Gerard Murphy (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 60: To ask the Minister for Transport the progress made to date in 2005 by his Department in regard to allowing hard shoulders be utilised by public transport operators; if it is intended to roll out this policy nationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36021/05]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Hard shoulder use by buses will be piloted at a number of locations including the northbound and southbound approaches to Dunshaughlin, at Bracetown between Dunshaughlin and Clonee in County Meath, and at various locations on the Naas Road in the South Dublin County Council area.

I understand from the quality bus network office that construction works are being carried out in 2005 on the following hard shoulder bus lane schemes: Navan Road, approaches to Dunshaughlin and Bracetown section; Naas Road, Kingswood Interchange to Kylemore Road.

To facilitate usage of hard shoulders in the manner proposed, my Department included a provision in the Road Traffic Act 2004 to enable local authorities to apply different speed limits to separate lanes on a road, and in April of this year I issued statutory guidelines for the application of special speed limits.

Earlier this year, my Department, in conjunction with the National Roads Authority and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, devised road signs for use at the pilot locations. National roll-out of the measure will depend on the success of the pilot schemes.