Eoin Ryan
Question:91 Mr. E. Ryan asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if the new buses recently announced for Dublin Bus will be run on LPG; and, if not, the reason given by Dublin Bus. [25548/98]
Written Answers - Public Transport.
The additional 150 buses are required urgently to meet the traffic congestion problems in Dublin as part of the Government's commitment to implementation of the Dublin Transportation Office's short-term action plan. If an alternative fuel such as LPG was to be specified for all or part of the order, Dublin Bus would have to begin a new tendering procedure which would delay the delivery schedule beyond the current end 1999 completion date.
The use of alternative fuels such as LPG in public transport vehicles is of particular interest to my Department. However, there are a number of detailed issues which would have be considered before any policy decision can be arrived at. My Department will continue to work closely with the relevant agencies to develop a strategy to promote a suitable fuel mix in public transport vehicles, taking into account the overall costs and benefits of the various options available.