Services of the Dublin Luas Red Line tram were brought to a standstill on a Saturday evening due to a van recklessly driving onto the tracks close to the Blackhorse stop. The incident led to the driver deserting the scene, fortunately without any casualties.
As a consequence of the event, the services had to be halted for a considerable period, impacting many commuters who were out in Dublin city to participate in numerous concerts and activities.
Luas provided an update on its website around 10.40 pm, stating that an irresponsible driver had lodged their vehicle on the track of the Luas Red Line near Blackhorse Stop. The scene called for the intervention of towing services, Luas technical crew and local law enforcement, An Garda Síochána. Following an assessment, a crane was required to dislodge the car and the overhead power in that particular section had to be temporarily cut off.
Once the vehicle was off the tracks, tram services resumed after some delay. Late on Saturday night, Red Line trams between The Point and Tallaght/Saggart were experiencing significant holdups. This happened when a large number of people were projected to use the tram services as various city-wide events concluded.
According to a statement shared on the same night by An Garda Síochána, they attended the scene of the traffic incident involving the van that had got stuck on the Luas tram line at Blackhorse, Inchicore, Dublin 8, the evening of Saturday, 29th June 2024, around 7.10 pm. The Luas line was temporarily non-operational but reopened later.
The driver involved in the accident fled the scene and the authorities stated that there were no reported injuries at the site. Investigations concerning the incident are underway.
Meanwhile, the incident did not disturb the operations of the Green Line services. Notably, Luas was all set to mark the 20th anniversary of its first public tram services on the following Sunday.