The proposed service, which would run through Finglas, would be too slow, and people would choose a faster bus link instead, said David O’Connor, a lecturer at Dublin Institute of Technology.
Mr. O’Connor, who lectures in transport and urban design, said that Luas trams traveling through Finglas “would have too many stops” and would “take too long.”
At present, express buses using the port tunnel take 15 minutes to travel from the airport to the city centre.
Mr O’Connor expressed his concerns following indications that Transport Minister Paschal Donohoe will likely choose a Finglas tram option as the airport-city centre service.
He explained that a Luas extension from Cabra through Finglas to the airport would have a price tag of around €330m, while a high-quality reliable Bus Rapid System (BRT) would cost €240m or less.
He added that BRT systems are gaining popularity around the world.