PRESS RELEASE
Published on 07 November 2023
TII seeks to fill key leadership roles for the MetroLink project
MetroLink is the single largest public transport investment in the State’s history and is designed to serve people for generations to come.
The project is moving toward the delivery phase and significant efforts are being made to ensure that Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) has the key resources in place and construction can start when an Enforceable Railway Order comes into effect.
Significant achievements in the project to date include:
- Appointing the Client Partner team which is responsible for supporting TII in overseeing the delivery of MetroLink.
- Advancing the preparation for the procurement of all major contracts and advising the market through tender notifications of progress.
- Submitting a Railway Order to An Bord Pleanála in September 2022. TII provided the Board with detailed responses to submissions from third parties which have been published on the MetroLink website.
Lessons learned from international experience in the delivery of megaprojects indicate consistently that an experienced leadership team with specific track records in such projects is required. While TII has considerable experience in delivering major transport projects, there is recognition that the scale and complexity of MetroLink will require augmentation of expertise, skillset, and resourcing to successfully deliver an automated metro. Such key people are limited in number and in high-demand worldwide and must be sourced both locally and internationally from the global jobs market.
Following a review of the lessons learned and the experiences from other comparable megaprojects, TII has adopted an agile client model. The success of this model requires the appointment of a strong, leadership team, directly employed by TII as client. The key initial appointments from this leadership team will be:
1. Programme Director
2. Head of Procurement and Contracts
3. Advanced and Enabling Works Manager
4. Client Partner Manager
Newsom Consulting and Steering Point are managing the recruitment process on TII’s behalf. A strong and experienced leadership team for MetroLink is a fundamental prerequisite for the timely, efficient and successful delivery of the project. TII looks forward to being in a position to recruit the remainder of the leadership team in due course.
Background
MetroLink is a transformative piece of new public transport infrastructure, the first of its kind in Ireland. It will comprise a high-capacity, high-frequency modern and efficient metro railway with 16 new stations running from Swords to Charlemont. Dublin Airport, Irish Rail, DART, Dublin Bus, and Luas are all linked to create a fully integrated public transport network for the Greater Dublin Area (GDA).
As well as linking major transport hubs, MetroLink will connect key destinations including Ballymun, the Mater and Rotunda Hospitals, Dublin City University and Trinity College Dublin, amongst other significant destinations. Much of the 18.8km (about 11.68 mi) route will run underground, an exciting innovation for Irish public transport.
When operations commence there will be trains every three minutes during peak periods. This can rise to a service every 90/100 seconds (about 1 and a half minutes) by 2060, if required. The system can carry up to 20,000 passengers per hour in each direction. For comparison, current Luas Green Line services can carry circa 9,000 passengers per hour in each direction.
Sustainability for MetroLink means delivering and operating an efficient, low carbon and climate-resilient metro system, which better connects passengers as part of an integrated transport network, unlocks regeneration opportunities, drives international connectivity, and enables compact growth for present and future generations, while also being designed to be responsive to future demand requirements.
Ends.
Updated: 22 July 2024
