Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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34. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the steps he is taking to address overcrowding on the public transport system, most particularly in cities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25611/18]

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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What steps has the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport taken to address the chronic overcrowding on our public transport system, particularly in our cities, our larger urban areas and on the commuter routes into the larger cities?

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I thank the Deputy for the question. Following a period of reduced transport usage and suppressed transport growth during the recession, Ireland's transport activity and demand has been increasing again and is expected to expand further in future years in line with forecast economic growth rates.  The National Transport Authority's, NTA, recent bus and rail statistics bulletin shows that more than 250 million passenger journeys were provided nationally last year on public obligation services provided by the transport operators.  For the capital city, the latest annual canal cordon report published by Dublin City Council and the NTA shows that 70% of all inbound trips crossing the cordon were made by a sustainable mode, that is, by people cycling, walking, or using bus, tram, train or taxi.

While these figures are encouraging, they present their own challenges. We want more people to use public transport but, as the Deputy indicated, if left unchecked, this can lead to crowded services.  We recognise that, which is precisely why we are investing extensively not only in expanding passenger capacity and services on the public transport network, but also in providing better infrastructure for people who choose to cycle or walk.  We need to safely and comfortably continue to accommodate more passengers and give them better, more reliable and attractive services.  The major investment programmes we outlined in the national development plan, NDP, are needed to respond appropriately to this growth in demand for public transport services and to address congestion and capacity constraints on the existing network.

Our flagship investments all to be delivered within the 10-year NDP horizon include: BusConnects to transform, enhance and expand the bus system in Ireland’s cities; MetroLink and priority elements of DART expansion to increase the range, scale and frequency of passenger rail services across the greater Dublin area; increasing Luas capacity for passengers on both the red and green lines; and considerably developing cycling and walking infrastructure in the greater Dublin area, Galway, Limerick, Cork and Waterford.

Planning of these larger projects is under way and they are scheduled for delivery progressively over the lifetime of the NDP.  Meanwhile, in the shorter term, our agencies are also taking a range of less elaborate, but nonetheless important, measures that will help ensure more effective functioning of transport services, particularly in the cities.  These include improving timetables to intensify the frequency of passenger services; buying new vehicles and fleet and increasing the size of the fleet in service so we can carry more passengers; providing upgraded cycling and walking infrastructure; and investing in sustainable transport projects. All this planned investment in public transport across the short, medium and long term will combine to add greatly to the level of service available for the travelling public, connecting more people with more places, easing congestion and combatting climate change.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister said he wants more people to use public transport. If he is serious about encouraging that modal shift, he needs to provide reliable, efficient and punctual public services. I acknowledge that there was a positive announcement this morning in respect of BusConnects but that will be a ten-year project. If one talks to any commuters who currently use bus or rail services, they will talk of overcrowding, delays, congestion and the lack of park-and-ride facilities. I will give the Minister two examples. Councillor Kate Feeney identified that people were contacting her with regard to the Brewery Road bus stop on the N11, which is on a quality bus corridor and which is served by three different buses. People are waiting in excess of 15 minutes because when buses pass, they are full. Councillor Daithí de Róiste raised a similar issue with me regarding Chapelizod, which is served by four different bus routes. Representing constituents in Mullingar, I am aware the problems with Bus Éireann services and trains travelling from Mullingar. If the Minister is serious about getting people out of their cars and into public transport, he needs to accelerate investment. How many additional buses will he make available nationally this year? How many of these new buses will be green, energy efficient, hybrid buses? How many hybrid buses are in State ownership nationally?

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I will have to provide the Deputy with the exact figures but they will not be difficult to provide. I will be able to provide him with some of them immediately. Against the backdrop of growth in demand for bus services, 140 new buses are being purchased in 2018 for the Dublin Bus fleet to replace older buses and to cater for market growth and new routes, with a further expansion of the fleet expected in 2019 in advance of the roll-out of BusConnects. Passengers will also experience service improvements following the recently announced opening of the bus market with an increase in service capacity of approximately 35% across the 24 routes involved.

I thank the Deputy for acknowledging the initiative which was taken this morning. It will do nothing short of revolutionise the bus service in Dublin. There is no doubt that the effect of the 16 new routes or roads which have been announced will be to transform what the Deputy recognises is a congested city and it will also have an equally beneficial effect on Cork, Galway and other areas. This is only one of several initiatives I could identify. The Deputy will be aware that later this year an all-day ten-minute DART service will be introduced across all lines.

Planning for the delivery of the DART expansion programme has already commenced, including in 2018.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister's time is up.

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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There will also be increases in respect of the Luas.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Could the Minister confirm that the industrial relations difficulties in regard to the ten-minute DART service have been resolved?

Over the past four years, only 20 new additional buses have been provided on average per annum. That represents a 2% increase at a time when there is double-digit growth. Dublin Bus still has 70 buses that are older than 12 years. They should not be in operation. They are harmful in terms of emissions and are unreliable. Therefore, we have a long way to go. While I acknowledge there are plans for the next decade, what will the Minister say to the people on Brewery Road on the N11 and in Chapelizod in September when the schools and colleges are open again? What will he say to them when seven buses pass them when they are standing at a bus stop? Will Deputy Ross, as Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, ensure that in September, there will be sufficient capacity on our bus routes to encourage more people to use buses instead of cars and that when they do get out of their cars and wait at bus stops, we will be providing an efficient public service on which they can rely? They cannot rely on one at present, unfortunately.

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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What the Deputy always does so well in this situation is point to the problems and not towards the facts that we are addressing them and that there are solutions on the way. If the buses were empty, he would be saying I was running a white elephant and that there were too many people in their cars. The increasing demand for buses is a reflection not only of the demand for buses but of the good and much more punctual services being offered and the fact that people are very willing to take public transport.

The Deputy rightly identifies difficulties, no doubt at the bottom of Brewery Road. I cannot comment on that specific case. Like the Deputy, I can ask questions of the NTA or Dublin Bus but I cannot comment on individual cases because the timetable and daily operation cannot be micromanaged by me. There will, however, always be circumstances of that sort. What the Deputy ought to acknowledge — he has, in a way — is that BusConnects, improvements regarding the DART and Luas expansion, and the money we will be spending on cycling and walking infrastructure comprise a serious and very dramatic attempt to address that problem, which needs a certain amount of time to be resolved. We are determined to resolve it.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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We must set an example now. We have taken ten minutes on the first question. We are not going to allow that to continue.