Luas in profit : It has been announced that Dublin's Luas light rail system has made a profit a full year earlier than expected, making it the only transport network in the country not in need of Government subsidies.

The system carried around 60,000 people every day during 2005, a figure which is still increasing, and achieved a financial surplus of EUR200 000 according to the Railway Procurement Agency. This has enabled Luas not to require the expected EUR2.5m subsidy from the Department of Transport.

Due to its popularity there can be severely overcrowded trams at peak times which has required the introduction of additional services at morning peak hours and from September next the introduction of a four minute frequency on the Green Line, In addition the frequency of service on the Red Line will also be increased and from spring 2007 the overall capacity of the Red Line will be increased by 40% by increasing the length of trams from 30 metres to 40 metres.

23 June 2006