Written answers

Thursday, 11 June 2009

7:00 pm

Photo of Tommy BroughanTommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 31: To ask the Minister for Transport if he will bring forward a new national rail strategy to encourage the provision of passenger and freight rail services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23421/09]

Photo of Noel DempseyNoel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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The Transport 21 capital investment programme for rail is the strategy for the development of our rail network. Under this programme, Iarnród Éireann have already delivered and are continuing to deliver projects to significantly increase the frequency and capacity of rail services throughout the State. These include: - A new fleet of trains including new Intercity trains on all lines, and many more Commuter and DART railcars allowing service expansion on these routes - Infrastructure expansion, with projects such as the Kildare Route Project and Dublin area resignalling expanding the capacity of the existing network - The reopening of former railway lines, including Clonsilla-Navan, Cork-Midleton and the Western Rail Corridor - The DART Underground Project, which is the most significant rail project under Transport 21 which will deliver major capacity increases and the integration of the suburban rail network. These projects will enable Iarnród Éireann to deliver an increase in rail passenger journeys from 44 million per annum currently, to over 100 million on completion of the Transport 21 programme.

In terms of the rail freight business, Iarnród Éireann is committed to delivering a commercially strong freight operation, with expansion in certain existing traffics, and the introduction of further new flows to be confirmed in the near future. I also propose to establish a forum on the movement of goods, as set out in the SMARTER TRAVEL policy paper. The forum will address both economic competitiveness and environmental sustainability matters associated with the movement of goods by air, sea, rail and road. The realistic potential for rail freight and its role within an integrated freight transport strategy will be among the matters explored by the forum.

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