The commitment to plan and deliver strategies for the future development of integrated public transport in cooperation with the relevant local authorities included two provisions — the preparation of integrated transport and land use plans for the NSS Hubs and the completion of feasibility studies into light rail transit (LRT) systems for Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford. As regards these latter studies, I have asked that they also take into consideration the feasibility of bus rapid transit (BRT).
The local authorities are making good progress on the light rail/bus rapid transit studies. The Cork study is nearing completion and consultants will be appointed shortly to carry out the other studies. My Department has had preliminary consultations with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and with the City and County Managers Association about the preparation of integrated transport and land use plans for the NSS Hubs and also for those NSS Gateways, which currently do not have land use and transport strategies in place. The proposed Sustainable Travel and Transport Action Plan will include provisions in relation to the alignment of spatial planning and transport planning and will provide a policy context within which to proceed with the preparation of land use and transport strategies for the Hubs and for the remaining Gateways.