Longer Luas Trams Coming Down The Track
A plan for longer Luas trams has got the green light from Government.
Carriages on the new Green Line are to be extended ahead of the Cross City project going live on December 9th.
Platforms at 11 stops will also have to be lengthened to facilitate the new fleet.
Trams will go from 43 metres to 55 - that's about the size of the Leaning Tower of Pisa on its side.
It's to facilitate the growth in passenger numbers once the Cross City service launches next month. Last year the two lines carried over 34 million people.
The Luas Green Line Capacity Enhancement Project will see eight trams being added to the fleet, the lengthening of the existing 26 trams and the extension of the Sandyford Depot in to fit the longer trams.
The new trams will have capacity for 60 additional passengers to be carried per tram - a total of 369 people per tram.
At 55 metres, the newer trams will be longer than the Rosie Hackett Bridge over the Liffey (which is 47 metres in length.)
However major changes to traffic are planned for that part of the quays anyway, with traffic to be reduced to one lane on Eden Quay.
Private traffic was to be banned altogether from travelling from Bachelor's Walk on to Eden Quay, but transport chiefs did a u-turn after a massive backlash from businesses.
A permanent ban on private traffic turning right onto Eden Quay from O'Connell Bridge has already been put in place.
Additional reporting: Jack Quann