The Luas extension to the Dublin's Docklands is set to cost €90 million - or €60 million per kilometre, the Railway Procurement Agency (RPA) CEO has revealed.

This is almost double the cost of development of the Red and Green lines, four years ago.

In relation to Metro North, Frank Allen also revealed the RPA is about to formally request tenders from four consortiums who have expressed interest in the project.

However, the capacity of the Metro will be around 20,000 passengers in each direction an hour, although its final cost has not yet been revealed.

The minister for Transport Noel Dempsey has also requested the RPA to consider extending the proposed O'Connell Street to Broombridge (Liffey junction) line as far as Meakstown, where it would join up with the proposed Metro West.

Mr Allen said he did not believe the density of population or the density of public transport would ever deliver greater passenger numbers to Metro north than its built-in capacity.

While he acknowledged the tunnel could not be expanded when built, he reminded the that Metro west was also being developed and passengers could divert to that, along with all the new Luas lines.

To expand capacity in an underground you did not dig up the tunnel but added more lines, he said.

Source: Irish Times