Six hurt in two LUAS accidents

Updated: 22:30, Saturday, 20 December 2008

Six people were injured in two incidents involving LUAS trams in Dublin overnight.

1 of 1LUAS - Two accidents overnight
LUAS - Two accidents overnight

Five people were taken to hospital following a crash on the Red LUAS line.

A taxi collided with a tram near Smithfield at around 8.15pm yesterday evening.

Four people who were travelling in the taxi were taken to St James's Hospital.

One person who was travelling on the LUAS was also brought to hospital.

Four of the injured people were later discharged, and the person remaining in hospital is described as stable.

Earlier today, a man in his 30s sustained a serious leg injury as he attempted to board a Green line LUAS tram in Ranelagh.

The accident happened at around 12.30am this morning.

He was taken to St Vincent's Hospital.

Figures from the Rail Procurement Agency given to RTÉ under the Freedom Of Information Act reveal that over 200 incidents involving LUAS trams have occurred since their introduction four years ago.

The figures show that during the first six months of operation in 2004, LUAS trams were involved in 21 incidents.

Over the following three years an average of 47 incidents involving LUAStrams were recorded.

To date this year, 43 incidents have occurred, bringing the total to 205.

One person died in an incident involving the LUAS and in 41 cases, people had to be taken to hospital.

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