Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 309: To ask the Minister for Transport the proportion of buses in the Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann fleets that run on alternative fuels or on hybrid engines; his plans to ensure that buses commissioned in the future rely on such technologies; the improvements that have been made in the fuel efficiency of the Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann fleets through replacement of older vehicles; and the future plans that exist in this area. [32429/07]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I am working to achieve emissions reductions in the public transport fleet. I have requested CIE to move to using a 5% biodiesel blend in current CIE vehicles and to plan for a 30% blend in new vehicles. My Department is working with CIE to establish how these targets can be achieved in the shortest time frame possible.

Dublin Bus will be leasing, with financial support from my Department, a prototype hybrid electric double-decker bus in 2008 on a trial basis. It is estimated that this vehicle can achieve 34% less fuel consumption than a standard bus. Dublin Bus will consider the further acquisition of hybrid electric vehicles as part of future fleet replacement.

Both Bus Éireann and Dublin Bus have been undertaking trials on the use of biofuels. Bus Éireann announced in April 2006 its decision to pilot the use of biodiesel produced from recovered vegetable oil (RVO) in part of its Cork City tours fleet. In May 2006 Dublin Bus announced that it would use bio-diesel made from RVO on a trial basis in five open-top tour buses, which have been operating without any technical difficulties.

The completion of projects identified in Transport 21 will, for example, see public transport capacity in the Greater Dublin Area almost double by 2016. Modelling of the impacts of Transport 21 in the Greater Dublin Area shows a reduction of almost 20% in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions during rush hour in 2016, compared to a situation without Transport 21 in place, with the complementary implementation of demand side management (DSM) measures. Transport 21 also provides funding for fleet replacement. All 239 Transport 21 coaches/buses currently on order, or about to be ordered, will have Euro IV engines; 160 in the first phase of Transport 21 and 79 in the second phase. Bus Éireann will also purchase 60 coaches with Euro IV engines which have lower emissions.

I have also announced the preparation of a Sustainable Travel and Transport Action Plan, which will set out a broad suite of policies and measures to help the transport sector progress along a more sustainable trajectory and make a further contribution to reducing emissions to 2020.