Robert Troy
Question:37. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of steps being taken to tackle overcrowding on commuter trains. [47781/19]
View answerThursday, 21 November 2019
Questions (37)
Written answers
As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding of public transport. The operation and provision of services on the rail network are matters for Iarnród Éireann in the first instance, and the company and the National Transport Authority (NTA) continue to examine how best to source additional rolling stock as efficiently and effectively as possible, while ensuring value for money for the taxpayer. With the existing rail fleet fully deployed at peak times, additional train capacity is needed to meet the increased commuter services demand across the network.
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that Government recently approved for the National Transport Authority (NTA) and Iarnród Éireann to proceed with the proposed purchase of 41 additional InterCity Railcars to increase capacity on the rail network. This additional stock will cost approximately €150 million and is expected to commence entry into service by end 2021.
The Deputy may also be interested that, in May this year, the NTA and Iarnród Éireann commenced pre-qualifying in relation to a 10-year procurement framework for a minimum of 300 electric and battery-electric units with the potential for that to increase to 600 over the life of the procurement framework. This proposals forms part of the DART Expansion Programme and I expect to receive a business case in relation to the overall programme next year.
I acknowledge the fact that at certain times of the day some rail services are currently crowded due to the level of demand. The Deputy can be assured that the safe operation of the rail network and services is the overriding priority at all times of both the company and, of course, the Commission for Railway Regulation, which is the independent, statutory body charged with overseeing the safety of our network.
From late September to early December is the busiest commuter period of the year for all transport modes, given the return of third-level educational institutions. Iarnród Éireann launched the website peaktime.ie on September 23rd.
I am advised by Iarnród Éireann that its intention in launching peaktime.ie was to equip those commuters who have flexibility in their travel times with information on demand levels on DARTs serving their stations, thus enabling them to decide their travel times based on the available options. With one in six weekday DART journeys made between 8am and 9am, the morning peak is particularly concentrated. The information provided on peaktime.ie may enable some commuters to travel at a time when there is greater capacity, thus increasing overall the contribution of DART to providing sustainable transport options for a greater number of commuters and helping those commuters make the modal shift from private to public transport.