Mr. Hugh Creegan:

I thank the committee for the invitation to attend. I understand the committee wishes to focus on accessibility in planning and delivery of transport projects nationally with a focus on rural transport planning and regional BusConnects projects. As the Chairman said at the start, I will be joined shortly by Ms Anne Graham, chief executive officer of the authority.

The importance of public transport for people with disabilities is fully acknowledged by the authority. Recognising that importance, we are committed to ensuring that the transport infrastructure across Ireland, covering rail and bus services, inclusive of fleet and stations, are fully accessible. All new public transport infrastructure and public transport fleet are designed and constructed to be fully accessible. As parts of our public transport infrastructure date back many decades, however, we also have to address legacy elements of the existing system that were not designed with accessibility in mind.

With regard to rural transport, TFI Local Link bus services connect communities throughout rural Ireland, operating both scheduled bus services and door-to-door on-demand services. Currently, approximately 90% of these bus services are wheelchair accessible, and since October 2019, all vehicles contracted for the delivery of these services must now be wheelchair accessible.

Other regional bus services are operated under public service obligation contracts with Bus Éireann, Go-Ahead Ireland and other operators. New low-floor coach vehicles have been introduced on many of these routes to allow wheelchair access via door ramps, which replace high-floor coaches that require a wheelchair lift arrangement and the prior removal of up to four passenger seats to accommodate the wheelchair.

Connecting Ireland is the authority’s public transport plan designed to increase travel connectivity across rural Ireland. It aims to provide better connections between villages and towns by linking these with an enhanced public transport network, which also connects to cities and regional centres nationwide. It proposes enhancing existing services and adding new bus routes and new services, in addition to expanding the demand responsive local bus network. Public consultation on the proposals is expected to commence later this year. The format and arrangements for those consultations are currently being developed. The roll-out of the Connecting Ireland proposals will, however, require additional funding to operate the increased level of services.

BusConnects is a programme to transform bus transport in each of our main cities to make the overall bus system operate better and become more useful to more people. It encompasses the revamping of all aspects of the bus system, from the ticketing technology to the road infrastructure, the bus stops to the network of routes and the fare structure to the vehicle livery.

Accessibility has been a key theme in the development of the BusConnects proposals. This has included the bus fleet, the bus services network, the infrastructure design, which promotes enhanced pedestrian movement, particularly at junctions, in addition to the other elements of the programme.

Significant levels of public consultation have been undertaken with regard to the BusConnects Dublin proposals to date and it is intended that this engagement will be replicated in the other cities. Members have been provided with an appendix to this statement, setting out various details of the status of accessibility arrangements across the spectrum of public transport in Ireland. That concludes my introductory statement. I trust I can answer any queries that may arise.