Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 July 2020
252. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the allocation for public transport accessibility for persons with disabilities in 2018, 2019 and to date in 2020 respectively; if additional funding will be allocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20300/20]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport.
Under the Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008, the National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for promoting the development of an integrated, accessible public transport network.
Accessibility features, such as wheelchair access and audio/visual aids, are built into all new public transport infrastructure from the design stage. Newer systems such as LUAS are fully accessible.
However, there are legacy issues in relation to older infrastructure and facilities, for example our Victorian era railway stations. To address these infrastructural legacy issues, my Department funds the Accessibility Retro-fit Programme which is managed by the NTA. The four year capital envelope for public transport announced in Budget 2018 included a multi-annual allocation of almost €28 million for the Accessibility Retro-fit Programme for the period 2018 to 2021.
The annual allocations under this four year Plan are €4 million in 2018, €7 million in 2019, €7 million in 2020 and €9.8 million in 2021. This ring-fenced €28 million in funding is a trebling of the previous allocation for accessibility under the Capital Plan.
This funding facilitates the continued roll-out of the programmes to progressively make public transport accessible, including the installation of accessible bus stops, the upgrading of train stations to make them accessible to wheelchair users and the provision of grant support for the introduction of more wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs) into the taxi fleet.
In addition to funding under the Accessibility Retro-fit Programme, in 2020 a ring-fenced rail lift refurbishment / replacement programme was established by the NTA, with funding of €3.3 million in 2020. The programme is to renew and replace life-expired lifts and lifts in poor condition, to ensure that the reliability and availability of lift access. Similar funding is envisioned for next year.
My Department has also launched a review of sustainable mobility policy, which includes accessible public transport, and held a public consultation process, including a stakeholder engagement event, between November 2019 and February 2020. I intend to publish a report of the public consultation process shortly.
