A €100m project to extend Green Line Luas trams has got the go-ahead, Transport Minister Shane Ross has said.

The Luas Green Line Capacity Enhancement Project will see eight trams being added to the fleet, the lengthening of the existing 26 Green Line trams and the extension of the Sandyford Depot in to accommodate 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.

This is a follow on project from the Luas Cross-City project, which is scheduled to open on December 15th.

The Luas Green Line is being extended to Broombridge station in Cabra.

It will have 13 new stops, with eight of these in core city centre area - and it will take 21 minutes to travel the 5.9km from Broombridge station to St Stephen’s Green.

The Cross-City Line will become the Green Line upon completion.

After the opening of the Cross-City Line, the capacity on the Green Line will be approximately 6,400 passengers per direction per hour - based on 21 trams per hour

At the end of the Green Line capacity project, this will increase to approximately 8,160 passengers per direction per hour - based on 24 trams per hour.

The increase in capacity is 1,760 passengers per direction per hour.