Cork, Limerick and Galway should get their own versions of Luas, according to a draft light rail investment strategy prepared by the Railway Procurement Agency.
The document, released under the Freedom of Information Act, says it is now increasingly recognised that traffic congestion is not a phenomenon unique to Dublin, but an "everyday reality in all of Ireland's cities and many of its large towns".
Saying congestion "can only be addressed through the delivery of high quality public transport", the agency says it will "identify the opportunities to develop light rail in the regional cities of Cork, Galway and Limerick where that need exists in the period to 2008".
According to its draft strategy, "this may involve the delivery of strategic light rail studies for each of these cities" to complement existing and proposed transportation strategies, land use proposals and local area plans drawn up by the relevant local authorities.
The document points out that trams are operating successfully in several small- to medium-sized cities in Europe such as Grenoble (population 160,000), Orleans (120,000), St Etienne (185,000), Baden-Baden (55,000), Bonn (310,000) and Utrecht (270,000).
The agency's draft strategy envisages that light rail projects could be developed for Cork, Limerick and Galway through a mixture of Exchequer funding and development levy, similar to the way the planned extension of Luas from Sandyford to Cherrywood is being funded.
While conceding that light rail outside Dublin was not in the Government's Transport 21 programme, a spokesman for the Rail Procurement Agency said yesterday: "If the local authorities were to contact us in the morning about it, we would be happy to talk to them about its feasibility."
However, a spokesman for the Department of Transport said that although installing light rail systems in the regional cities was "not a priority project" under Transport 21, "that's not to rule it out for the future. But obviously a lot more work would need to be done".
Meanwhile, a rail transport researcher has drawn up a number of route options for a low-cost Luas type system for Galway city and its surrounds.
According to Brian Guckian's Luas local lines national light rail development framework, the new routes could be built for as little as €1.5 million per kilometre.
Road schemes can cost more than €10 million per kilometre.
Mr Guckian's proposal says several route options are being looked at, including an initial two-way network running from Knocknacarra and Rahoon to Oranmore.
The second proposed line would run from Eyre Square to Newcastle and on to Moycullen, and there would be an interchange between the two lines just north of the university.
The Luas local lines initiative aims to bring low-cost light rail to Irish towns and cities, making use of the existing Iarnród Éireann transport system.
As well as carrying passengers, the proposed system could also be used for freight, with depots located outside towns for freight to be removed.
Unlike the Luas, the service could be laid on a ballast at the side of the road rather than embedding tracks in roads. Because of its flexibility it can follow contours and sharp curves when crossing through land.
Mr Guckian said extensions could take in Headford and Salthill, and the final shape of any system would be a matter for public consultation.
