Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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245. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of his Department’s work with local authorities and transport providers on the bus rapid transport scheme in the Dublin area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39288/16]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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​The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the development and implementation of public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA), including Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) projects. The NTA's Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) 2016-2035 was approved by my predecessor, Minister Donohoe, in February 2016.  It includes proposals for two specific BRT schemes,Blanchardstown to UCD and Clongriffin to Tallaght. In addition, the Strategy indicates that the public transport needs on the Swords/Airport to City Centre corridor may require a higher level of public transport capacity than the existing provision, both in advance of the delivery of new Metro North which is scheduled for operation in 2026/2027 and also to serve areas south of the M50 subsequent to the implementation of new Metro North. The NTA has indicated that this additional capacity may take the form of a BRT service, a BRT-type service or a conventional QBC upgrade. 

Any final arrangement would be designed to be complementary to the new Metro North scheme. Funding is being made available for initial planning and design work for the Blanchardstown to UCD and Clongriffin to Tallaght BRT schemes under the Government's Capital Plan 'Building on Recovery Infrastructure & Capital Investment 2016-2021'.I understand from the NTA that a contract has been signed with a design team to carry out a route options analysis study to identify the preferred route option for a BRT Scheme linking Clongriffin to Tallaght.  The NTA are also preparing tender documents to progress  the design and planning of the Blanchardstown to UCD BRT Scheme.