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CIRCLE
PLANS - RAIL AND LUAS - (SCROLL DOWN FOR LUAS ORBITAL)
*RED LINES = EXISTING RAIL AND LUAS.*
* BLUE LINES = FUTURE RAIL AND LUAS. *
THE TREBLE LOCK (THE TRIANGLE) RAIL NETWORK
THE CIRCLE RAIL PLAN
The circle mainline rail plan is quite easy to construct with the abundance of existing rail lines in the Greater
Dublin Area. It just requires the building of three rail links. These three links are very important to make the circle rail
work, to get maximum efficiency, cost effective, getting maximum potential out of the rail and fully integrating into the
transport network while maximising land use.
The three rail links are
(A). The Short rail link from Adamstown Station, (Lucan W in the circle rail map and (A) in the
treble lock map), to Leixlip just three miles, linking the Kildare line to the Maynooth/Sligo line. This completes the figure
of eight rail loop for the Greater Dublin Area.
(B). The missing rail link (B) from Connolly rail station
back into Dockland Station just one kilometer to complete the inner circle for continuous movement (explained further down)
(C). The Vital rail link (C). This is a link taken from the Clonsilla line via the Airport and Swords
linking into the Northern or Belfast line just above Lissenhall at Donabate running along side Finglas and Ballymun. this
is a very vital link to get the full potential from rail with the tenfold plus advantages listed below. This Vital link makes
rail multi-purpose.
*ADVANTAGES*
1. Straight away it creates three lines to
the Airport and Swords with the treble lock system.
2. It gives an extra line to these areas at peak times with
the 3 and 1 rail plan.
3. It allows the Blanchardstown and Northern lines to double as required with a one way
system.
4. It increases the rail potential to carry freight in time of climate change and carbon foot print etc.
5. Opens the door for additional capacity for rail lines to Drogheda and Navan.
6. Serves Industrial
Corridor on the outskirts direct.
7. Avoids unnecessary movements to the city centre.
8. Extra capacity
for the city centre.
9. country trains can serve the Airport.
10. Helps greatly in maximising land
use.
11. Links the two Airports (Baldonnell may be in the future)
12. Very cost effective to build
just over ten miles in total overground.
13.Minimum disruption during construction, no street disruption, no
hindrance to business.
14. Great benefit for country bus users.
15. Allows mainline trains to Double
Up the number of passengers they carry into the city
16.Addresses the radial problem.
17.Does not
push up property prices.
18.No levies from business or homes etc.
19.No need for costly ineffective
Metro West
20. Helps Dublin bus efficiency.
21. Gives an extra rail line for repair purposes.
The total cost of the three links would be a FRACTION of the cost of the Metros and Inter-connector systems benefiting
all of the Greater Dublin Area. Its greatest advantage - Is maximising land use in the Industrial Corridor, on the outskirts,
to its full potential greatly reducing the movement numbers to the city centre creating a balance with Luas and bus that
is essential for a transport solution.
Provincial Buses
Under the circle plan
provincial buses will now play an even greater role due to large number of people who went to live in the countryside. They
can now use country buses, and as they reach the outskirts, ample bus and rail will be suitably located to take them along
the outskirts of Dublin in a safe quick manner direct to their destination with the circle transport plan.
MISSING RAIL LINK - what we say...
Dublin has an abundance of rail lines that are not used to
their full potential due mainly to a short MISSING LINK. This link would increase rail capacity to the city by up to six fold.
There are three rail lines into Connolly Station, one each side of Croke Park, from Heuston Station and from the Sligo-Maynooth
line, with the third from the Northern line. The same three lines link into Spencer Dock, (see missing link map).
By building a short rail line of 1K (less than half a mile) at ground level linking Spencer Dock to Connolly
Rail Station will mean completing the missing link giving continuous movement of all lines, increasing the city's rail capacity
by up to six fold and making the city rail network as good as any place in the world. At present when three or four trains
enter Connolly Station it becomes train locked and restricted; the missing link solves this problem.
A simple
solution such as the missing link should not be let go lightly. The missing link is now more important than ever as the Docklands
will be a vibrant part of Dublin and it will greatly enhance the river Liffey as a great amenity with circle boardwalk.
Missing Link would be several times more effective than the Inter connector between Spencer Dock and Heuston Station,
which won't get started for seven years, and which would take over ten years to complete far too long when traffic problems
are so great. The massive cost of over five billion Euro's extra for rail in the St. Stephen's Green area is foolish when
that area will have two rail lines already. A small country like Ireland cannot afford waste of this magnitude. The Inter
connector is not essential to link Connolly to Heuston as there is already the Park tunnel and Luas that is linking the two
areas; also the fact that Dublin is so sprawled out means that a pick-up point on the outskirts of the city is all that is
required for country users as this will avoid unnecessary travel into the city centre to get a country train.
Do
we really need four rail lines between the city centre and St. Stephen's Green; just over a mile walking distance? Do we need
three rail lines between Connolly and Heuston, when this funding could be used for new rail lines that are needed throughout
the country? The missing rail link allows direct access for all lines, for example, straight from Cork to Belfast! Half a
mile of rail should not take too long to build if the will for a solution is there. Another answer to complete the Dublin
network in the short term is a short rail link requiring linking the Cork line to the Sligo line from Lucan to Leixlip, just
three miles; thus completing the rail circuit for Dublin benefiting all at minimum cost.
There are a number of
major problems in Transport 21 that should be addressed NOW; otherwise they will create massive difficulties later on. These
problems should not be overlooked. The planners are already planning the next stage after Transport 21, again mainly for Dublin,
that is, THE MAJOR FLAW in Transport 21. This in itself runs contrary to one of the principles of planning, BALANCE. Look
at our Circle Planning for a simple solution.
ZERO COST RAIL
With fuel becoming expensive and with more and more people commuting longer distances from the countryside, rail
will become more important for commuting for both city and country users alike. Rail is very costly to build and operate.
Ways must be found to overcome this problem in a cost effective way to allow this form of transport
expand not only in the city but throughout the countryside where fuel costs hit harder.
It must not all be for Dublin and bigger efficiency. To address these problems we have come up with a new
idea that will do just that, keep costs down and make rail more effective - known as Zero Cost Rail, it
is a very simple idea.
Medium or Motorway Rail: The rail line is built on the centre of the motorway or suitable wide road. All
the preliminary work (land purchased and bridges
built) is already done for the road reducing rail cost by up to eighty five per cent (85%). By building
the rail line as fast as the road there is a reduction in rail construction cost of just over fifteen per cent
(15%) reducing the total rail cost to close to zero. This is the ideal way to go. There are many other advantages
and efficiency measures in this idea. If the motorway is relatively near an existing rail line (known as dual)it creates
another line at no cost in the 3&1 scenario,where three lines operate with peak flow, inwards in the morning,
outwards at evening (tidal flow). This allows fewer restrictions on freight traffic. Standard gauge is essential
for this plan and for rail to be more efficient and cost effective. This idea is very important for the tourist business in
the future and for avoiding increasingly more dangerous and congested roads.
THE CIRCLE LUAS PLAN
The three S's that powerful people use to get their way
S1. Sales Technique. They never expose their flaws.
S2. Sheep Effect. When one says OK they all follow suit.
S3, Spin Factor. They keep pushing their ideas all the time.
The three C's of life
C1. Common Sense, Use it in all actions.
C2. Carefulness. Be careful at all times.
C3. Contributions. All the parts you play in life.
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