Public urged to have its say on Luas Cork plans

The emerging preferred route for a Cork city Luas service was launched this week with a phase of public consultation now underway.

The proposed 18km long light rail line would have up to 25 stops and would run from Ballincollig to Mahon Point, connecting key destinations such as MTU, CUH, UCC, Cork city centre, Kent Station, Cork Docklands, Blackrock, and Mahon.

The emerging preferred route (EPR) was published Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and was officially launched on Monday by Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD at Cork City Hall.

The people of Cork are now invited to have their say on the proposed plan with public consultation to remain open for eight weeks until 9 June at 5.30pm. They can do so by visiting luascork.ie. There will be a number of open days across the city during the consultation where drawings can be inspected and staff from TII will be available to answer questions.

The scheme includes a new public transport bridge connecting Kent Station to Kennedy Quay and new cycling infrastructure along much of the route. The EPR also includes a proposed 1,000 vehicle Park & Ride facility in Ballincollig and a mobility hub in Mahon.

Cork is expected to be the fastest-growing city in Ireland over the next 20 years with a population targeted to grow by 50 to 60 percent. TFI sees public transport projects like Luas Cork as being key to delivering the large-scale regeneration and investment planned for the city, such as the development of the Cork City Docklands, expected to deliver 20,000 new homes and almost 25,000 jobs across the 4.2-acre site at Kennedy Quay.

Launching the EPR at Cork City Hall, An Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the publication of the plan marks a significant step in an infrastructure project that will be transformational for Cork city: “Luas Cork will hugely improve connectivity in the city by modernising the city’s public transport network, making it more accessible and creating new opportunities for residents, visitors, and local businesses. It’s very positive to see this project progressing.

“With the consultation process now open, I’d encourage everybody to take this opportunity to provide their feedback and share their views on this exciting proposal,” he added.

Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr Dan Boyle welcomed the EPR, describing the proposed Luas Cork service as a “long awaited, missing, but vital, link in the city's transport infrastructure”.

He said: “It will provide real choice to have more people travel by public transport, reduce car dependency, connect key locations, and allow for significant additional growth in the development of city. The challenge is to see it constructed and operating in the shortest possible time frame.”

Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien TD highlighted the significance of Cork being selected by the European Commission as one of Europe’s first climate-neutral cities.

He said: “This designation aligns with the EU’s 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030 initiative, which aims to accelerate sustainable urban transformation across Europe.

“The development of Luas Cork will play a key role in achieving this goal. By providing a modern, reliable, and efficient public transport option, Luas Cork will encourage a shift away from private car use, reducing traffic congestion, lowering carbon emissions, and improving air quality,” added the Minister.

Peter Walsh, CEO of TII added: “TII has a strong record in transparent public engagement, and we look forward to hearing from everyone before we progress to the next stage of design on this transformative public transport project for Cork city.”

Plans welcomed but not perfect

There has been both positive and negative reaction on Leeside to the newly published emerging preferred route for a proposed Cork city Luas service.

Though seen by many as a much needed and long-awaited improvement to Cork’s public transport network, others have voiced concerns over certain elements of the scheme.

Cork Chamber was one of the more positive voices to comment on the plans which were launched on Monday with Cork Chamber CEO Conor Healy welcoming the publication of the route as a major step forward for the project.

“The development of a light rail network in Cork has been a priority for Cork Chamber’s members for a long time,” Mr Healy said.

“We have seen the benefits of investment in the suburban rail and bus networks, both of which have seen significant increases in passenger numbers as a result, and we believe the delivery of a light rail system will have a transformative impact on Cork city, removing traffic congestion and offering commuters, shoppers and visitors to the city a reliable alternative mode of transport,” he added.

The publication of the emerging preferred route also marked the beginning of an eight-week public consultation process.

Sinn Féin TD for Cork South-Central, Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire welcomed the beginning of the consultation process but said the timeline for completion is too long.

He said: “This is an initiative that I have been campaigning for since 2017. At the time it was totally ruled out by the Minister for Transport before he agreed to examine it in 2018.

“We need to see this delivered quickly and unfortunately the timeline given for completion is far too long.

“It could be up to 15 years before passengers are on it. We need to be starting on the construction by the end of the decade,” he added.

Meanwhile, Social Democrat’s TD Pádraig Rice who represents Cork South-Central, said the announcement represents a step forward but “we still have miles to go”.

He said: “Cork needs a public transport transformation - too many buses are delayed or don’t show up at all.

“Countless commuters are stuck in traffic for exorbitant lengths of time as a result of having no access to a reliable public transport service.

“We need a clear timetable for the Cork Luas. We need a dedicated funding stream. We need the project to progress as quickly as possible - this shouldn’t take decades,” he added.

Expressing disappointment at the proposed plans was Sinn Féin TD for Cork North Central, Thomas Gould who took issue with the lack of any reference to the need for Northside interconnectivity.

He said: “The entire Luas route is on the Southside. Once again, the Northside is being left behind in big infrastructure developments.

Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are happy enough to open a second prison on the Northside but won’t even consider our communities for a Luas line. It is unacceptable.”

Another more positive response to the plans came from the Cork Cycling Campaign who welcomed the progress on the Luas Cork project and the associated plans for parallel cycle paths and improved cycle parking along the route.

“We’re encouraged by the intention to integrate the new Luas line with the existing and proposed cycling network, and we look forward to working with the Luas Cork team to ensure the best possible outcomes for people who cycle,” a spokesperson said.

“We are committed to providing constructive feedback on the plans to help create a truly joined-up, safe, and accessible transport system for Cork,” they added.