Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 291: To ask the Minister for Transport the outcome of the National Development Plan 2000 to 2006 proposals in relation to the £1.6 billion to be spent on the public transport investment programme for Dublin under each heading; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29529/07]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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Total expenditure on public transport projects in the Greater Dublin Area over the period of the NDP 2000-2006 amounted to €1.966 billion and involved completion of the following projects:

DART Upgrade Project

Design works for the Kildare Route Project

Docklands Station

Acquisitions of new rolling stock for the Dublin suburban rail fleet, including 112 diesel railcars and the ongoing enhancement of the DART fleet through the purchase of 52 additional DART cars.

Heuston Station Redevelopment

Luas Red & Green Lines

100 replacement buses for Bus Átha Cliath

120 additional buses for Bus Átha Cliath

Accessibility works across the Iarnród Éireann, Bus Átha Cliath and Bus Éireann networks.

Traffic Management Grants, including 12 Quality Bus Corridors (QBCs) in Dublin

Ongoing work on the Integrated Ticketing Project.

This unprecedented level of investment in public transport in the capital has seen the capacity of the Bus Átha Cliath fleet grow by approximately 58% since 1997 and the doubling of capacity on the DART network since its introduction, the very successful introduction of the Luas network which has carried over 50 million passengers since 2004, and a range of other improvements in accessibility, safety and service levels including comfort and reliability. Public transport is now becoming a viable alternative to the use of the private car in Dublin and the NDP investment has provided a good basis for achieving significant modal shift under the planned improvements under Transport 21.