Consultants appointed for Dublin MetroLink

The client’s team is led by Turner & Townsend and WSP, supported by O’Connor Sutton Cronin, Mace and PwC.

The firms have been appointed to a framework that will be in place for the duration of the design, procurement and construction phase as the project client seeks to nail down costs on the project.

Running for 18.8km, much of it underground, MetroLink will be a high capacity, high frequency metro railway with 16 new stations running from Swords to the north of Dubline to Charlemont in the south.

MetroLink project director Aidan Foley said: “We believe the terms of engagement through the NEC4 professional services contract represents a real opportunity to work collaboratively and productively towards achieving our shared project goals. We are looking forward to working closely with our new colleagues to advance the project through the next stage of its development.”  

Turner & Townsend has acted as commercial advisor on the programme since 2018. Its infrastructure lead, Gary Easton, said: “Major programmes like MetroLink offer a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform the way people travel across the capital, connecting communities both inside and outside Dublin with an efficient, low carbon public transport service…  By closely engaging and collaborating as one team, we will be fully realising this project’s goals with as minimal disruption to the public and local business as possible.”

The public accounts committee of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Republic of Ireland’s parliament, expressed concern in a report last month about the wide range of cost estimates for Metrolink. It said: “The most likely cost for the construction of the Metrolink system was estimated at €9.5bn  by the Department [of Transport] in April 2023, with the most credible capital cost ranging from €7.16bn to €12.25bn, although some estimates for the project allow for a cost as high as €21.5bn.

Got a story? Email news@theconstructionindex.co.uk