Metro North
Q: What is Metro North?
Q: Where will Metro North serve?
Q: Who is Metro North for?
Q: Is Metro North another Luas?
Q: What will Metro North look like, will it be like the London Underground?
Q: What will Metro North stops look like?
Q: Will there be escalators and lifts in the stations?
Q: What will access be like to underground stations for people with impaired mobility?
Q: What will the Metro North trains look like?
Q: Why is the Metro North not underground all the way to Swords?
Q: What is the risk of damage to property during construction?
Q: Will RPA guarantee, that any damage caused by tunnelling will be repaired?
Q: How much noise and vibration will I hear and/or feel during tunnel construction?
Q: What will the hours of construction be and will tunnelling be 24 hours per day?
Q: Will residents be compensated for disturbance?
Q: What impact will tunnelling have on poor and/or deep foundations?
Q: How long will drilling and digging affect our residential area?
Q: Which houses will have tunnels running under them?
Q: How deep will the tunnel be?
Q: What is the diameter of the tunnel?
Q: What is the guaranteed maximum width of all tunnels combined?
Q: How will RPA build the station at St. Stephen’s Green?
Q: How will the station under the River Liffey be built?
Q: Is O’Connell Street going to be dug up again?
Q: How will Parnell Square Station be built?
Q: Previous construction has generated large displacement of rodents. How do RPA plan to deal with this?
Q: Is Albert College Park going to be dug up and will it be a construction compound?
Q: Where precisely will tunnel vents be placed and what will be the nature and size of the above ground construction for these?
Q: What will traffic disruption be like during construction?
Q: How will you dispose of soil during construction?
Q: How many trucks per day of excavation material will enter and leave the site and which route will they take?
Q: Given the age profile and nature of construction of some buildings, do RPA have a Conservation Engineer to assess the impact of construction and assure the safety of buildings in the immediate and long-term?
Q: Does RPA know that the area between Parnell Square and Mater Hospital has a catacomb? Have RPA mapped them as part of the initial investigation? What measures will RPA take to protect them?
Q: Will my property be devalued if it is over the Metro North tunnel?
Q: Which properties do RPA plan to compulsorily purchase?
Q: Is the Scheme free?
Q: What is a condition survey?
Q: How long does a condition survey take?
Q: When will the surveys be done?
Q: Can I choose another surveyor not on RPA list?
Q: Why is the ceiling for compensation set at €30,000?
Q: What if after twelve months I notice damage to my property which I think may relate to construction of Metro North? Can I claim through the Property Protection Scheme?
Q: If repairs are required, who does the repairs? Will the property owner get the compensation and select his/her own repair company or is that done by the Metro North contractor?
Q: How much will Metro North cost?
Q: What does a ground investigation involve?
Q: What is the risk of damage to property during ground investigations?
Q: Can Luas trams run on Metro North?
Q: Will this not just take people off the bus network?
Q: Can DART Trains run on Metro North?
Q: How often will Metro North run?
Q: What will the fares be on Metro North? Will there be a premium fare to the airport?
Q: Can I take my bike on Metro North?
Q: Will Metro North run 24 hours per day?
Q: What is the journey time to the airport and to Swords?
Q: How many people can Metro North carry?
Q: Is Metro North the same gauge as Luas?
Q: Why are we building a cross city Luas line as well?
Q: Are their harmful health effects associated with Metro North power lines?
Q: What will be the noise and residual vibration from the metro trains, once operational?
Q: What will the effect on services i.e. Water, Electricity, Gas, Computer, TV and Radio signals etc?
Q: How are you consulting with residents and businesses along the proposed Metro North tunnel alignment?
Q: How can public consultation influence Metro North plans?
Q: How did the RPA select the Metro North route and what Public Consultation was conducted?
Q: Why are you not building a spur off the DART to the airport?
Q: What other public transport services will Metro North interchange with?
Q: What is Metro North?
A. Metro North will be a modern, attractive and highly accessible mass transit system for the commuters of Dublin. It will be similar in concept to Metro systems in many European cities of similar size to Dublin such as Oporto and Cologne and will not be a heavy metro such as London Underground. In essence, Metro North will operate as a fully segregated line in congested city centre areas, using a mix of tunnelling, cuttings and elevated structures as appropriate. Metro North will operate more like a light rail system in the less congested outer suburban environment where less capacity is needed. Metro North will be fully interoperable with the existing Luas system.
Q: Where will Metro North serve?
A. Metro North will serve fourteen stops from St Stephen’s Green to Estuary just north of Swords.
Q: Who is Metro North for?
A. Metro North will not only be used by people living and working along the line, but also those commuting from outlying towns. For example, Park and Ride facilities will be provided at the end of the line at Belinstown, adjacent to the M1 motorway, and at Dardistown off the M50 motorway for commuters. It will be used by people from all regions of the country travelling to Dublin Airport, since Metro North will be connected with Dublin’s two main railway stations via the Luas Red Line. Metro North will also provide direct access to the Airport for people living in Tallaght, Clondalkin, Lucan and Blanchardstown via the proposed Metro West line. It will also provide a gateway to Ireland for tourists.
Q: Is Metro North another Luas?
A. No. Metro North will have a higher capacity and faster journey times than Luas. The 18 kilometre track is fully separated from road traffic for most of its length, unlike Luas which can at times be fully integrated with other road users in the city. Metro North vehicles will be similar to Luas trams; though over twice the length and will be capable of running on the existing Luas lines.
Metro North Design
Q: What will Metro North look like, will it be like the London Underground?
A. Metro North will be a modern, attractive and highly accessible mass transit system for the commuters of Dublin. It will be similar in concept to Metro systems in many European cities of similar size to Dublin such as Oporto and Cologne. It will not be a heavy metro such as London Underground. In essence, Metro North will operate as a fully segregated line in congested city centre areas, using a mix of tunnelling, cuttings and elevated structures as appropriate, and operate more like a light rail system in the less congested outer suburban environment where less capacity is needed.
Q: What will Metro North stops look like?
A. Metro North underground stops have been designed to be open and spacious, making the maximum use of natural light where possible. Most underground stops will have island platforms to simplify wayfinding within the stops. Surface stops will be similar to those on the existing Luas lines, though the platforms will be considerably longer. Click here to view more information on the Metro North Stops.
Q: Will there be escalators and lifts in the stations?
A. Yes. All stations will be fully accessible. There will be lifts from street level to platform level in all stations and escalators where required.
Q: What will access be like to underground stations for people with impaired mobility?
A. There will be full accessibility to all stations with such features as lifts, tactile paving and signage. Full consultation will take place to ensure that the best solution for mobility impaired passengers is utilised.
Q: What will the Metro North trains look like?
A. Metro North trains will have a sleek modern appearance. In many respects they will be similar to the existing Luas trams except that they will be longer. They will be user-friendly low level units designed for ease of access with level boarding. They will have a large number of doors for speedy boarding and alighting and space for passengers’ luggage.
Q: Why is the Metro North not underground all the way to Swords?
A. Tunnelling is expensive, as is building underground stops. The cost of a Metro in tunnel is five to six times the cost of a Metro at street level and almost three times the cost of an elevated system. In addition, as you move out of the city centre there is generally more space to develop and it is therefore not necessary to construct the Metro in tunnel.
Construction
Q: What is the risk of damage to property during construction?
A. The risk of significant damage to property during construction is extremely low. All structures that lie within the zone where there is considered to be potential for effects from the tunnelling operations will be carefully assessed for risk of damage. Surveys will be undertaken, protective measures will be developed for those structures likely to be affected and buildings will be monitored during and for a period after construction. If cracking or other effects occur suitable remedial works will be carried out. This has been standard practice on tunnel projects worldwide for many years.
Q: Will RPA guarantee, that any damage caused by tunnelling will be repaired?
A. RPA will ensure that appropriate mechanisms are in place to address any damage that may be caused to property by tunnelling. RPA has set up a Property Owners' Protection Scheme for residents whose properties lie within thirty metres of the edge of the tunnels or fifty metres of the underground stations. Click here or more information on the Property Owners' Protection Scheme.
Q: How much noise and vibration will I hear and/or feel during tunnel construction?
A. There will be perceptible noise and vibration during construction. It is anticipated that this will be less than experienced on the Dublin Port Tunnel as the Metro North tunnels are much smaller and involve excavating just over a quarter of the volume of material excavated for the Dublin Port Tunnel. Noise and vibration impacts are assessed in the Environmental Impact Statement for the project.
Q: What will the hours of construction be and will tunnelling be 24 hours per day?
A. Some work, particularly on the tunnels, is likely to continue around the clock, both to achieve efficiencies and to keep the work safe at all times. Tunnelling working hours will be limited by the noise restrictions in the Environmental Impact Statement.
Q: Will residents be compensated for disturbance?
A. It is not normal to compensate residents for disturbance caused by construction. The Environmental Impact Statement recommends mitigation measures that should be put in place to reduce the construction impacts.
Q: What impact will tunnelling have on poor and/or deep foundations?
A. A preliminary ground movement analysis has been carried out and the impact of these predicted ground movements on structures above the tunnel has been assessed taking account of the type and condition of the structures. It is not surprising that some old buildings may be built on poor foundations or even not be founded on foundations. The contractor will continue to develop this assessment and will develop appropriate protection measures for buildings and structures as necessary.
If anyone has particular concerns about their property and/or foundations they should bring it to our attention and we can send an engineer to assess the structural condition of the property.
Q: How long will drilling and digging affect our residential area?
A. This depends on ground conditions and on the number of hours of tunnelling permitted per day. If construction is similar to Dublin Port Tunnel, you are likely to hear tunnel boring for a maximum of 3 weeks approaching a property and for 3 weeks going away from it. However, as the Metro North tunnels are much smaller it’s likely to be less than that on this project.
Q: Which houses will have tunnels running under them?
A. RPA has written directly to all householders whose property lies over the tunnel alignment. The Railway Order application includes plans of the tunnel alignment relative to the overhead properties.
Along the route alignment, we have adopted an approach of first meeting with persons whose property may have to be acquired, before publishing detailed maps to a wider audience.
Q: How deep will the tunnel be?
A. The depth of tunnels varies along the route. In general the minimum depth of the Metro North tracks is 20 metres below ground, giving a distance from the top of the tunnel of 15 metres to ground level. The final depth of the tunnels in any particular area is dependent on the detailed analysis of ground conditions.
Q: What is the diameter of the tunnel?
A. Metro North will have two tunnels, each approximately 6.7m in diameter – just over half of the diameter of the Dublin Port Tunnel tunnels.
Q: What is the guaranteed maximum width of all tunnels combined?
A. The tunnel size depends on the size and make of the Metro North trams. It is expected to be approximately 6.7 metres in diameter. There will be two separate tunnels, one for north bound services and one for south bound. The space between the two tunnels will be around 7 metres.
Q: How will RPA build the station at St. Stephen’s Green?
A. The station is likely to be constructed by digging down from the surface. Measures will be taken to minimise disruption to Luas and to minimise impacts on the Green itself. Most of the Green will remain open to the public and the area required to build the station will be re-instated after construction. Station entrances will be outside the Green, though emergency escape routes will emerge inside the Green. These entrances and the ticket concourse will be constructed by digging down from the surface, which will require at least partial street closures for the duration of construction. Traffic management plans will be agreed with Dublin City Council.
Q: How will the station under the River Liffey be built?
A. O’Connell Bridge station will be mined in the rock beneath the River Liffey. Once the tunnels are built, they will be widened out underground to form the station. This approach is currently used on Metro projects around the world. There will be a number of station entrances on both sides of the Liffey River. These entrances will be constructed by digging down from the surface, which will require at least partial street closures for the duration of construction. Traffic management plans will be agreed with Dublin City Council.
Q: Is O’Connell Street going to be dug up again?
A. Although the O’Connell Bridge station is mined, there will still be a need for excavations in O’Connell Street to build the station entrances and ticket concourse.
Q: How will Parnell Square Station be built?
A. Because it is not in rock, a station in Parnell Square will be constructed by digging from the surface. This will require at least partial street closures for the duration of construction. Traffic management plans will be agreed with Dublin City Council.
Q: Previous construction has generated large displacement of rodents. How do RPA plan to deal with this?
A. The Environmental Impact Statement considers the effects associated with construction. This includes the potential for the displacement of faunal habitats during the construction phase. Where mitigation measures are required these are detailed in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
Q: Is Albert College Park going to be dug up and will it be a construction compound?
A. The Environmental Impact Statement shows the proposed locations of construction compounds. There will be large scale construction works within Albert College Park as the tunnels approach the surface, and the tunnel boring machines will be launched from this site. The park will be re-instated upon completion of works.
Q: Where precisely will tunnel vents be placed and what will be the nature and size of the above ground construction for these?
A. Tunnel ventilation buildings are local ted at the ends of each underground stop, at tunnel portals and at St. Patrick’s College between Griffith Avenue and Drumcondra stops where there is a long gap between the stops. Ventilation fans are housed within the underground stops, though ventilation shafts will be located at street level. Other ventilation buildings are illustrated on the Railway Order plans.
Q: What will traffic disruption be like during construction?
A. It is envisaged when Metro North is being built, traffic conditions in the city centre will be better than today due to increasing pedestrianisation. There is also a long term policy to reduce the amount of traffic in the city. The opening of the Port Tunnel has already had an impact in this regard with the diversion of many lorries away from the Quays. The construction of Metro will cause some disruption due to the need to divert traffic away from construction sites while work is in progress. Construction work will be staged in sections so far as practicable in order to minimise disruption. RPA are working closely with the relevant traffic authorities, the Dublin Transportation Office and the bus transport companies. RPA will also be consulting with local residents and business to develop traffic management plans aimed at minimising disruption.
Q: How will you dispose of soil during construction?
A. The material removed from the tunnels will be disposed of in an environmentally acceptable manner. The detailed arrangements will be agreed in advance with Dublin City Council and Fingal County Council. It is likely that in some instances the material will be of value for landscaping purposes or to increase ground levels for other projects.
Q: How many trucks per day of excavation material will enter and leave the site and which route will they take?
A. It is likely that truck movements will number approximately 20 per hour in and out of the underground stop construction sites during excavation of stations. The detailed arrangements for spoil disposal and construction traffic routes will be agreed in advance with Dublin City Council.
Q: Given the age profile and nature of construction of some buildings, do RPA have a Conservation Engineer to assess the impact of construction and assure the safety of buildings in the immediate and long-term?
A. RPA has a large design team with a full range of specialists in all necessary disciplines working on the Metro North project. We have engineers who have designed tunnels in London which were constructed under highly sensitive Georgian buildings and buildings from earlier periods.
Q: Does RPA know that the area between Parnell Square and Mater Hospital has a catacomb? Have RPA mapped them as part of the initial investigation? What measures will RPA take to protect them?
A. We are aware that there are catacombs in the vicinity of Parnell Square. We have not yet mapped the catacomb but will be doing so as part of the future surveys we will carry out. Until we have assessed the risk to these catacombs it is not possible at this stage to say what, if any, protection measures will be necessary.
Property
Q: Will my property be devalued if it is over the Metro North tunnel?
A. Experience from other cities where similar systems have been built suggests that the value of properties close to the line of a Metro (whether it is in tunnel or on the surface) will actually increase in value once a Metro is operational as a direct result of the improvement in the public transport system. This effect is likely to be greatest for those properties that are closest to stations.
Q: Which properties do RPA plan to compulsorily purchase?
A. The properties which RPA needs to compulsorily purchase to construct Metro North are described in the Railway Order application. RPA has met directly with all persons whose property must be acquired and demolished or temporarily occupied during the works.
Property Owners’ Protection Scheme
Q: Is the Scheme free?
A. Yes.
Q: What is a condition survey?
A. The condition survey will be a photographic and written record of the condition of the property. It will identify general information, outline and comment upon the condition of and clearly highlight any particularly sensitive internal and external features of each property and any existing cracking or other damage.
Q: How long does a condition survey take?
A. The surveys will vary in length depending on the size and nature of the property. However, it is not anticipated that the surveys will take more than an hour or two.
Q: When will the surveys be done?
A. The surveys will be carried out as close as practically possible to the commencement of construction in the vicinity of the property in question.
Q: Can I choose another surveyor not on RPA list?
A. No. The panel of surveyors will be set up by RPA following a formal tender process. The panel will be obliged to act impartially. Should you wish to use a surveyor who is not on the panel, this would have to be at your own expense.
Q: Why is the ceiling for compensation set at €30,000?
A. There is no ceiling on any cost of repairs due to damage caused by the negligence of RPA or its agents.
This Property Owners Protection Scheme is an additional layer of control for the relevant residents and a "fast track" method of managing the repair of any member's property if it were to be damaged as a result of the Metro North Underground Works. Nothing in this Scheme takes away or dilutes any of the rights of householders to make a claim against Metro North, it is simply a fast track method of rectifying any damage which might result from the works. No member of the Scheme is obliged to make their claim through the Scheme. All members are fully entitled to hire experts (legal, engineering, etc) of their own choice in the normal way if they wish. However, the Scheme provides a procedure to speed up the process and have repairs completed without having to hire these extra people to work on a member's behalf. The reports provided by the Property Protection Scheme will assist the Scheme member in recognising whether there is a valid claim as they will clearly show any difference in the condition of the property before and after the works.
RPA arrived at an upper figure of €30,000 solely in relation to this fast track Scheme after consulting with Dublin City Council (DCC) and reviewing their evidence, together with ensuring that the figure reflected what RPA could afford to underwrite itself without recourse to Insurers. On the basis of information provided by DCC, 537 residents signed up to the Dublin Port Tunnel Building Guarantee Scheme and had surveys completed. 82% of the claims received were finalised for under €30,000.
The contracts with the contractor who will build Metro North are very clear in relation to the legal obligations on the contractor to have sufficient insurance in place to cover costs associated with damage caused by their negligence. The contractors and their insurance policies will cover successful claims amounting to more than €30,000.
Q: What if after twelve months I notice damage to my property which I think may relate to construction of Metro North? Can I claim through the Property Protection Scheme?
A. By twelve months after the underground construction works, any ground movement should have stopped and, therefore, any damage to properties should have been identified. However, in the unlikely event that damage is noted after the twelve month period, the property owner will still have the right to claim compensation from the contractor just not through the Property Owners Protection Scheme.
Q: If repairs are required, who does the repairs? Will the property owner get the compensation and select his/her own repair company or is that done by the Metro North contractor?
A. No compensation will be paid under this scheme. Any repairs identified will be carried out as promptly as possible at a mutually convenient time by contractors appointed under the scheme.
For more information on the Metro North Property Owners Protection Scheme, please click here.
Cost
Q: How much will Metro North cost?
A. Metro North will be procured as a Public Private Partnership (PPP), funded through annual availability payments, over a period of approximately 30 years. The first availability payment is not made until the Metro North opens for passenger service. In order to comply with the Department of Finance PPP Guidelines, the capital cost included in the Metro North business case and the values of annual availability payments remain commercially sensitive in advance of the public procurement process.
Section 2.7.9 of the PPP Guidelines specifically state that the final Public Sector Benchmark (the capital cost of the project if funded by the Exchequer), or any elements thereof, is not made public on the basis that revealing the amount that the State is willing to pay for a service may give tenderers an opportunity to increase their asking price above what they might otherwise seek.
Ground (Geotechnical) Investigations
Q: What does a ground investigation involve?
A. A ground investigation is used prior to construction of a project to assess the condition of the soil, the underlying groundwater and the geological conditions of a site. Specifically a borehole is a small diameter exploratory hole drilled into the soil and rock to gather physical data.
Q: What is the risk of damage to property during ground investigations?
A. There is very little risk of damage to buildings during ground investigation. The sites that have been selected for investigation are generally in open or public areas. In order to investigate the geology through which the tunnel will pass, boreholes of six to eight inches in diameter will be drilled to depths between 20m and about 55m. Steel casing tubes, inserted as drilling progresses through soil, will support the sides of the holes, thus preventing any collapse. All holes will be backfilled with grout on completion of drilling. Good geotechnical information is essential in order to ensure that the tunnel is designed and constructed to minimise any potential risks.
Operations
Q: Can Luas trams run on Metro North?
A. Metro North will be designed to be fully interoperable with the Luas system to take advantage of the economies and operational flexibility that this will provide.
Q: Will this not just take people off the bus network?
A. Some passengers will come from the bus network but a significant proportion will also come from private cars and other modes of transport.
Q: Can DART Trains run on Metro North?
A. No. Metro North will operate on a different gauge to the DART network. With construction of the interconnector however excellent interchange will be provided between Metro North and DART at St Stephen’s Green and Drumcondra Station.
Q: How often will Metro North run?
A. Metro North will run every few minutes from early in the morning to late in the evening, rather like Luas. The service is likely to commence at a peak frequency of every four minutes and increase as demand builds up to every two minutes.
Q: What will the fares be on Metro North? Will there be a premium fare to the airport?
A. Metro North fares will be set much closer to the time of opening. A full range of products including period passes for regular commuters including airport workers will be available.
Q: Can I take my bike on Metro North?
A. No. It is a policy of RPA that all capacity on Luas and Metro is for passengers and not taken up by bicycles. Bike racks will be provided at stations.
Q: Will Metro North run 24 hours per day?
A. Metro North will not run twenty-four hours per day. It will run from early in the morning until late at night similar to the Luas.
Q: What is the journey time to the airport and to Swords?
A. The journey time from the airport to the St. Stephen’s Green terminus is likely to be under 20 minutes. The end to end journey time from Swords to St. Stephen’s Green is likely to be around 30 minutes.
Q: How many people can Metro North carry?
A. Metro North will ultimately have a carrying capacity of over 20,000 passengers per direction, per hour.
Q: Is Metro North the same gauge as Luas?
A. Yes. Metro North and Luas lines will be the same gauge to allow future interoperability.
Q: Why are we building a cross city Luas line as well?
A. Metro North will offer a high capacity limited stop system on a new corridor for Dublin with quick access to the airport and Swords. The cross city Luas line (Luas Line BX) will extend the existing Green Line into the city centre and beyond to serve the Dublin Institute of Technology campus at Grangegorman and connect with the suburban rail line at Liffey Junction. The two lines complement rather than compete with each other. The patronage with both systems is forecast to be at least 4 million higher than with Metro North alone.
Q: Are their harmful health effects associated with Metro North power lines?
A. Metro North will operate at the same voltage as Luas. The Luas power lines operate safely throughout the city.
Q: What will be the noise and residual vibration from the metro trains, once operational?
A. The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) considers the effects associated with operations. This includes the potential for noise and vibrations caused by the movement of metro trams. Where impacts are likely to be significant and where mitigation measures are required these are detailed in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
Q: What will the effect on services i.e. Water, Electricity, Gas, Computer, TV and Radio signals etc?
A. Such services are unlikely to be impacted by Metro North. The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) considers the effects associated with operations. This includes the potential for impacts on services. Where impacts are likely to be significant and where mitigation measures are required these are detailed in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
Public Consultation and Metro North Route Selection
Q: How are you consulting with residents and businesses along the proposed Metro North tunnel alignment?
A. As the design work progresses and we identify a feasible design alternatives we write to and meet the people whose property we may need to acquire for Metro North. We then widen the Public Consultation process out to people close to the station sites and then people close to the tunnel alignment. We always welcome comments from the general public either via email or by telephone.
Q: How can public consultation influence Metro North plans?
A. All of the issues and concerns raised during public consultation were considered in the context of the wider Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). The concerns around construction noise and vibration, and impacts on health, for instance, are addressed as part of the EIA. Feedback received from public consultation is also considered when undertaking the detailed design work, which is on-going.
Q: How did the RPA select the Metro North route and what Public Consultation was conducted?
A. The route was selected on the basis of an objective appraisal against a wide range of criteria, including:
- Compliance with transport and land-use strategy;
- Minimising environmental impacts including congestion and associated pollution problems;
- Generating social and economic benefits
- Delivering good quality transport integration
- Optimising capital and operating costs
- Delivering a safe and operationally efficient system
- Achieving efficiency and minimising risk during construction.
Public consultation was extensive. Between February and March of 2006, over 100,000 public consultation newsletters were distributed to homes in the catchment area of Metro, including the area between Parnell Square and Mater stops. Six open days were held at various locations along the route and these were advertised on national radio and in national/local newspapers. The open days were extremely well attended and RPA received over 2,000 written submissions from the public in relation to route selection.
Q: Why are you not building a spur off the DART to the airport?
A. Metro North is not just an airport link. It is an important commuter link for the communities and institutions of North Dublin City and County. This is reflected in the fact that over three quarters of the forecasted passengers will not be airport related.
Q: What other public transport services will Metro North interchange with?
A. Metro North is part of an integrated public transport network envisaged in Transport 21. Metro North will interchange with Park & Ride facilities at strategic locations, bus routes at most Stops along the route, DART and rail at Drumcondra and St Stephens’s Green and with Luas at Abbey Street and St Stephen’s Green.