Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The NTA and Irish Rail are currently working to progress the pre-planning stage of the DART expansion programme, which is not something I would countenance if the underground element had been cancelled.

Finally, there is the issue of funding. It should not be a case, as proposed in the motion, of simply committing as part of the mid-term review of the capital plan to further public private partnerships and securing funding agreements from the European Investment Bank without any consideration for the long-term implications. We must take a strategic view on the extent to which PPPs can play a useful role in delivering additional infrastructure without severely constraining future capital budgets. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Donohoe, has established a senior level group to assess the affordability, sustainability and value for money of PPP procurement. Let us consider the recommendations of the group before making any decisions that could reduce the funding available for transport investment in the future.

As Deputies know, congestion is already presenting a significant cost to the economy in the Dublin region. My Department's economic and financial evaluation unit estimates the cost of congestion is currently approximately €352 million per annum. This is forecast to rise to €2 billion per annum by 2033. Looking at transport patterns and levels of transport usage in recent years, it is easy to see why this is the case. Towards the end of 2013 and the start of 2014, the welcome increase in employment manifested itself in growth in the numbers of people using public transport but also through increased car use and peak period congestion. During 2014, users of the M50 began to experience significant increases in journey time for the first time since the M50 upgrade was completed. In terms of traffic flows, average daily traffic at the tolling point on the motorway was almost 18% higher in 2016 than in 2014. M50 users are experiencing slower speeds and longer journey times. Elsewhere there is evidence of a substantial degree of congestion at many locations on the road network approaching the city centre.

As I mentioned, there are projects under way that will go some way to adding capacity to our transport system. Luas cross city, which is due to commence operations before the end of this year, will provide for an estimated 10 million additional passenger journeys per annum. The recently completed Phoenix Park tunnel, additional bus fleet and bus lane infrastructure, and small-scale interventions on the M50 will go some way, although not the whole way, to addressing travel demand in the Dublin region. Approximately €800 million is allocated over the lifetime of the capital plan for bus measures covering Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann PSO fleets, bus infrastructure in the Dublin region and regional cities and bus rapid transit programmes in the Dublin region.

Therefore, what is the answer to our congestion problem?

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