Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

619. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason the National Transport Authority has concluded the receipt of submissions (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10540/15]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA). In this regard the NTA is in the process of preparing a new transport strategy for the GDA comprising the counties of Dublin, Meath, Kildare and Wicklow covering the period 2015 to 2035. Preparing such a strategy is one of the functions of the Authority under the Dublin Transport Authority Act, 2008.   

It is intended that the NTA's draft transport strategy will be available for public consultation in mid-2015.  As a first step in that process, the Authority invited views and opinions on what might be addressed in the transport strategy and the draft strategy prepared in 2011 is being used as a template to inform this process. The closing date for submissions was 2nd March.

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

620. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason the National Transport Authority has carried out studies on bus rapid transit (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10541/15]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for developing public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) including Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) projects.

The NTA’s report “Bus Rapid Transit – Core Dublin Network” published in October 2012 identified that while BRT does not have sufficient capacity to serve the Swords/City Centre corridor over the longer term, it could provide an interim solution in the shorter term pending the development of a higher capacity rail solution, such as metro, on this corridor. Two other cross city routes - Blanchardstown to UCD and Tallaght to Clongriffin, were also identified as having potential for development as BRT routes.

The NTA is currently finalising a detailed business case for the Swords BRT project.  This business case will require careful consideration in tandem with other analyses being undertaken on large public transport projects, including the Fingal / North Dublin Transport Study, updated business case for the DART Underground project, and the work being carried out in the preparation of a draft Transport Strategy for the GDA.  I anticipate that I will have concluded my review of the outcome from these studies by mid-year, in conjunction with the development of the new draft Transport strategy for the region covering the period 2015 to 2035 and a new capital plan to 2020. 

The potential  contribution of BRT in addressing public transport deficits in the GDA to 2035 will be addressed in the Transport strategy.

In the meantime  no decision has yet been made with regard to any  proposed BRT projects and no funding has been allocated or is currently available for their construction (apart from that required for design and planning) in the existing capital plan to 2016.