Catherine Martin
Ceist:495. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the payments made from the green public transport fund. [27967/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 26 June 2018
Ceisteanna (495)
Freagraí scríofa
A Green Public Transport Fund was established by my Department in 2017 to support the uptake of low carbon, energy efficient technologies within the public transport sector. The fund will support the piloting and uptake of energy-efficient and alternatively fuelled technologies for PSO operators within the bus fleet and small public service vehicle (SPSV) sector, as well as bridging the price differential between such technologies and conventionally fuelled vehicles.
Under the new National Development Plan, we have committed that, from July 2019 onwards, we will no longer buy diesel-only buses for the urban public bus fleet. Work is underway on preparing for implementation of this. In tandem, an up-to-date and comprehensive set of vehicle trials is being planned to commence later this year to help further inform purchasing decisions for new buses over the coming years. The technologies likely to be tested include full electrification, diesel-electric hybrids, and compressed natural gas; it is expected that the vehicles will be tested in both the GDA and in a regional city. The trials are likely to consider CO2 emissions, air quality impacts, and contribution potential towards renewable energy targets as well as costs, vehicle availability, and operational/infrastructural requirements. It is envisaged that in 2018 the NTA will employ the Fund to support the alternative urban bus fleet trials.
Funding has also been targeted to support the transition of the national SPSV fleet to alternative technologies through the establishment of a new Electric Vehicle SPSV Grant Scheme. By the end of May 2018, €45,221 had been drawn down from the Green Public Transport Fund to support this scheme. In addition later in 2018, as outlined above, the fund will support public transport bus trials to be deployed by the NTA to assess the various green options.