Aindrias Moynihan
Ceist:10. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to review and improve the route 233 bus service in Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15162/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 2 April 2019
Ceisteanna (10)
Freagraí ó Béal (7 píosaí cainte)
The route 233 bus service serves a wide community from Ballincollig all the way across the Lee Valley to Ballingeary. We need to see service improvements on that route so that people can view it as an alternative to cars for travelling to and from work and college or to moving into Cork city. This route serves a large, growing community, so I ask the Minister to make every effort to extend the service.
As the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in respect of public transport. I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport. The House will understand that the operation of Bus Éireann services is a matter for the company, with oversight by the National Transport Authority, NTA. The NTA has entered into a contract with Bus Éireann for the provision of bus services in the State. In accordance with the terms of that contract, the day-to-day operation of those services is managed by Bus Éireann. The company is required to meet performance obligations in respect of service delivery, such as punctuality, services operated, vehicles in service and customer information.
The NTA has invested in a significant improvement to subsidised bus services in Cork city. This has included the provision of cross-city services, increased frequency on existing services and new services linking residential areas to places of employment and education. Further investment has been made in the city bus fleet, which is 100% fully accessible, and an increase in capacity through the purchase and deployment of double decker buses.
Regarding the area raised by the Deputy, the NTA has advised that it is planning to implement improvements to bus services in three separate phases during 2019. This is part of a general review of bus services in the greater Cork area. This review includes the Macroom-Cork corridor, including services from Kilmurry, Crookstown, Cloughduv, Aherla and Ovens currently provided on route 233. Phase 1, which was implemented on 13 January, is a significant development of route 220, with a doubling of the frequency to every 15 minutes and the provision of a 24-hour service. Phase 1 has resulted in a significant increase in passenger numbers. Phase 2, which is due for implementation in the middle of 2019, includes a new service between Ringaskiddy and Cork Airport via Ballygarvan and Carrigaline. Services on the Macroom-Cork corridor, including route 233, are part of the phase 3 improvements, which the NTA has advised are also expected to be implemented in the middle of 2019.
Good news, Minister.
I thank the Minister for those details. While I recognise that he is not involved in day-to-day issues, he is responsible for policy. Significant policies are outlined in Project Ireland 2040, which refers to improving the fleet and taking on the challenge of escalating traffic congestion. Anyone travelling on the N22 and trying to get off the Ballincollig bypass at Ovens bridge knows that traffic congestion is escalating.
It is important that there be improvements to this bus route, which serves the wider area. Bus Éireann is positive towards this and is keen to make improvements, but as we saw with route 220 in Ballincollig, there seems to be a bottleneck, in that getting approval from the NTA is a slow process. The NTA answers to the Minister, so I call on him to challenge it to implement policies as quickly as possible so that people can enjoy the benefit of bus services.
The Deputy is right, in that I have overall responsibility for policy in the transport area. One of the principal pillars of that policy is to get people out of their cars and onto buses. The Deputy and I are working in the same direction, as we want to improve the frequency and efficiency of bus services on route 233. I will improve services anywhere I feel it is advantageous in the sense that I will promote them and provide funding for the NTA to use wisely.
All parties are united on this issue. Everyone has his or her own particular patch that he or she wishes to see looked after. As a matter of policy, we are generally being successful in moving people onto buses, which is reflected in the greater frequency of services in Cork, Dublin and elsewhere.
A draft Cork metropolitan area transport strategy is being finalised by Cork city and county councils in partnership with the NTA. This strategy will provide a framework for the planning and delivery of transport infrastructure and services across the Cork metropolitan area for the period up to 2040.
Will the Minister contact the NTA and ask it to implement the existing policies quickly in the interests of people in Ballincollig, Ovens, Killumney, Aherla, Cloughduv, Crookstown and Kilmurry who are seeking a daily service on this route and a real option for travelling to and from college and work? There should also be a service each day for the likes of Coachford, Ballingeary and Inchigeelagh as opposed to the occasional service that is currently in place. Will the Minister add his political clout to the scheme? There is willingness on the part of Bus Éireann to make the improvements. They are included in its plans. Time and again, however, the bottleneck in such schemes lies with getting approval from the NTA. The NTA answers to the Minister. Will he highlight this issue with it and ask it to prioritise implementing the policies so that services on, for example, route 233 can be made more widely available to people locally?
I have made it clear that the Deputy is pushing his luck a little.
I do not blame him because that is what Deputies do. I am in charge of policy but I do not intervene and tell bus companies to move a certain bus or improve frequencies on certain routes. The Deputy would not expect me to do that. I will ensure, as I would in the context of any other case made in the House, that the NTA is informed of this debate and of the representations that have been made about the route in question.
The national development plan provides an indicative allocation of €200 million to support the development of BusConnects in Cork in line with the finalised recommendations of the new transport policy.
Question No. 11 replied to with Written Answers.