Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 February 2024
74. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Transport if he will outline the most recent progress on the implementation of the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4565/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport.
Within this policy framework, the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy (CMATS) 2040 has been developed by the National Transport Authority (NTA) in collaboration with Transport Infrastructure Ireland, Cork City Council and Cork County Council. A key principle for CMATS is to reduce dependency on the private car within the Cork commuter area, while increasing the appeal of sustainable transport options, such as Cork Area Commuter Rail and BusConnects Cork.
The Cork Area Commuter Rail Programme represents the largest investment in the rail network in Cork undertaken by the State. The programme comprises several separate but interrelated projects, the aim of which are to provide infrastructural improvements, a high frequency north-east connection through the city, full electrification, or alternative fuelling, of the suburban rail network, a multi-modal integrated transport hub for the city provided at Kent Station, along with new stations at prime regeneration sites and Park & Ride interchange points.
Work is already underway on this overall programme, with a Strategic Assessment Report, the first formal decision point under the Public Spending Code which was then in place, submitted by the NTA as the approving authority. This was approved by the Department of Transport in April 2023.
Phase 1 of the Cork Area Commuter Rail Programme was included in Ireland’s National Recovery & Resilience Plan, as submitted to the European Commission in 2021. All works associated with Phase 1 will be completed by end-2026 as required by the European Commission. This will see a €185 million investment, €164m of which are EU funds, in Cork’s rail infrastructure, which will facilitate the longer-term electrification of the network, enabled by the construction of a new ‘through’ platform at Kent Station to create an integrated suburban network, re-signalling of the network, and double-tracking from Glounthaune to Midleton.
Following planning approval for the construction of this ‘through’ platform at Kent Station from Cork City Council in 2022, the construction contract was awarded in early 2023. Enabling works commenced on site in 2023 with construction expected to be completed this year.
A four-week non-statutory public consultation on the preferred option for double-tracking the current single line between Glounthaune and Midleton concluded in August 2022. The feedback received fed into the Railway Order application, which was submitted by Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ) to An Bord Pleanála in November 2022. An Bord Pleanála granted a Railway Order to CIÉ for this work in October 2023. Procurement preparations have started following this approval and a contract award is expected later this year, prior to construction commencing.
In addition to the Kent Station and double-tracking works above, Iarnród Éireann awarded a contract to Alstom for a major signalling upgrade project on the Cork commuter rail network in June 2023. This signalling upgrade is required to increase the number of trains which can operate between Cork and Cobh, Midleton and Mallow.
BusConnects Cork is a transformative programme of investment in the existing bus system, providing better bus services to more people. The BusConnects Cork programme brings together all areas of bus investment identified in CMATS including enhanced and new bus infrastructure, investment in fleet and service enhancements such as higher frequency and new routes serving a wider catchment.
In conjunction with the NTA, Cork City Council, Cork County Council and Bus Éireann, specialist designers have carried out a review of the current bus services. This assisted the development of a new network of bus services for the Cork Metropolitan Area. Planning for the implementation of the new bus network has commenced and it is expected that the new network will be fully operational by the end of 2024. The draft network aims to provide an increase of over fifty percent in bus services across the city. It should provide a better overall network that will allow more people improved access to more places in faster times, whilst fully integrating with rail.
Another key component of the BusConnects Cork programme is the introduction of bus priority measures, generally bus lanes, on key bus corridors serving the city. Removing bus movements from general traffic congestion enables a greater degree of punctuality, reliability, and faster journeys. It is intended that these priority measures will facilitate both reliable and faster bus journeys thus providing increased confidence to users.
Public consultation in relation to 12 Sustainable Transport Corridors proposed by the NTA, which set out bus and cycle infrastructure along those key corridors, ran until October 2022 with close to 3,000 submissions received. Incorporating this feedback, the NTA reviewed and revised the scheme design, after which a further round of public consultation on the 11 Preferred Route Options was launched on 30th March and ran until 25th May 2023. The NTA received approximately 4,400 submissions as part of the second round of public consultation.
A third round of non-statutory public consultation on the 11 Sustainable Transport Corridors commenced in early November and ran until the 18th December.
The Cork Light Rail project seeks to provide a high capacity, high quality east west public transport corridor connecting Ballincollig in the west to Mahon Point in the east via the city centre as identified in CMATS.
An engineering design team has been appointed to undertake an alignment options study and identify the optimum alignment for the proposed light rail line. A public consultation on the emerging preferred route had been due to launch in June 2023 but, on foot of concerns from Cork City Council, this has been postponed to allow further consideration to the feasibility of different route alignments through Cork city centre.
Noting the NTA's role in relation to these issues, I have referred the Deputy's question to NTA for a more detailed response where appropriate. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 days.
