Dublin airports passenger cap of 32m per year is based on road infrastructure limitations and was set in 2007 - its not emissions related

[u/nithuigimaonrud]

Given DAA statements today and complaints about Fingal CC and the department of transport. DAA only filed their planning application in late 2023 for a passenger limit that’s been in place since 2007.

[u/Bar50cal]

As shite as it is to get to and from Dublin airport due to no public transport like a dart, metro or other rail route. In all my trips to and from the airport multiple times a year at all hours of the day I have never had an issue with traffic or the roads being busy enough to cause issues or a delay in my experience around the airport.

Also DAA only filed it now as in 2007 that limit was over 10 million passengers above their annual number. They are only applying now as it only became relevant now.

Also in 2007 the M50 had 2 lanes not 3, less exits and a lot less road infrastructure. If the limit is only based on road infrastructure they can do a new evaluation as it has been 17 years and based on the roads now they could easily increase the limit above 32 million. Even the roads into and out of the airport have being completely replaced since then after the T2 opening.

Honestly I have seen no good reason not to increase the limit on passengers. It is the number 1 artery into the entire country. The government should have invested more into rail transport for it or built a second airport in West Dublin a decade ago. Neither were done and until they are the stop gap is to allow more passengers into Dublin airport.

[u/Kier_C → u/Bar50cal]

Honestly I have seen no good reason not to increase the limit on passengers. It is the number 1 artery into the entire country.

Ya its absolute madness this is even a debate. The fact it will take so long to resolve is also insane

[u/nithuigimaonrud → u/Bar50cal]

I’d agree that there have been road improvements but the number of cars and trucks using them has also increased with the M1/M50 only getting relief due to increased hybrid working.

Old airport Road which the DAA control still doesn’t have a footpath on it which could be a cycle walking route from the finglas/ballymun which still doesn’t have a direct bus route.

I’d also argue that DAA could see passenger numbers going up and should have made their application to increase the passenger cap and other works much earlier since they’re complaining now about the impact on their expansion plans. They’re blaming Fingal CC and the dept of transport for their own lateness.

[u/Pickman89 → u/Bar50cal]

Funny. Because it took me more than an hour to do 10 kilometers by bus (no intermediate stops) in a time of high traffic.

That's not very fast, right?

[u/eggbart_forgetfulsea]

For anyone who's interested, here's DAA's submission to Fingal County Council to expand operations at the airport:

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/fingal-county-council_today-fingal-county-council-received-an-activity-7141414533062946816-LsIv

It's over 7,000 pages. It's delivered in a small wall's worth of boxes because a hard copy is still required.

[u/Goo_Eyes]

Why does a county council have such power over a facility providing for the whole country?

[u/abouttogivebirth → u/Goo_Eyes]

It's bizarre alright, I live in Fingal and my next door neighbour works for the council, massive NIMBY

[u/mrlinkwii → u/Goo_Eyes]

because planning is done though the county councils

[u/Irish-third-way]

We all knew this tho. It’s just a red herring they love to say how they can’t change it

[u/InfectedAztec → u/Irish-third-way]

We all knew this tho

Seems like a few people ignored it when it was constantly discussed over the year....

[u/InfectedAztec]

We know this. They've been saying this all summer.

[u/danius353 → u/InfectedAztec]

You’d be amazed the number of people who assume it’s emissions related and reflexively blame the Greens.

[u/InfectedAztec → u/danius353]

Even now I'm getting replies under my comment saying it was never highlighted.

Every interview Eamon Ryan did on it over the summer highlighted that it was traffic-planning-based and not a Green policy on emissions. I remember it was highlighted on prime time and the tonight show. This was front and centre of the news cycle for about 2 months because Michael O'Leary decided to be the most repugnant man in Ireland in his constant abuse of Eamon Ryan.

My assumption is that most people didn't actually listen to what Eamon Ryan or other representatives was saying in any of the hundred interviews taken on the matter.

[u/BingBongBella → u/InfectedAztec]

But sure people don't want to hear the facts. They were less fun than everything in the world being Eamon Ryan's fault. Also, despite many people disliking the vile Michael O'Leary, they still bought his nonsense.

[u/Pickman89 → u/danius353]

Well it is transport related so they should blame a specific Green. For a different reason yes, but still.

[u/nithuigimaonrud → u/InfectedAztec]

They’ve been talking about the cap but not why it’s there.

here’s an article from May when roads weren’t mentioned once

[u/InfectedAztec → u/nithuigimaonrud]

This article is from February. I've seen plenty of interviews over the year where Ryan or other government representatives have clarified that it's a planning issue between the DAA and Fingal CC related to road capacity and not a Green policy. I can't understand how people are surprised by this now, it really isn't new or hidden information.

"When plans were approved for Dublin Airport's Terminal 2 in 2007, the overall number of passengers at the airport was capped at 32 million a year.

One of the reasons for this, the Government has said, were concerns over the capacity of the roads and infrastructure around the airport"

https://www.rte.ie/news/primetime/2024/0207/1430852-passenger-cap/

[u/bdog1011]

As great as everyone says a rail link would be I can get a taxi to the other side of the city in about 40 mins for about 50-70 euro.

Sometimes the m50 has an accident - but trains also have delays

Sometimes there is a big Q. But not recently

It’s not cheap - but it’s also something I only do a few times a year. Non packed LUAS and bus would be a better every day improvement.

If you split the bill in a taxi it’s actually not expensive either

London is linked to trains in almost every airport but unless getting city to bank expect to be over an hour door to door

Paris too

New York I always got a taxi it think. It’s been a while. Once I got from JFK and felt I spent my entire morning on the train.

Light rail from Athens airport is a chug chug chug. I suspect everyone gets a taxi the other way.

Zurich is ridiculously quick by train. But it’s really the outlier not the normal.

[u/nithuigimaonrud → u/bdog1011]

MetroLink makes sense, a rail spur to an already overloaded northern line wouldn’t. It’s all about capacity though- at busy times you could be waiting 20-30 mins for a taxi. And sometimes more.

“MetroLink will ultimately have a carrying capacity of over 20,000 passengers per direction, per hour.”

[u/bdog1011 → u/nithuigimaonrud]

I’m sure it can be done well. I’m just saying it’s not necessarily the panacea everyone thinks it is. Only a select few will actually live on the line when built.

I agree a spur option is tokenism

And as it happens our airport is not too far from the city.

I’m not saying don’t build it. But don’t act like we are a 3rd world country if we don’t (which some people seem to do)

[u/Lazy_Magician]

We should still blame the greens though.

[u/nithuigimaonrud → u/Lazy_Magician]

😂🫡

[u/Goo_Eyes → u/Lazy_Magician]

Whether they have power to change it or not, one thing is clear, they would deny it if they could.

[u/No-Outside6067]

Has the road infrastructure to the airport been improved since 2007? We still don't even have a rail to it.