Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 May 2004
217 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport the position in regard to his Department’s projects as identified in the national development plan with particular reference to road, rail and air proposals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12714/04]
View answerSignificant progress in capacity enhancement in public transport has been made since the national development plan got under way in 2000. Luas passenger services will commence on the Sandyford line end of June 2004 and on the Tallaght line end of August 2004. The Railway Procurement Agency, RPA, has informed me that the project is within the €691 million budget and €84 million risk provision as notified to the Government in 2002.
In the period between 2000 and the end of 2002 Iarnród Éireann delivered a 50% capacity increase on the DART. The current DART upgrade project will finalise Iarnród Éireann's plans to increase DART capacity by just short of 100%. Phase 1 of that project is under way. This involves upgrading platforms and stations on the DART line to cater for the operation of eight-car DARTs and replacing the overhead cabling. Some 40 further DART cars have also been ordered.
In the period between 2000 and the end of 2002 Iarnród Éireann doubled the capacity of the Maynooth-Dublin line. This was achieved through double-tracking the Maynooth route and the purchase of new diesel rail cars. Some 80 new diesel rail cars are now in service providing capacity increases as follows: northern line — 43%, Arklow-Dublin — 30%, Maynooth line — 24%, and Kildare line — 130%. The first phase of the Kildare route enhancement was delivered in December 2003 — Newbridge turn-back facility and eight-car platforms at Sallins and Hazelhatch.
Some 67 new mainline rail carriages will be in use on primary inter-city routes by the end of 2005. Work on re-signalling routes continues on target and within budget. The Galway line is completed and attention is now focused on the Waterford line, which will be followed by Tralee to Mallow and then the Sligo line. Up to 30 minutes reduction in journey times has already been achieved for many routes.
Work on providing new platforms, signaling systems, track work and much improved customer facilities at Heuston Station, at a cost of €117 million, is complete and has already made a significant contribution to improving the services on both inter-city and Kildare suburban services.
The Exchequer has invested more than €20 million in fleet replacement in Bus Átha Cliath during 2002-2003. A further €18.6 million has been spent on garage facilities, mainly for the new garage in Harristown.
The Exchequer has invested more than €10 million in fleet replacement in Bus Éireann during 2002 and 2003, mostly for replacement buses for Cork city service in 2002, and for regional buses in 2003. More than €200,000 was spent on Athlone bus station.
Under the rural transport initiative, RTI, which was launched in July 2001, 34 rural community groups, covering almost all counties, are currently being funded to operate pilot rural transport services in their areas. Approximately 380 new rural routes have been established under the initiative and some 20,000 people are using the RTI transport services each month. Some €3 million has been provided annually for the scheme since 2002 and a further €3 million is being provided for this purpose in 2004.
The public transport accessibility committee was established in July 2000 to advise me on public transport accessibility issues. The committee is comprised of representatives of a number of organisations representing older people and people with mobility and sensory impairments along with representatives of the principal public transport providers.
Some €8.5 million was expended on public transport accessibility projects for the mobility and sensory impaired in the period 2001 to 2003, mainly for the construction of footbridges and the installation of lifts for the mobility and sensory impaired at railway stations, the upgrading of bus stations, and disability awareness training for CIE frontline staff. A further €5 million is being provided in 2004 for additional public transport accessibility projects.
Good progress has been made in the implementation of the national roads upgrade programme provided for in the NDP. To date, 37 projects — a total of 256 km. including 76 km. of motorway and 50km of dual carriageway standard — have been completed. In addition, work is under way on 17 projects totalling 148 km, including 120 km, to motorway — dual carriageway standard, while another 17 projects — a total of 160 km — are at tender stage. In relation to the five major inter-urban routes, the position is that, at the end of 2003, nearly 30% of these routes had been upgraded to motorway-dual carriageway standard with work under way on approximately another 12%.
Funding has been made available towards infrastructural works and upgrades in facilities to maintain continued safe and viable operation of the six regional airports in Kerry, Waterford, Galway, Sligo, Knock, and Donegal. During the period 2000 to 2004 more than 30 projects were undertaken and grant aid of approximately €9 million has been paid to the various airport companies to date.
