The new Cork Luas route was unveiled Friday with 27 stops from Ballincollig to Mahon Point.

The new Cork Luas route was unveiled today with 27 stops, with the proposed route running from Ballincollig to Mahon Point. 

The publication of the 20km light rail route marks the start of a new round of non-statutory public consultation, which will continue until Friday, June 12.

Peter Horgan, Labour Councillor for Cork City told The Hard Shoulder that the launch was the first time he felt like the extension project could actually happen. 

“The infectious enthusiasm of the team in TII today was something I have never seen in my life. I've been working in politics for 10 years. I've never come across it before today”, he told Newstalk. 

He said that the project could be done in five years but needed ‘a factual envelope behind it’ and that current issues could be overcome.

“I’m sure the people of Cork will love it”, he added. 

“It's incumbent on elected reps to lead on that and not to get dragged down into the negative because the negative will only spiral into more congestion, more bowing to the private motor vehicle.

“It won't help the progress of Cork City as a major second city of the state where significant population growth is expected.”

He said the  Bishopstown, GAA, Highfield Rugby issue and the Ballantymple area where its coming through by Partick Weave were the biggest issues facing the upcoming Cork Luas. 

Luas Tram figures, © PA Archive/PA Images

Mr Horgan said he would have preferred to see it up a loop around the new Docklands and come up Warramatta Road to intersect with the bus connect sustainable transport corridors.

“I would encourage every political actor to resist the urge to be populist on this. To look at the grand scheme of what this will deliver for Cork City”, he said. 

Brian Caulfield, Professor of Engineering from Trinity said Cork was crying out for such infrastructure, but that the cost remained a sticking point.

University College Cork.

“The longer we procrastinate on these things, the exponential increase in the cost”, he explained. 

“We can't be waiting 10, 15 years for that to happen because the big thing, other than frustration and that happens with these projects, it's the economic cost that's lost.

“It's the cost of congestion and all the rest that's going to be impacted upon the people of Cork City unless this is delivered quickly. There's no reason why it should be delivered in the five-year time span that they're talking about. We just need to get an awful lot better at it.”

Main Image: Luas tram at platform outside Heuston Station.