Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

On demand management, I have now requested that Transport Infrastructure Ireland initiate work on variable speed limits on the M50. This is a traffic management system that is now in place in many other road networks of a comparable size elsewhere, where the speed limit would be reviewed in response to the amount of traffic that is on the road. This would also help with our efforts in respect of lane utilisation. At the moment, nearly one third of traffic travels on the outside lane at peak times as opposed to one fifth at non-peak times. We need to smooth that out to make best use of all lanes that are there.

In respect of public transport, the Deputy is correct that I made the decision not to go ahead with the current design of DART underground because of the €4 billion cost involved. In the nearer term, we are going to be increasing the bus fleet for Dublin Bus by more than 100 next year, we are opening up the Phoenix Park tunnel next summer, we are redesigning the Dublin control centre to expand capacity in Connolly Station and we will have the Luas cross city project open for the summer of the following year.

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