Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 February 2025
154. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Transport to provide an update on the progress of the bus network redesign; to expand upon the reasons for its delays; the timeline for delivery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4415/25]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally and for the scheduling and timetabling of these services in conjunction with the relevant transport operators.
I am pleased to report that BusConnects has already achieved significant success in transforming Dublin’s public transport network. In the latest progress report, published in July 2024, comparisons were made for Network Redesign Phases 1-5a before launch (from Q4 2019) and after launch (from Q4 2023). The programme has led to a substantial increase in service levels and customer satisfaction research conducted shows that Phases 1-4 of the Network Redesign project are positively rated by users. The research shows that 80% of users are satisfied with the service and 49% reported that the service is now better.
The NTA and the Department of Transport will continue to work with operators and customers to enhance the punctuality and reliability of services throughout the Network Redesign.
In light of the NTA’s responsibility in this area, I have forwarded the Deputy's request to the NTA for further information and direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
