Vol. 535 No. 1
168 Ms Clune asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if she will provide details of replacement and additional buses to be provided in Cork under the national development plan; the time scale for this investment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11723/01]
I am informed by Bus Éireann that, over the lifetime of the National Development Plan, 2000-2006, the company plans to purchase in the order of 130 new buses for Cork city.
A major investment has already taken place to modernise the fleet of buses. In 1999, 20 new buses were put into service to replace old buses, while 30 new buses were put into service in 2000, of which nine were additions to the fleet. A further 36 buses are being ordered at present for provincial city services, for delivery later in the year. At least 14 of these buses will be allocated to services in Cork and a final decision with regard to the balance will be taken when they are delivered.
The new buses for Cork are all low-floor wheelchair accessible and have considerably improved service reliability and passenger comfort. The expanded fleet has led to higher frequencies on some routes plus one new route. The stage has now been reached where the vast majority of the Cork city fleet is of a modern type.
