TRANSPORT
Overall, it is our intention to implement a programme under Transport 21 of investment and service development which will:
- Cut travelling times
- Improve safety
- Deliver real commuting choice
- Reduce congestion
- Protect the environment
We are committed to the implementation of Transport 21 on time and on budget.
Public Transport
Recognising the importance of long-term planning in public transport investment, the Government will in 2011 commence preparation of a successor to the 2006-2015 Transport 21 programme.
We will:
Substantially improve and expand Luas services in Dublin by:
- Joining the Green and Red Luas lines.
- Extending Luas to Docklands.
- Extending Luas to Citywest.
- Extending Luas to Cherrywood.
- Extending Luas to Lucan.
- Extending Luas from the City Centre to Liffey Junction (Broadstone/Cabra).
- Extending Luas to Rathfarnham subject to a feasibility study.
Improve rail services under Transport 21 by:
- Reopening the Western Rail Corridor from Ennis to Claremorris.
- Examining the feasibility of reopening the line from Claremorris to Sligo.
- Opening the Cork-Midleton rail service.
- Providing a commuter rail service between Galway and Athenry.
- Opening the Navan rail line.
- Explore the use of high speed trains on the Cork-Dublin route
- Build the interconnector between Docklands and Heuston stations. The interconnector will allow the integration of all existing and new Dublin suburban rail lines and facilitate interchange between them. Given the importance of this project to the delivery of a fully-integrated public transport network in our capital city, we will immediately investigate ways of expediting this project.
- Opening Metro North, the first Metro for Dublin, from St Stephen's Green to Swords via Dublin Airport.
- Opening Metro West connecting Tallaght and Ballymun through Clondalkin, Liffey Valley and Blanchardstown.
Improve bus services under Transport 21 by:
- Reforming bus licensing to facilitate the optimum provision of services by providing a level playing field for all market participants.
- Continuing to develop QBCs in Dublin and the regional cities.
- Doubling the length of bus priority schemes to improve the quality, reliability and efficiency of the fleet of buses serving the Greater Dublin Area (i.e. Dublin, Kildare, Meath, Wicklow).
- Introduce integrated ticketing and smart-card technologies, which will allow a differential pricing system to be introduced.
We will plan and deliver strategies for the future development of integrated public transport. In co-operation with the relevant local authorities, we will conduct integrated transport and land use plans in the Spatial Strategy hubs immediately taking into account both current and future needs. We will conduct feasibility studies to be completed within two years into Luas-style light rail transit systems in Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford.
We will introduce a multi-criteria analysis of all transport projects to take into account environmental factors on a whole project basis
The Government will continue to review our transport needs and where agreed will proceed with new transport projects.
Following the ongoing review of the Platform for Change plan for Dublin, we will review the potential to introduce further public projects to complement th eexpanding network.
Dublin Transport Authority
Given the complexity and scale of the public transport plans for Dublin contained in Transport 21, the Government is committed to expediting the establishment of the Dublin Transport Authority. In applying this policy nationally, the Government will introduce the need for a National Transport Regulator in the context of the fundamental review of the entire economic regulatory regime which will be established immediately.
We will establish and support the work of the Dublin Transport Authority (DTA), which will have overall responsibility for surface transport in the Greater Dublin Area.
The principal functions of the proposed Authority relate to:
- Strategic Transport Planning;
- Procurement of Public Transport Infrastructure;
- Procurement of Public Transport Services;
- Regulation of Public Transport Fares, routes, and service levels;
- Delivery of integrated ticketing, integrated passenger information and integrated fares
- Ensuring effective traffic management.
A critical change to current arrangements is that current and capital Exchequer funds will be allocated by the DTA to the public transport operators for the provision of public transport infrastructure and services.
Delivery of an Integrated Public Transport System
An Authority with the necessary powers to ensure delivery is critical to putting in place the integrated public transport system envisioned under Transport 21. These powers of the DTA set out in the legislation can be summarised as follows:
- Responsibility for the allocation of Exchequer funds gives the DTA the power to ensure the delivery of priority transport projects;
- The power of the DTA to contract for services allows the integration of services and infrastructure, and will, for example, allow the DTA ensure that bus services are effectively integrated with the metro on its completion;
- The DTA is required to endeavour to deliver public transport infrastructure projects through existing agencies, but should it consider it more efficient and expeditious to do so it can deliver a project itself. This mirrors the powers of the NRA in respect of national roads and has been used successfully by the NRA in relation to PPP projects and national road signposting;
- The DTA can issue a direction to a transport agency requiring it to deliver or take a particular action in delivering a project. Should the transport agency refuse the DTA can step-in and take over the projects and all contracts will transfer to the DTA. This power, which might only be used in extreme circumstances, ensures that where a recalcitrant agency is not following the directions of the DTA, the Authority can ensure the delivery of a project in accordance with its direction by doing the project itself; and
- The DTA also has a power of direction in relation to issues such as ensuring compliance by transport agencies with integrated ticketing, integrated passenger information and integrated fares. Again the DTA can issue a direction requiring a transport agency to take certain actions. If the agency refuses, the DTA is empowered to go to the High Court and obtain a court order requiring the agency to abide by the direction. Where an agency continued to refuse to abide by the direction, it would be in contempt of court, with it being open to the court to apply the relevant sanctions for such contempt.
Roads
The development of a high-quality route network carries significant benefits for our competitiveness, balanced regional development and the safety of our roads. In government we will complete:
- The five inter-urban motorways connecting Dublin to Belfast, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford.
- The Atlantic Road Corridor connecting Letterkenny and Waterford through Sligo, Charlestown, Tuam, Galway, Gort, Ennis, Limerick, Mallow and Cork to motorway standard.
- The Border Road Corridor connecting Dundalk to Sligo via Enniskillen.
- High quality road corridors to the Border, the North West and the West connecting Mullingar and Westport/Ballina/Sligo, Kells and Belturbet, as well as Ardee and Monaghan.
- The Eastcoast N11 dual carriageway to Rosslare.
- The Dublin to Letterkenny/Derry dual carriageway.
- We will prepare for the delivery of the Dublin Outer Orbital Route.
- We will ensure that the traffic blackspot of Claregalway is bypassed in 2012.
Once this essential network is completed, the primary task of the National Roads Authority will turn to maintenance of the network.
Road Safety
We will support the work of the Road Safety Authority and continue to promote safety education programmes such as extending the Safe Routes Programme, introducing a National Cycle Route, and Dublin Coast Walk and Cycle Route in order to reduce road deaths.
- Extension of traffic calming measures around the country.
Overall, it is our intention to implement a programme under Transport 21 of investment and service development which will:
- Cut travelling times
- Improve safety
- Deliver real commuting choice
- Reduce congestion
- Protect the environment
We are committed to the implementation of Transport 21 on time and on budget.
Public Transport
Recognising the importance of long-term planning in public transport investment, the Government will in 2011 commence preparation of a successor to the 2006-2015 Transport 21 programme.
We will:
Substantially improve and expand Luas services in Dublin by:
- Joining the Green and Red Luas lines.
- Extending Luas to Docklands.
- Extending Luas to Citywest.
- Extending Luas to Cherrywood.
- Extending Luas to Lucan.
- Extending Luas from the City Centre to Liffey Junction (Broadstone/Cabra).
- Extending Luas to Rathfarnham subject to a feasibility study.
Improve rail services under Transport 21 by:
- Reopening the Western Rail Corridor from Ennis to Claremorris.
- Examining the feasibility of reopening the line from Claremorris to Sligo.
- Opening the Cork-Midleton rail service.
- Providing a commuter rail service between Galway and Athenry.
- Opening the Navan rail line.
- Explore the use of high speed trains on the Cork-Dublin route
- Build the interconnector between Docklands and Heuston stations. The interconnector will allow the integration of all existing and new Dublin suburban rail lines and facilitate interchange between them. Given the importance of this project to the delivery of a fully-integrated public transport network in our capital city, we will immediately investigate ways of expediting this project.
- Opening Metro North, the first Metro for Dublin, from St Stephen's Green to Swords via Dublin Airport.
- Opening Metro West connecting Tallaght and Ballymun through Clondalkin, Liffey Valley and Blanchardstown.
Improve bus services under Transport 21 by:
- Reforming bus licensing to facilitate the optimum provision of services by providing a level playing field for all market participants.
- Continuing to develop QBCs in Dublin and the regional cities.
- Doubling the length of bus priority schemes to improve the quality, reliability and efficiency of the fleet of buses serving the Greater Dublin Area (i.e. Dublin, Kildare, Meath, Wicklow).
- Introduce integrated ticketing and smart-card technologies, which will allow a differential pricing system to be introduced.
We will plan and deliver strategies for the future development of integrated public transport. In co-operation with the relevant local authorities, we will conduct integrated transport and land use plans in the Spatial Strategy hubs immediately taking into account both current and future needs. We will conduct feasibility studies to be completed within two years into Luas-style light rail transit systems in Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford.
We will introduce a multi-criteria analysis of all transport projects to take into account environmental factors on a whole project basis
The Government will continue to review our transport needs and where agreed will proceed with new transport projects.
Following the ongoing review of the Platform for Change plan for Dublin, we will review the potential to introduce further public projects to complement th eexpanding network.
Dublin Transport Authority
Given the complexity and scale of the public transport plans for Dublin contained in Transport 21, the Government is committed to expediting the establishment of the Dublin Transport Authority. In applying this policy nationally, the Government will introduce the need for a National Transport Regulator in the context of the fundamental review of the entire economic regulatory regime which will be established immediately.
We will establish and support the work of the Dublin Transport Authority (DTA), which will have overall responsibility for surface transport in the Greater Dublin Area.
The principal functions of the proposed Authority relate to:
- Strategic Transport Planning;
- Procurement of Public Transport Infrastructure;
- Procurement of Public Transport Services;
- Regulation of Public Transport Fares, routes, and service levels;
- Delivery of integrated ticketing, integrated passenger information and integrated fares
- Ensuring effective traffic management.
A critical change to current arrangements is that current and capital Exchequer funds will be allocated by the DTA to the public transport operators for the provision of public transport infrastructure and services.
Delivery of an Integrated Public Transport System
An Authority with the necessary powers to ensure delivery is critical to putting in place the integrated public transport system envisioned under Transport 21. These powers of the DTA set out in the legislation can be summarised as follows:
- Responsibility for the allocation of Exchequer funds gives the DTA the power to ensure the delivery of priority transport projects;
- The power of the DTA to contract for services allows the integration of services and infrastructure, and will, for example, allow the DTA ensure that bus services are effectively integrated with the metro on its completion;
- The DTA is required to endeavour to deliver public transport infrastructure projects through existing agencies, but should it consider it more efficient and expeditious to do so it can deliver a project itself. This mirrors the powers of the NRA in respect of national roads and has been used successfully by the NRA in relation to PPP projects and national road signposting;
- The DTA can issue a direction to a transport agency requiring it to deliver or take a particular action in delivering a project. Should the transport agency refuse the DTA can step-in and take over the projects and all contracts will transfer to the DTA. This power, which might only be used in extreme circumstances, ensures that where a recalcitrant agency is not following the directions of the DTA, the Authority can ensure the delivery of a project in accordance with its direction by doing the project itself; and
- The DTA also has a power of direction in relation to issues such as ensuring compliance by transport agencies with integrated ticketing, integrated passenger information and integrated fares. Again the DTA can issue a direction requiring a transport agency to take certain actions. If the agency refuses, the DTA is empowered to go to the High Court and obtain a court order requiring the agency to abide by the direction. Where an agency continued to refuse to abide by the direction, it would be in contempt of court, with it being open to the court to apply the relevant sanctions for such contempt.
Roads
The development of a high-quality route network carries significant benefits for our competitiveness, balanced regional development and the safety of our roads. In government we will complete:
- The five inter-urban motorways connecting Dublin to Belfast, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford.
- The Atlantic Road Corridor connecting Letterkenny and Waterford through Sligo, Charlestown, Tuam, Galway, Gort, Ennis, Limerick, Mallow and Cork to motorway standard.
- The Border Road Corridor connecting Dundalk to Sligo via Enniskillen.
- High quality road corridors to the Border, the North West and the West connecting Mullingar and Westport/Ballina/Sligo, Kells and Belturbet, as well as Ardee and Monaghan.
- The Eastcoast N11 dual carriageway to Rosslare.
- The Dublin to Letterkenny/Derry dual carriageway.
- We will prepare for the delivery of the Dublin Outer Orbital Route.
- We will ensure that the traffic blackspot of Claregalway is bypassed in 2012.
Once this essential network is completed, the primary task of the National Roads Authority will turn to maintenance of the network.
Road Safety
We will support the work of the Road Safety Authority and continue to promote safety education programmes such as extending the Safe Routes Programme, introducing a National Cycle Route, and Dublin Coast Walk and Cycle Route in order to reduce road deaths.
- Extension of traffic calming measures around the country.
