Phil Hogan
Ceist:120 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Transport his timetable for the completion of the NDP roads programme; and the projected cost. [20286/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 7 July 2004
Ceisteanna (137)
Freagraí scríofa
The planning, design and implementation of national road improvement projects, including the outturn costs of individual road projects, is a matter for the NRA and the local authorities concerned.
The national development plan mid-term target of 30% completion of the major inter-urban routes by the end of 2003 was largely met with 29% of the programme completed on schedule. Since 2000 a total of 41 projects or over 277 km were completed. Work is in progress on 18 projects or 199 km and another 12 projects or 88 km are at tender stage. The estimated cost of delivering the programme was €16.4 billion using prices from the end of 2003.
I understand from the NRA that the current position in relation to the upgrading of the five major inter-urban routes to motorway-high quality dual carriageway standard is that the M1 is expected to be complete by the end of 2006. Work is under way on the following major projects: the N7 Monasterevin bypass, which is expected to be opened later this year; the N8 Cashel bypass; the N4-N6 Kilcock-Kinnegad; the N8 Fermoy bypass; and the Dundalk western bypass. Work is expected to start this year on the Dundalk to Newry road on the M1, the Waterford City bypass and the Naas Road widening. Completion of these projects will eliminate many of the major bottlenecks on these routes.
In addition, it is expected that compulsory purchase orders and environmental impact statements for the remaining projects for these routes will either be approved by or be lodged with An Bord Pleanála by the end of 2004.
In order to provide greater certainty about resources that facilitate a more cost effective implementation of the programme I have secured the agreement of the Minister for Finance for the introduction of a multi-annual funding framework for national road investment. It provides for a total national road development investment of €8.2 billion, of which €6.9 billion is Exchequer funding and €1.3 billion will be invested by the private sector in public private partnerships, over the period 2004-2008. I have asked the NRA to submit a five year plan to ensure that the resources being made available under the capital envelope are utilised to best effect. The envelope will be underpinned by an agreement between my Department and the Department of Finance. It will incorporate provisions relating to, inter alia, the annual funding levels, contractual commitments and reporting and monitoring arrangements.