Dublin’s Red Line Luas services between Connolly and The Point will reopen on Friday, in time for the introduction of late-night services for the Christmas party period.
The line has been closed since August following a gas fire which caused extensive damage to George’s Dock bridge.
The bridge, close to the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC), had to be demolished and rebuilt at a cost of about €7 million.
The source of the fire was traced to a leak from a gas pipeline which melted the steel in the bridge above. An investigation into the cause of the leak is ongoing.
RM Block
Announcing the reopening of the line, Luas operator Transdev said the late-night trams would run on Friday and Saturday December 12th and 13th, as well as Friday December 19th and Saturday, December 20th.
Night Luas, as the extended services are to be branded, will also operate on New Year’s Eve.
Night Luas services will be operated on both the Red and Green lines, with trams generally running up to about 3am. The full timetable is available at Luas.ie
Services will finish at 8pm on Christmas Eve.
This year is the 21st anniversary of the introduction of the Luas and by year end Transdev expects journey numbers to rise to more than 55 million.
Before the bridge fire, some 20,000 passenger journeys took place each day on the Red Line section between Connolly and The Point, with numbers increasing significantly during concerts and other big events.
Infrastructure provider Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) said an intensive programme of construction and reinstatement works was delivered in collaboration with Transdev, Jons Civil Engineering, ROD, GPX Rail and Custom House Docks Management Limited.
TII chief executive Lorcan O’Connor said passenger services were being restored “within an exceptionally short time frame”.
In addition to bridge reconstruction, utility connections and Luas tracks, the overhead contact system was fully reinstated. The Commission for Railway Regulation approved the return of passenger services this week.
Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien congratulated all concerned. “I’m delighted to see the services reopening just in time for the busy Christmas season and thank passengers for their patience and understanding throughout this period,” he said.
- TII has produced a short time-lapse video showcasing the George’s Dock construction works over recent months. You can see it here.
