Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 24 November 2005
54 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for Transport if his Department intends to fulfil its commitments under the national development plan to Dublin Bus in terms of the allocation of additional, as opposed to replacement buses, before the end of the lifetime of the national development plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35998/05]
View answerThe National Development Plan, NDP, provides for an increase in capacity and the improvement in the quality, reliability, frequency and speed of bus services in the Dublin region. The investment programme involved the expansion of the bus network to meet demand, through the phased purchase of additional buses to increase passenger capacity and meet the development requirements of the network.
Significant changes have taken place in Dublin since the start of the national development plan. These changes include substantial increases in rail capacity, such as the Luas, commuter rail services and the DART upgrades, together with ongoing demographic changes.
It is in this context that Dublin Bus is carrying out a review of the bus network in Dublin. The company has advised me that the bus network review will be completed early next year. The company is, in the first instance, assessing how to maximise the utilisation of its existing bus fleet.
Pending completion of this review, I have already approved funding for an initial tranche of 20 additional buses which will go into service before the end of the year. My Department has had preliminary discussions with Dublin Bus regarding future network and service developments. The company is expected to submit a business case for additional fleet requirements shortly which will need to have regard to the emerging findings of the network review. The financial provisions for bus investment in Transport 21 will now supercede the provisions in the NDP.
