Luas Green line services are operating normally following a series of stoppages and delays for passengers along the tram line over the weekend.
Tram services along the southside line were badly disrupted on Friday and Saturday following a power failure at Stillorgan. As a result services between Balally and Brides Glen were down on Saturday with a limited service running between the Broombridge and Balally stops.
The Luas operators, Transdev, said on Saturday that normal service would not resume to the area until Sunday morning while maintenance teams worked to resolve faults along the line.
An updated statement posted on the group’s website on Sunday confirmed that both Green Line and Red Line services were operating as normal.
A spokeswoman for Transdev Ireland confirmed that a power failure had been identified on Friday evening near the Stillorgan stop resulting in the closure of Luas stops between Balally and Brides Glen all day on Saturday.
“The decision to shut an area of the line is one that is never taken lightly, however the decision was made not to resume service in the area until this morning in order to allow maintenance teams to work to resolve the issue and restore full service in the area in as safe and as timely a manner as possible,” she told The Irish Times.
An alternative bus service was provided in the affected areas and Luas tickets were accepted on Dublin Bus for the duration of the disruption, she said, adding that Leopardstown Racecourse ran their coach service to Balally instead of Sandyford.
A spokeswoman for the Leopardstown races said attendees were not impacted by the temporary closure of the Sandyford Luas station and were transported directly to Balally on free shuttle buses. She added that Transdev contacted Leopardstown on Saturday morning in advance of the line closures which allowed for alternative arrangements to be made.
Fine Gael Senator Neale Richmond criticised the operator for a"spate of stoppages and delays that have bedevilled their service over the festive period", noting that the disruption had "impacted majorly on many locals" out shopping in the sales and attending the races in Leopardstown.
“Over just two days of the busy Christmas period when services are already reduced to Saturday schedules, it is highly disappointing to see the service repeatedly interrupted on both the red and green lines,” said Mr Richmond. “The series of delays and stoppages that have bedevilled the service need to be explained by LUAS operator Transdev as a matter of urgency.”
