Paudie Coffey (Fine Gael)
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I thank the witnesses for their presentation and for attending the committee today. This is a very important engagement. As our remit is rural and community affairs, and as representatives of rural areas, it is obligatory on all of us to emphasise the significance and importance of transport to living in rural areas. I wish to re-emphasise that at the very outset.

I acknowledge the important role and function of the NTA in directing policy nationally in terms of planning and integration of public transport and transport provision. While we recognise that infrastructure is so critical for urban transport, it is also critical for rural dwellers as well in terms of how they integrate and interact with society. I note the NTA's role in providing direction and reporting to the regional assemblies which will have a critical role in devising strategies for long-term planning under the new planning framework. My question to the NTA is whether it rural-proofs the planning reporting to such bodies as the regional assemblies. Do they look at the demographics to see how rural communities, towns and villages are integrated with the larger towns that I would see as the service centres for those regional areas? The assemblies have a critical role in this area. The regional assemblies have the responsibility for devising planning strategy for their regions for the next ten to 20 years, but the NTA has a critical role to play in providing information that serves the entire community, both urban and rural. I would be interested to hear the perspectives from the representatives in that regard.

The co-ordination of existing services is critical. The NTA has a crucial role in terms of filling any voids or deficits that are not serviced by private operators in the transport area. We have successful transport initiatives in various areas. In my area in Waterford a subsidised service operates in Portlaw, for example, a town 12 miles from Waterford city. Suirway services runs a very sustainable bus service, supported by the State through the NTA, to keep that service alive. Local Link provides feeder services throughout rural County Waterford with much success. That needs to be acknowledged. However, I feel there is more potential to link rural towns and villages to other feeder services. I would like to hear if the NTA has future plans on how it hopes to influence future planning and how it engages with the various transport providers to provide a better integrated and co-ordinated service.

In terms of co-ordination, I have been made aware by students, for example, who travel by train or bus, that there is often a lack of continuity of service when people are using public transport in Ireland. For example, if they are travelling between cities, a train might arrive at one station at a particular time and the train to the next city might have left ten or 15 minutes prior to the arrival of that train. I can provide such examples to the witnesses from the NTA. I am just giving a broad sample of some concerns I have heard expressed. I would like to hear how the NTA can influence all of our public transport providers, both private and public, to try to co-ordinate services so that we have consistency and continuity in services.

One mode of transport that we should recognise more is the two-wheeled variety, namely, cycling. It is such a beautiful country but we do not have enough infrastructure to encourage people to use bicycles more. That is especially important given the climate change challenges we face. I would like to hear the NTA's vision for cycling in this country to assist people who want to cycle more in both rural and urban areas. The NTA has an important function in that regard.

My final point also relates to climate change challenges. We heard the Government announcement recently on the prohibition of new diesel engines after 2040. Does that apply to public transport fleets in the country?

If so, what is the NTA doing now to ensure we have a sustainable transport fleet in both the public and private sectors in respect of its operation, its impact on climate change and how energy is used in this country?