Ranelagh residents lodge 11th-hour challenge that could delay MetroLink

A group of south Dublin residents have launched an 11th-hour legal challenge which could delay the construction of the long-awaited MetroLink rail line for the capital, writes Helen Bruce. They have just met the deadline to apply for a judicial review of the planning permission for the €10bn-plus project, which Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien has said will “boost housing, jobs, growth and connectivity for Dublin and the airport”. However, the rail line will now come under scrutiny by a court, as a group of residents from Ranelagh have issued proceedings against An Coimisiún Pleanála. Most of the 20 residents who hope to overturn the planning permission live on Dartmouth Square in Dublin 6, close to the planned Charlemont terminus at the southern end of the line. Some had previously submitted objections to An Coimisiún Pleanála, opposing the decision to locate a major interchange of the Metro project at the Charlemont stop. Residents had complained that streets nearby were small and already congested, and the terminus would create enormous issues for the local community. Some had also raised concerns to the planning board about the impact of MetroLink construction works, including how it could affect the value of their property on Dartmouth Square. Some residents called for the MetroLink to terminate at St Stephen’s Green in the city centre instead. Court records show legal papers were filed on Monday, the last day possible. The case has been listed for Monday of next week, on notice to the planning board. The High Court will then determine if the case is potentially strong enough to be allowed to proceed. The MetroLink project, which will see driverless trains running between Dublin Airport and the city centre, was given the green light by planners last month, after 25 years of stopping and starting. When the permission was granted, Hugh Creegan, interim chief executive at the National Transport Authority (NTA), said the 18.8km MetroLink would “dramatically improve connectivity, reduce congestion and offer a real transport alternative to tens of thousands of people daily”. The Department of Transport said: “MetroLink will provide a high-speed, modern, efficient metro rail service, with a peak capacity for 20,000 passengers per direction per hour. “The journey time from Swords to the city centre will be approximately 25 minutes.” The biggest investment in public transport in Ireland’s history, the MetroLink will carry up to 53million passengers a year. It will also link Dublin Airport, Irish Rail, Dart, bus and Luas services, helping to integrate public transport across the Greater Dublin Area and beyond. Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) recently announced the project had gone to tender after it held a number of events to try to attract bidders. Recent timelines had suggested that if there were no objections, the project could be completed by the mid-2030s. Green Party transport spokesman Feljin Jose, a Dublin city councillor, said the motion for judicial review was “deeply disappointing news”. “Dublin desperately needs MetroLink to reduce congestion, pollution and journey times,” he said. “I hope the case is dealt with swiftly by the courts and that it doesn’t delay the project for too long. “I’ve been following this project since I was ten years old. It’s well past the time to build it.” TII said the judicial review would prevent it from starting work on the development of MetroLink, and stressed the length of time the project had been open to public consultation before planning permission was granted. It added: “We remain hopeful that the matter will progress efficiently through the judicial review process and that the Railway Order will be upheld to allow us to move forward with the delivery of this vital nation-building programme at the earliest appropriate opportunity.” Last month, Taoiseach Micheál Martin warned that the “excessive” frequency of judicial reviews was “undermining the common good” and blocking the delivery of key infrastructure. aoiseach Micheál Martin warned that the “excessive” frequency of judicial reviews was “undermining the common good” and blocking the delivery of key infrastructure. (Photo by Thierry Monasse/Getty Images) “The interplay between the public good and individual rights is a core issue right now. In the design of legislation, we have to focus more on the public good,” he said. In September, Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan signalled that he was going to legislate to tighten the judicial review process. He said changes would ensure applicants “have an actual interest in the process” rather than undertaking action to fit “their own agenda”.

View Original Article