Frustrated commuters have sent dozens of complaints to Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien over delays and issues around the long-awaited MetroLink — with one sending him a €10 donation towards the multibillion euro project.
Many of the emails and letters bemoaned a lack of rail and bus connectivity in Dublin.
Some also proposed additional services to complement or run in tandem with the new underground line, suggesting links stretching to Naas, Blessington, Navan and around the M50.
MetroLink will connect the city centre to the airport by an 18km line running from Swords to Charlemont Street after it was granted planning permission in September. Figures published in 2022 put MetroLink’s estimated cost range at €7.16bn to €12.25bn, but a briefing document provided to Mr O’Brien earlier this year suggested costs could rise to €23.39bn in a worst-case scenario.
Several emails, released to the Sunday Independent under the Freedom of Information Act, sent to Mr O’Brien in recent months recommended abandoning the underground plan in favour of an overhead system or monorail that would run between the airport and the city centre.
However, others suggested MetroLink is a waste of resources or that money allocated to it would be better spent on housing.
One complainant dubbed the scheme a “wombat” — clarifying that this meant a “waste of money, brains and time”.
Another said Ryanair chief Michael O’Leary is correct in his criticisms of the project, after he said it is an “obscene waste of taxpayers’ money”.
Much of the correspondence was supportive of the scheme.
One commuter who regularly travels from south Dublin to Swords for work told Mr O’Brien they were tired of spending up to four hours per day on public transport.
However, they could not understand why the Luas network had not been expanded in lieu of delivering a metro. They also questioned why significant sums have been spent on the underground system without a track being laid. “It simply is difficult to live in this city without a car unless you can afford to live in the city centre. Is it government policy that Irish people are to travel by car and is that consistent with Ireland’s sustainability goals?” they asked.
“Finally, I enclose a donation of €10 to help fund the MetroLink construction.”
Credit to : Irish Independent