The Mayor of Fingal, Cllr. Darragh Butler will host a high-level seminar in County Hall, Swords, on Monday, May 8 to discuss the merits of accelerating the development of Metro North, from Swords to the Airport and onto the City Centre.

Metro North was identified by the Government in 2015 as a priority project in Building on Recovery, its infrastructure and capital investment plan 2016-2021. However, work on the transport corridor is not expected to begin for a number of years and is planned to be in operation by 2026/2027 at the earliest. The Government is currently undertaking a mid-term review of its investment plan and has additional resources to commit to priority projects.

Fingal County Council is advocating that for the sustainable development of the Dublin city region, Metro North should be fast-tracked. This will enable future development to be underpinned by a fast, dedicated and efficient public transport connection.

Speaking in advance of the seminar, the Mayor of Fingal, Cllr. Darragh Butler said: “Metro North is an essential investment for Fingal and for Swords in particular. Given its significant growth in recent years and the forecast expansion of Swords, it is vital that the commitment to Metro North is maintained and that investment in the project takes place as soon as possible.”

The Chief Executive of Fingal County Council, Paul Reid, supported the call by the Mayor adding: “The Fingal Development Plan 2017-2023 identifies Swords, with its large undeveloped land bank and highly accessible location, as offering a unique opportunity for Dublin, while continuing to support the growth of the City region as a whole. In this regard Metro North will connect Swords to Dublin City via Dublin Airport supporting the development of Swords, up to a population of 100,000. This development is predicated on the delivery of Metro North. With travel demand along the route forecast to grow by up to 40 per cent by 2033, car dependency will be unsustainable and key public transport investments such as Metro North are essential.”

The seminar will be attended by key stakeholders from across the Dublin region, as well as representatives from Government Departments and national agencies such as the National Transport Authority