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Traffic Management

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 April 2018

Tuesday, 17 April 2018

Ceisteanna (1315)

John Curran

Ceist:

1315. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the steps he has taken to date to alleviate city centre traffic congestion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16300/18]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The Deputy will recall that, in 2015, Dublin City Council and the National Transport Authority (NTA) jointly published the Dublin City Centre Transport Study setting out the various measures proposed to ensure the efficient functioning of transport within Dublin's city centre.  In preparing the study, Dublin City Council and the NTA reviewed the current and future transportation needs of the City Centre.  Their report recognised that the continued and welcome economy recovery and increased employment would lead to traffic congestion and longer journey times on the key routes to Dublin City and within the City Centre itself, and therefore that positive interventions would be needed so as to counteract this trend.  The report acknowledged measures that were being taken in preparation for the new Luas Cross City line.  It also acknowledged the potential impact on the reliability of the bus network given its interaction with other road traffic and pointed out that a rebalancing of the available road space would be required on various streets to facilitate the introduction of additional capacity for public transport, cycling and walking.  Overall, the Report identified that significant changes to the traffic network in the City Centre would be necessary.  Through a multi-agency approach by NTA, DCC, and TII working in conjunction with the various Public Transport Operators, the measures set out in the 2015 Study are being progressed so as to ensure that Dublin City transport system is capable of operating efficiently and reliably, with consistent journey times, and that it is facilitating the City's continued development and growth.

As Minister for Transport, I am ensuring continued investment to build on recent public transport projects and initiatives across the Dublin region to alleviate congestion including the city centre rail signalling upgrade, the opening of the Phoenix Park Tunnel, Luas Cross City, ongoing bus fleet replacement and expansion, and other sustainable transport projects such as building cycling and walking networks and the expansion of public bicycle share schemes.

Looking to the future I have ensured that Budget 2018 increased the multi-annual capital investment funding envelopes for the coming four-year period, including providing an enhanced capital envelope of €2.7 billion for Ireland's public transport investment programme between 2018 and 2021. Furthermore, Government’s Public Transport investment priorities are also set out in the recently published National Development Plan (NDP) and include the aim of improving and expanding attractive and sustainable public transport capacity alternatives to private based car transport to reduce congestion in the Dublin Area. These alternatives include programmes such as BusConnects, MetroLink, DART expansion, continued investment in Dublin's light rail and heavy rail networks, cycling and walking and traffic management measures. These programmes will be implemented by the NTA which has statutory responsibility for development of Public Transport in the GDA. All the planned investment in public transport combined will add greatly to the choice and experience of the travelling public, connecting more people with more places and ease congestion in Ireland’s cities.

Noting the responsibility of the NTA in this matter, I have forwarded the Deputy's questions to the NTA for a more detailed reply. Please inform my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.

A referred reply was forwarded to the Deputy under Standing Order 42A.
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