Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 30 Jan 2002

Vol. 547 No. 1

Written Answers. - Public Transport.

Seán Haughey

Ceist:

194 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the measures she has taken since 1997 to improve the public transport systems in the Dublin area with particular reference to the DART, suburban rail, city bus services, Luas and the Metro; the progress which has been made; her plans in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1349/02]

Minister for Public Enterprise (Mrs. O'Rourke)

I am delighted to inform the Deputy that major progress has been made in improving the public transport system in the greater Dublin area since 1997. With the assistance of the EU and Exchequer funding, Bus Átha Cliath has purchased a total of 431 new buses to expand the fleet and to replace older and more inefficient buses. Taking into account the new buses and subcontracting, the bus fleet has increased by more than 25%.

All buses purchased since 2000 are low floor and wheelchair accessible. These buses have not only improved the quality and reliability of the bus service but have also increased the capacity on routes and increased the frequency during peak hours. The nine quality bus corridors now in operation around the city have helped to reduce the bus journey times by up to 40% in some cases. The Nitelink has proved to be an outstanding success and is now available all year round.

Commuters in the greater Dublin area are also benefiting from the enhanced services provided by Bus Éireann on all the main radial routes into Dublin, with buses leaving every 15 minutes during peak hours from towns like Navan and Drogheda.

On the rail side, the Maynooth line was commissioned as a double track line in early 2000. A fleet of 20 new diesel railcars entered service on that line last August, increasing capacity 100% and providing an improved timetable.

A total of 38 new DART cars have been delivered; 26 are now in service with 12 more to join them in the coming months. When all are in service, by June this year, they will increase the capacity of the DART by almost 50%. The first of the new fleet of 80 diesel railcars for use on the outer suburban routes will begin to arrive in June of this year. In preparation for the entry into service of additional rolling stock capacity, all platforms at outer suburban stations for train services into Connolly Station have been extended to cater for eight-car trains. Design work continues on the Kildare route project on the main Dublin to Cork railway line to increase substantially capacity for both commuters and mainline rail passengers on this route. A major programme of work has begun in Heuston Station, including the provision of additional platforms enabling it to handle additional mainline and suburban trains at peak times.

Design work is also continuing on the DART upgrade project. This project is intended to increase frequency of trains through the bottleneck at Connolly Station at peak times. The Railway Procurement Agency – RPA – was established on 28 December 2001. The agency is an independent, statutory, State body and the body has had its first formal meeting and has taken over responsibility from CIE for the Luas and Metro systems for Dublin.

Work on the construction of the Luas lines from Tallaght to Connolly Station and from Sandyford to St. Stephen's Green is well advanced and on target for completion in 2003; five trams have already been received and are undergoing testing at the depot at Red Cow. Construction of the depot at Sandyford has commenced and will be completed later this year. A private operator for the Luas system will be chosen in the coming weeks and recruitment of staff is expected to commence shortly thereafter.

On 16 January 2002 the Government approved the commencement of the procurement process for the Dublin Metro system. The RPA will develop the system in two phases. I expect an announcement from the RPA in the coming weeks in relation to the formal launch of the procurement of phase 1, involving a line from Dublin Airport through the City Centre to Shanganagh, with a spur from Blanchardstown.