Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 May 2018
560. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the timeline for the full implementation of the BusConnects programme; the associated budget; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23714/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, the National Transport Authority's (NTA) Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area provides the overarching framework for the planning and delivery of transport infrastructure and services for Dublin over the next two decades. Addressing urban congestion on both the strategic road network and locally in certain locations is an important theme in the Strategy. The measures proposed are linked to an analysis of current and projected levels of travel demand across the region.
Budget 2018 provides for an increase in the multi-annual capital investment for public transport with a four-year capital envelope of €2.7 billion over the period 2018-2021. This substantial multi-annual envelope includes funding of some €770 million for the BusConnects programme.
The recently published National Development Plan (NDP), which was launched earlier this year by Government as part of Project Ireland 2040 setting out capital allocations over the period to 2027, also confirms BusConnects as one of a number of key investment priorities which will address growing congestion and capacity constraints on the existing public transport network in the short to medium term, and provides for funding of €2.4 billion for the overall BusConnects programme.
Initially rolled-out in Dublin, BusConnects will radically redesign the bus system and will include a network of “next generation” bus corridors on the busiest routes including segregated cycling and walking facilities, a complete redesign of the bus network, a network of park and ride facilities at key locations, simpler fare structures, cashless payment system and a state of the art ticketing system, new bus branding, integrating bus vehicles of different operators and types, new bus stops and shelters and use of low emission vehicles. The advantage of a bus-based solution is that the implementation can start quickly and the benefits of BusConnects can start coming on stream progressively from 2019.
Work is on-going, by the National Transport Authority (NTA), on the redesign of the bus services network in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) and also on infrastructure proposals for Core Bus Corridors which will be an integral part of the programme. When this work is complete, the NTA will be launching public consultations. The NTA expect that an initial public consultation at Concept Level on the Core Bus Corridors will be held in Quarter 2 of this year. This period of consultation will be followed by a next phase in Quarter 3 on the re-designed bus network (service re-design) and a separate public consultation on the Core Bus Corridors at a detailed level also in Quarter 3. The results of the public consultations will inform the NTA on the final decisions to be made on the network redesign and Core Bus Corridors routes.
