Official Opening of Green Line Extension
 

Luas have confirmed the official date is now Saturday 9th December (15th previously stated).

That's good news. Is free travel planned for the initial days?

I recall travelling St. Stephen's Green / Harcourt Street to Dundrum and Milltown on the opening day/s of the Green Line. (Is that as long ago as 2004?!)

Yes June 2004 for the Green Line!

Would expect a free day on the 9th, haven't they had it for all extensions opened so far?

Pretty sure there has been a free travel day for every opening so far, but no mention of it on the Luas website.

Full fares apply and tickets are being checked

They have to fund the big pay rises somehow :p

Its great to see it finally open.

Broombridge
 

Its a pity that work on Broombridge station did not run in parallel with the Luas works and facilitate easy cross over from one system to the other. Did Irish Rail not realise what was coming in the past 5yrs?

One story I heard (maybe not true, but totally believable) was that work on the connecting footbridge was delayed because of a dispute between Irish Rail and Transport Infrastructure Ireland about who should pay what share of the cost.

Pathetic, but totally credible.

Irish Rail have nothing to do with construction (not that they would of managed it on time either!), its the NTA or TII who are in charge of it and they had 4 years.

Not sure about the dispute but I agree IE shouldn't have to fund the project. After all it's part of Luas project. For example it was Luas/TII/NTA who fund access to Connolly station and maintain it today.

There has been a long standing turf war over the Broadstone - Broombridge section, Irish Rail & CIE did there best to invent a fictitious need to use Broadstone as a rail terminus again

The footbridge design is a standard Irish Rail footbridge with lift modular design not the design shown in the planning documents for Luas cross city which suggests the project is under Irish Rail control.

Maybe so but I don't think IE are paying anything so the money row could well be the reason for the delay.

Should be fully funded by the NTA

Aside from the obvious timetable and reliability issues, if anyone has any issues with the new section, can they let me know?

Shelters
 

I notice that there is a total absence of shelters at some locations e.g. Trinity. Is this because such structures are not allowed at these locations for planning/aesthetic reasons?

I have always held the reasonable view that all tram stops and rail stations should have shelter.

The bus stops that used to be there had brown / bronze effect shelters, so I can't see any particular objections.