Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the witnesses. On the metro north, or metro as it is called now, when will the detailed design be published or are will we get changes to the draft design on a drip-by-drip basis? Deputy Rock was critical that we were not invited to the launch of BusConnects. Some of us, however, had access to it and were well able to talk about it on "Morning Ireland"before it was published. Without being invited, the information is being fed to some people. We are happy with the potential changes which will be made to Mobhi Road and Na Fianna. This morning on "Morning Ireland" it was implied that this new solution would be cheaper and faster but that was not confirmed here today. What I and the 8,000 people who made submissions to the consultation process would like to know is when will that consultation process be completed? When will we know the definitive route of the metro? Everybody along that route who has made submissions is entitled to have the information at the same time. That must be clear. That is not to take away from the great work that was done by the submissions and by Na Fianna which came into the committee.

We are here today to talk about BusConnects. I gave it a guarded or a cautious welcome when it was announced and I stand by that. My main concern is the time required to implement it, and that concern was not being allayed in any way today. It is important that we plan and think in the long term. The lack of investment over the past decade is having a huge impact on our public transport now.

What level of engagement and consultation has the NTA had with the respective local authorities on the route selection to date?

As I said already, according to the NTA this will be a ten-year process.

Does the NTA have plans to increase the capacity on Dublin Bus? I can share examples with the witnesses about the capacity on the current quality bus corridors. People are standing at the bus stop at 7.45 a.m. and have to watch seven or eight buses pass by before a bus stops to allow people to embark. Are there plans to increase the bus capacity in the here and now?

Will any elements of the project be front-loaded such as, for example, the park-and-ride facilities? Could these facilities be provided in a 12 or 18-month period, as this would encourage people to get out of their cars and migrate to buses? The NTA alludes to the need to reduce emissions, which is a necessity. When will we cease to purchase diesel buses? When can we expect the new energy-efficient hybrid buses? I visited Edinburgh a few weeks ago and took at least ten buses during the weekend and every bus displayed a big banner stating we were on one of the new hybrid buses. When can we expect to see that in Dublin?

I welcome the commitment to the cycling network but the track record in this area is poor. The budget for cycling infrastructure in the past two years has decreased significantly from €18 million per annum to €8 million, at a time when we have seen an increase of 46% in the number of commuters opting to cycle to work. Funding was withdrawn from Dublin City Council for the Liffey cycle route, which turned out to be a fiasco. Dublin City Council was at fault for not being able to select a route. Can we have confidence that a similar situation will not arise in BusConnects? It is hoped that An Bord Pleanála will reach its decision by 2020 and construction will commence in 2021. Are they arbitrary deadlines or must these deadlines be met? Can the NTA be a little more specific in order that it can be held to account if the project is not delivered within this timeframe? This project must be delivered and those involved must be working to a timeframe because the 136 million passengers who rely on buses require a better service.

BusConnects will have a negative effect, which will have a bearing on households and on those who regularly use the routes at present. Will the NTA outline exactly what level of consultation it will have with the people affected? Will there be town hall meetings along the routes that will be affected? Will everybody be notified of a potential risk of impact on their dwelling house? I agree with Deputy Rock that the method chosen created unnecessary anxiety among people. Without knowing the selected routes, it is hard to see how one could quantify the 1,300 houses that will be affected. Unnecessary anxiety also was whipped up by some politicians who may have tried to get electoral gain from this issue.

A change in the livery has been raised. What is the rationale for that? At present Dublin Bus is achieving a 96% satisfaction rate, which is phenomenal. The brand value of Dublin Bus is €28 million. What is the merit of doing away with that? New bus corridors have been selected but now it is proposed to hold consultations on a network. Will there be potential for a reduction of services in particular areas? A potential reduction could have an impact on parents with young children with buggies or people with restricted mobility. What will be done to ensure it will have no impact on the most vulnerable people who currently use the network?

The Secretary General of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform shared some nuggets in the past number of days, advocating that we should curtail the use of the free travel pass to the hours after the commuter rush hour. I would like to hear the opinion of the witnesses on that.