Vol. 519 No. 5
114 Mr. Lawlor asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if she will detail the expenditure on the Dublin suburban rail service for 2000-2006; whether new stations will be built at Lucan south and Lucan north; and if she will provide information on the cost of providing each of these stations and the timescale for their completion. [14082/00]
Suburban rail development in Dublin is being addressed in two distinct parts under the national development plan – a short-term strategy and a longer term development programme. The short-term strategy is set out in the national development plan and is clearly focused on maximising the use which can be made of the existing suburban rail network. It provides for a significant increase in capacity through acquisition of rolling stock, improvements in signalling and infrastructure, lengthening of station platforms and the opening of a number of new stations.
The Dublin suburban rail strategic review, commissioned by CIE in 1999, and which considered development at both Lucan north and Lucan south, has recently been finalised. This sets out recommendations, including costings, for the longer term development of the suburban rail network. The study provides an important input into the work of the Dublin Transportation Office in preparing its updated transportation strategy for the period 2000-16.
The DTO made a preliminary presentation of its proposed strategy to the Cabinet committee on infrastructural development and Public Private Partnerships at its meeting on 11 April last. The DTO is now proceeding to urgently complete the work on its updated strategy for early formal submission to Government.
When the Government has considered the DTO recommendations and the findings of the Dublin suburban rail strategic review, it will then be in a position to decide on an updated longer term transportation strategy for the greater Dublin area and on the principal projects and investment priorities flowing from that strategic decision. Substantial work has been undertaken by CIE and my Department on preparing a detailed implementation programme, listing individual projects to give effect to the comprehensive investment strategy outlined in the national development plan. The implementation programme will be updated to take on board the recommendations of the Dublin suburban rail strategic review and the updated DTO strategy for the period 2000-16.
