There’s good news for anyone who commutes in Cork – it looks like a light rail system could be on the cards in the future.
Tánaiste Simon Coveney has backed plans for a Luas-like tram service in the rebel city.
The service is being considered as part of the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy.
It’s already been nicknamed the ‘Cluas’.
Minister Coveney has said he’d like to see a light rail service that links the city centre with Cork’s colleges, hospitals and most densely-populated areas – but admitted that the idea wasn’t guaranteed to happen.
“What we’ve agreed to in the 2040 plan is that we would investigate the potential for a light-rail service in Cork,” he said.
“I think those of us who know the city well know the route it will be likely to be on, linking up the docklands with Ballincollig, the city centre, the main hospitals, the CIT which will by then be a technological university as well as UCC and the higher density urban areas, residential areas of the city.
“But, look, there is work to do to assess the feasibility of that, but in the meantime a significant amount of money has been committed for a Bus Connects project in Cork to ensure we increase the number of buses and ensure we increase the bus transport system.
“But I think everybody in Cork would like at some stage in the future to see a light-rail system, certainly I would.”
The publication of the strategy, which is being prepared by local authorities with the National Transport Authority and Transport Infrastructure Ireland, has been delayed.
