Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 February 2024
52. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Transport if a review will be carried out of the BusConnects plans for the new No. 19 route which will result in an hourly service for the Wadelai estate area of Dublin 11 rather than the current 20-minute frequency relied on by residents. [4627/24]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. In both the policy and funding areas there have been significant developments since this Government came into office, with the publication of a Sustainable Mobility Policy and its five-year action plan providing strong policy support to the continued expansion and enhancement of bus services. I am also delighted to say that this strong policy support has been backed up by increased levels of Exchequer funding, which is supporting the roll-out of initiatives such as BusConnects Dublin.
BusConnects Dublin is a transformative programme of investment in the existing bus system, providing better bus services to more people. It is the biggest ever investment in our bus system in the history of the State and will enable a much improved public transport service.
Following three rounds of public consultation which began in 2017, the National Transport Authority (NTA) published the new Dublin Area bus network in September 2020. This new bus network plan is the final version resulting from previous redesign proposals and with consideration given to issues raised by over 72,000 submissions.
The benefits of the Network Redesign include an overall increase in bus services of 23%, increased peak hour capacity, increased evening and weekend services, 24 hour operations on some routes, a 16% increase in the number of residents located within 400m of a frequent bus service to the city centre, new connections to schools, hospitals and other essential services and increased access to jobs and education.
The NTA has responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure, including BusConnects Dublin. Noting the NTA's responsibility in the matter, and the specific query relating to the No. 19 route, I have referred the Deputy's questions to the NTA for a direct reply. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 days.
