Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy is probably aware, in budget 2019 I secured funding of almost €790 million for sustainable mobility measures. This allocation will be invested in public transport infrastructure and services, cycling and walking initiatives and other measures designed to reduce our carbon footprint.

The framework for this significantly enhanced level of funding is of course the national development plan, which outlines a number of significant measures designed to support sustainable mobility. These measures include BusConnects in all major cities, MetroLink, DART expansion and increased funding for the heavy rail network generally.

In 2019 we will see expanded PSO bus fleets through the provision of around 65 additional buses to the bus fleet in Dublin alone, while we will also see around 85 older buses replaced by more modern and environmentally friendly buses as part of the bus replacement programme. This order also represents the last diesel-only order as, from 2019 onwards, the NTA will end the purchase of diesel-only buses for the urban PSO bus fleets. In support of that move, a comprehensive series of low-emission bus trials has just commenced in Dublin, with support from the green public transport fund and from multiple agencies, including the National Transport Authority, Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann. It is expected that the trials will conclude in April 2019. A final report will be produced which will further inform the best lower-emission option, or options, for our PSO services in the greater Dublin area and the regional cities.

Next year will also see consultations continue on the BusConnects Dublin programme with a second round of public consultation on the proposed new bus network and consultations continuing all through the first half of the year on the proposed new bus and cycle lanes. BusConnects is a significant programme, with an allocation of €2.4 billion over the lifetime of the national development plan, and will deliver improved journey times and expanded services that will benefit tens of millions of passenger journeys each year. In 2019, we will also continue to plan for the delivery of MetroLink.

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