Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 297: To ask the Minister for Transport the number of buses in the Bus Éireann bus fleet for each of the past nine years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31175/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has asked Bus Éireann to forward the information sought to the Deputy.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 298: To ask the Minister for Transport the way in which a detailed account of the passenger numbers, including numbers for individual lines and routes, peak-time and off-peak travel and so on carried on LUAS, Dublin Bus, Bus Éireann, Iarnród Éireann and other public transport modes is reported and recorded by his Department; the reporting mechanism in place in respect of each transport provider; the way in which this data is published; and if not, the reason for same. [31176/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The Railway Procurement Agency, Iarnród Éireann, Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann provided to my Department, as part of their annual and other reports, information in relation to passenger carriage.

Details of passenger carriage on individual bus routes, railway lines and Luas are held by the relevant companies and are not routinely provided to my Department. Data in relation to actual and projected passenger carriage is provided as required, including in the context of business plans and capital investment projects.

In addition, the Dublin Transportation Office carries out each year a count at the canal cordon of all traffic crossing the cordon which provides valuable information on the modal split between public and private transport. This exercise also includes a monitoring of the Quality Bus Corridor network, by surveying peak and off-peak sectional journey times of buses and cars on sections. This count is carried out as follows: Dublin Bus counts bus passengers on all buses, including Bus Eireann and other buses, crossing the canal into and out of the city centre; and Dublin City Council counts all categories of traffic, including pedestrians, cyclists and categorized motorized traffic, into and out of the city centre.

This information assists the Department and transport operators in their development and consideration of transport strategies and plans.