Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 4 Mar 2003

Vol. 562 No. 4

Written Answers - Park and Ride Facilities.

Mary Wallace

Question:

361 Ms M. Wallace asked the Minister for Transport the role his Department has in encouraging the provision and use of park and ride facilities to encourage the public to use public transport and to leave their cars at the train station or bus terminal; if his Department has established a section with regard to same; if there is at least one official working on this important aspect of transport; if his Department is considering the provision of grants to the private sector for park and ride facilities; the public facilities under consideration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6093/03]

Minister for Transport (Mr. Brennan)

Park and ride tax incentives are provided for in the Finance Act 1999 and the Finance Act 2001. The qualifying period for the incentives was extended to June 2004 in the Finance Act 2002.

In August 1999 the Department of the Environment and Local Government issued local authorities with guidelines relating to the certification of qualifying park and ride facilities and residential development located at a park and ride facility. Further guidelines on commercial development located at a park and ride facility were issued in July 2001. Copies of the guidelines have been made available in the Oireachtas Library.

The purpose of these tax incentives is to support the development of park and ride schemes in order to facilitate the use of public transport. A person wishing to avail of the capital allowances and reliefs available must make a formal application in writing to the relevant local authority. If the local authority is satisfied that the park and ride facility, and associated development where relevant, conforms to the guidelines referred to above and also to the relevant sections of the Finance Act, it may issue a certificate which will enable the developer to avail of the tax incentives.

Issues relating to the current tax incentive schemes for park and ride facilities are primarily a matter for the Minister for Finance. Any changes to the tax incentive scheme would be a matter for him.

Tax incentives for private sector provision of park and ride car spaces were introduced in addition to provision being made by the public sector.

In the greater Dublin area the DTO's blueprint for the development of the region's transportation network, A Platform for Change, recognises the role of park and ride as part of an integrated approach to transport.

The Government provided specific funding in 1999 and 2000 to create an additional 2,300 car spaces adjacent to DART and suburban rail stations in the greater Dublin area.

The Luas project, which is under construction at present, provides for parking for 2,400 cars. In addition, the park and ride sites will provide for optimal integration with other public transport modes. Lines A/C and B contain proposals for park and ride facilities at Ballally, Red Cow, Tallaght and Kilmacud-Stillorgan.

A recently completed DTO commissioned study into the role bus based park and ride facilities could play in the greater Dublin area concluded that only a limited role could be played by such facilities in the greater Dublin area because of the size of the city. The Office of the Director of Traffic has been mandated to develop a pilot project. Its operation will be monitored by the DTO to assess the potential for further projects.

As will be clear from the foregoing, my Department is anxious to facilitate the provision of appropriate park and ride facilities and the necessary staffing resources are being provided to assist in this regard.

Question No. 362 answered with Question No. 359.