The Emerging Preferred Route (EPR) for the proposed Luas Cork light rail system has been published by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII).
The route was officially presented at Cork City Hall by Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD, and an eight-week public consultation is now underway.
The proposed Luas Cork line extends approximately 18 kilometres, linking Ballincollig in the west to Mahon Point in the east. The line includes up to 25 stops and is intended to connect a number of key destinations including Munster Technological University (MTU), Cork University Hospital, University College Cork (UCC), the city centre, Kent Station, Cork Docklands, Blackrock, and Mahon.
The scheme also incorporates a proposed Park & Ride facility in Ballincollig, a new public transport bridge linking Kent Station to Kennedy Quay, a planned mobility hub in Mahon, and new cycling infrastructure along much of the corridor.
The Luas Cork project forms part of the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy (CMATS), which includes a broader suite of public transport and active travel initiatives. These include BusConnects Cork, improvements to heavy rail services, and upgrades to pedestrian and cycling infrastructure.
Cork is forecast to be Ireland’s fastest-growing city over the next two decades, with a projected population growth of between 50% and 60%. Public transport developments such as Luas Cork are seen as central to supporting this growth and facilitating major regeneration projects, including the Cork City Docklands development.
TII and the National Transport Authority (NTA) are encouraging the public to participate in the consultation, which remains open until 5:30pm on Monday, 9 June. Full details, including route maps and consultation materials, are available at www.luascork.ie.
Following the conclusion of the consultation period and the review of stakeholder feedback, the proect will enter a further stage of design development.
