one of the key documents: the Fingal/North Dublin Transport Study report.The Fingal/North Dublin Transport Study was a pre-planning options process in 2015 that looked at the range of options and the capacity and other issues associated with them. The lack of awareness of it is all the more surprising, given that it was a protracted process with public consultation and relatively extensive media coverage. Its worth saying that transport planners have seen that more than one metro line in Dublin was justified since even before the A Platform for Change report was published by the National Transport Authoritys predecessor in 2000. As covered in a recent article about bicycles on MetroLink, there are 57 metro systems across Europe. Metros are a common feature of the transport networks in many European cities, including cities of a similar size to Dublin. Some people really need to stop pretending this isnt the case. The Metro North project also looked at the options as part of its environmental assessment. But the Fingal/North Dublin Transport Study, which led to MetroLink, went even further and really drilled into the optioms including bus rapid transit (BRT) line, Luas lines, other light rail and metro lines, and heavy rail options. The 2015 study identified and evaluated 34 potential routes, and shortlisted 10 for detailed assessment. These included heavy rail connections from various lines (including a branch line from the northern line), as well as bus and Luas routes serving different areas. Even combinations were looked at. The Fingal/North Dublin Transport Study concluded: Light rail infrastructure presents the best opportunity to respond to travel demand in terms of operational and technical feasibility. The two shortlisted light rail schemes, LR7 (Optimised Metro North) and LR3 (Luas Line D2), are relatively similar in terms of alignment and the catchments they serve.A capacity assessment was undertaken which indicated that LR3, as an extension to the planned Luas Cross-City scheme, would be running over capacity in the modelled year of 2033 in a base case scenario. Indeed, when a scenario was examined which included park and ride provision at Swords and demand management measures on the M50, predicted passenger numbers exceeded the design capacity by approximately 25%. A further scenario which considered a higher growth potential for Dublin Airport and the corridor, indicated that the capacity of the surface running LR3 would be exceeded by approximately 40% in 2033.Optimised Metro North developed into MetroLink, which has now gained planning approval and is starting its tender process. Given that we have been here before with Metro North, theres still a lot of scepticism about the projects future, but these articles hopefully help debunk some false or misinformed claims.There isnt much here on the heavy rail link, as it will feature in a future article.

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