John Bruton
Question:15 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government his policy on road pricing as a means of reducing urban traffic congestion. [23511/98]
Written Answers. - Dublin Traffic Management.
Pat Rabbitte
Question:23 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the plans, if any, he has to provide additional measures to deal with Dublin's chronic traffic problem; the progress made to date in implementing the Dublin traffic action plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24096/98]
Austin Deasy
Question:26 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the proposals, if any, he has to deal with the traffic gridlock currently causing problems in Dublin and other major centres of population; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24135/98]
Jim O'Keeffe
Question:28 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to growing concerns due to traffic jams and gridlock in our cities and towns; and the proposals, if any, he has to improve the situation. [24056/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 15, 23, 26 and 28 together.
Growth in transport demand in recent years, which has closely followed economic performance, has resulted in increased peak hour congestion in the major urban centres. Outside Dublin, problems of urban traffic congestion are being addressed primarily by the local authorities concerned in association with other relevant agencies. Funding has been approved, under the technical assistance programme of the Operational Programme for Transport 1994-99, for land use and transportation studies in Galway and Limerick with a view to guiding appropriate strategies and solutions. Consideration will also be given in the context of the next national development plan to the transport investment needs of major urban centres.
In Dublin, the Dublin Transportation Office has recently published a transportation review and short-term action plan to respond to the growth in traffic in the area in advance of the completion of the major DTI infrastructural projects such as the Luas, the port tunnel and the remaining elements of the C-ring. The action plan is designed to accelerate the implementation of those elements of the DTI strategy which can be completed in the period up to end 2000. Accordingly, it focuses on public transport enhancement, traffic management, parking policy and the provision of cycling facilities.
The Government has endorsed early implementation of a wide range of measures in the action plan. These include accelerated implementation of the original 11 route QBC network and the provision of a QBC serving Ballymun; provision of increased capacity in the Dublin Bus service through fleet additions — 150 new buses will be provided giving increased capacity of 9,450 passenger trips; scrapping of 70 old single deck and 50 old double deck buses and their replacement by 120 new double deck buses, increasing capacity by 2,450 passenger trips; provision of additional rolling stock for DART, 8x2 railcar sets, while CIE has 10 DART railcars on order for delivery in 1999 — the new rolling stock will be used,inter alia, along the DART extensions to Malahide and Greystones which will be operational in 1999; lengthening of 12 outer suburban and key DART station platforms; upgrading of the Maynooth to Clonsilla rail line; and substantial completion of the Dublin cycle route network — a further 100 kilometres will be provided.
Following the success of operation freeflow in previous years, I will launch, with ministerial colleagues next week, an enhanced operation freeflow for the Christmas and new year period. For the longer term, the DTO has begun the process of updating the original DTI strategy. This will lead to the publication of a revised and updated strategy for the period 2000 to 2016 and a detailed investment and implementation programme for the period 2000 to 2006. The intention is to complete this updating work by end 1999, with an interim report not later than mid-1999 to assist the preparation of the new national development plan.
In the context of the mid-term review of the current community support framework, it was agreed at the request of the European Commission that a study of road pricing and related issues should be carried out with reference to the Dublin area. This study is now under way and is expected to be completed early next year. The conclusions of the study will be taken into account in the ongoing development of transport policy.