St Stephen's Green station

Summary

St Stephen's Green is a stop on the Green Line of the Luas (tram) system in Dublin, Ireland. Originally opened in 2004, it was further developed as part of the Luas Cross City project between 2013 and 2017.

St Stephen's Green

Faiche Stiabhna
Luas
Green Line trams at Stephen's Green West
General information
LocationSt Stephen's Green, Harcourt Street
Dublin
Ireland
Coordinates53°20′21″N 6°15′40″W / 53.33926°N 6.26118°W / 53.33926; -6.26118
Owned byTransport Infrastructure Ireland
Operated byTransdev (as Luas)
Line(s)Green
Platforms2
Construction
Structure typeAt-grade
Key dates
30 June 2004Stop opened
2016Stop upgrade begins
9 December 2017Luas Cross City services commence
2018Platforms extended
Location
St Stephen's Green is located in Central Dublin
St Stephen's Green
St Stephen's Green
Location within Central Dublin

History edit

 
Luas (Typ Alstom Citadis 401) at St Stephen's Green stop

From the opening of the Luas Green Line in 2004 until December 2017, St Stephen's Green served as the northern terminus of the line to Sandyford and later Cherrywood, with a stop located on the western side of St Stephen's Green.[1]

Trams approach the stop from the south, after coming up Harcourt Street. Immediately before the stop is a double crossover point which was used for terminating trams, but is now rarely used. After departing the stop, trams turn right and head along St. Stephen's Green North, where there is a siding, and then turn left onto Dawson Street.

Cross city extension edit

In 2017 an extension of the Luas Green Line was opened, crossing the River Liffey, and intersecting with the Red Line at the junction between O'Connell Street and Abbey Street, terminating at Broombridge, interconnecting with the Irish Rail Broombridge railway station.[2] Named the "Luas Cross City line", this project was announced in 2011 as part of the government's 2012–16 Infrastructure and Capital Investment Plan.[3] Construction work for the Rosie Hackett Bridge across the River Liffey began in April 2012, with this bridge carrying the southbound Luas Cross City track.[4] The existing St. Stephen's Green stop on the Luas Green Line subsequently became a through-point for the new line,[5] with the stop's platforms extended to accommodate the proposed introduction of longer trams in 2018.[6] The extension opened on 9 December 2017,[5] with the St. Stephen's Green stop remaining operational throughout the works.[7]

Services edit

Trams stop at the stop coming from either end every 2-10 minutes.

Proposals edit

Initial plans for the proposed Dublin Metro called for St Stephen's Green to be used as the southern terminus of a line to Belinstown,[8] with a tunnel at the north-western corner of the park. While originally targeted for 2013,[9] these plans were subsequently indefinitely deferred.[10] Similar plans for a DART network extension proposed an underground station at St Stephen's Green. Though targeted to start in 2015,[11] these works were also indefinitely deferred.[10]

In March 2018, the Dublin Metro was rebranded under the name "Metrolink", and proposed to run from Swords in the north, passing through the city centre to points in the south. A version of this Metrolink plan proposed that an underground station be built on the Eastern side of St Stephen's Green.[12]

Preceding station   Luas Following station
Dawson
towards Parnell or Broombridge
Green Line Harcourt
Proposed
Preceding station   Dublin Metro   Following station
Tara Street   Metrolink   Charlemont

References edit

  1. ^ LUAS St.Stephen's Green website
  2. ^ LUAS Cross City line
  3. ^ "Infrastructure and Capital Investment 2012–16". Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. Retrieved 5 December 2011.
  4. ^ "Do we need €15m Liffey bridge?". Evening Herald. 28 April 2012.
  5. ^ a b "Taoiseach launches new Luas Cross City service in Dublin". RTÉ. 9 December 2017. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  6. ^ "Longer Luas trams to be introduced on the Green Line". Independent News & Media. 14 November 2017. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  7. ^ "Green light given to Luas link-up, first passengers 2017". RTÉ. Archived from the original on 5 August 2012. Retrieved 5 August 2012.
  8. ^ "Metro North, DART underground plans shelved". RTÉ News. 10 November 2011.
  9. ^ "Metro Airport / Swords (Metro North)". RPA. Archived from the original on 22 October 2013.
  10. ^ a b "Government cancels Metro North and Dart underground plans". Thejournal.ie. Archived from the original on 23 September 2012. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  11. ^ "Dublin Interconnector - Public Consultation - Proposed station at St Stephen's Green" (PDF). Irish Rail. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 March 2009.
  12. ^ Metrolink Public Consultation 2018 (PDF) (Report). Transport Infrastructure Ireland. March 2018. p. 60.

External links edit

  • LUAS Cross City Project Website
  • LUAS St.Stephen's Green stop site