CIE's decision not to run the Tallaght light rail line into the city centre on the most direct route, via Kimmage and Harold's Cross, and to opt instead for a more circuitous alignment, is defended in the EIS on the Luas project.
It describes the central section of the alternative route through Kimmage as "both difficult and contentious". The space available for two light rail lines was "substandard" and it was also difficult to locate tram stops at acceptable intervals.
Further north, it notes, the route was blocked by a recently built housing estate in the grounds of Mount Argus and there were also problems with restricted road widths at Kimmage Road Lower, Mount Jerome and Harold's Cross Road.
Luas would have to share space with other traffic on an already congested road network. "This would cause unacceptable delays to the LRT service, resulting in an adverse impact on operating reliability, thereby reducing the benefits of the service."
There were also environmental concerns relating to the use of park land to accommodate Luas running through Tymon Park and Bancroft Park at the Tallaght end of the route and this "could result in both physical and visual severance and loss of amenity."
An alternative option to run Luas from Tallaght to the city centre via the Dodder Valley was ruled out.
The Luas project team also rejected the option of routing Luas through South Great George's Street, rather than Dawson Street, because of the difficulty of providing full segregation for light rail along relatively narrow stretches of Camden and Wexford Streets.
After the public consultation phase started in December 1995, involving a total of 350 meetings, the design team was faced with "vociferous" opposition from the local business community to its original proposal to the routing of Luas through Inchicore and Kilmainham.
Claiming that it would result in 600 job losses, "they constantly lobbied local public representatives in their attempt to invoke a change of alignment", the EIS says. "On the other hand, the residents did not show a great willingness to vocally support the proposed route."
Meetings were held with business associations, residents' groups and public representatives "in an effort to outline the benefits which the light rail system would afford the Inchicore area in terms of traffic reduction, traffic calming, development and rejuvenation".
However, the EIS concedes - that the positive message "failed to get across". Accordingly, the design team put forward an alternative route via Davitt Road, Suir Road, St James's Walk and St James's Hospital - partly running along a filled in section of the Grand Canal.
It was only after this change of plan was made that residents in the Inchicore/Kilmainham area set up a lobbying group called Cluas, demanding that the original alignment be reinstated. So far, they have collected some 5,000 signatures in support of this demand.
The Luas project team examined several alternative options for the section of the route between Benburb Street and Smithfield. However, it reaffirmed the original proposal on the grounds that it was "more logical" as well as being "the least disruptive from the perspective of property acquisition and urban reshaping and reformation of the streetscape subsequent to demolition".
. The Luas Environmental Impact Statement, which contains numerous drawings and illustrations, will be on public display at selected venues throughout the Dublin area for the next six weeks, starting today.
These venues include CIE's headquarters at Heuston Station, the Dublin Bus head office in O'Connell Street Upper, and the Dublin Transportation Office in Hainault House, St Stephen's Green.
