Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Paschal Donohoe TD, was present as an order for new additional trams was placed by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII).

The order of seven ‘Citadis’ trams with Alstrom Transport SA is the next important step as the Luas Cross City (LCC) project progresses. Placing the order for additional trams at a cost of €36.5m excluding VAT, will ensure their delivery in advance of the Green Line extension coming into operation at the end of 2017.

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The new trams will be the same type currently being used on the Green line but with 2-modules additional per tram. This will make them 9-module trams – at a total length of 54.6m which is an increase in length from the current 43m-long trams. Each new tram will be capable of accommodating 379 passengers, 60 more than the existing Green line vehicles.

Speaking at the St. Stephen’s Green tram platform today, Minister Donohoe said: ‘Placing the order for the new trams today is another important step in this project. The new trams will carry more people and allow the Luas Cross City extension to provide a frequent, efficient and integrated transport option for the city centre and all the way through Broadstone and out to Cabra’.

Anne Graham, CEO; National Transport Authority, said: ‘All around the city centre tracks are being laid, each month is bringing this project closer to completion. Having new trams in operation from the very start of the new extension being opened is critical to ensure LCC is a success and fully operational from day one at the end of 2017’.

Micheal Nolan, CEO, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, added: ‘As the agency responsible for the delivery of such an important city centre transport project each landmark such as today is significant and shows the real and visible progress of the project’.

The current Red and Green Line trams are both tram-types within the Citadis range. The tram-stop platform lengths on the Luas Cross City are already designed to accommodate longer trams. The original Green Line platforms between St. Stephen’s Green and Sandyford will be extended in length in advance of the delivery of the new trams. The trams will be maintained at both the Sandyford and Broombridge Luas depots. The trams will be manufactured by Alstom Transport SA in La Rochelle, France.