Noel Rock (Dublin North West, Fine Gael)
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289. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the amount spent on bus rapid transit to date in 2017, including but not limited to design, consulting and presenting to councils; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2477/17]

Noel Rock (Dublin North West, Fine Gael)
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290. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the timeframe for delivery of the bus rapid transit route connecting the city centre to the airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2478/17]

Noel Rock (Dublin North West, Fine Gael)
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291. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will lift the embargo on minor road variances happening along the route of the proposed bus rapid transit (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2479/17]

Noel Rock (Dublin North West, Fine Gael)
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292. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the bus rapid transit project as opposed to a metro north; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2480/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 289 to 292, inclusive, together.

The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the development of public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA).

Based on the recommendations in the Fingal/North Dublin Transport Study undertaken by the NTA, the Government decided in 2015 that the new Metro North scheme was the most appropriate public transport solution to address the transport needs of the Swords/Airport/City Centre Corridor and funding for the project has been made available under the Capital Investment Plan Building on Recovery: Infrastructure and Capital Investment 2016-2021. In making the decision to proceed with new Metro North, the Government asked the NTA to keep the interim public transport needs of the corridor under review.

In this regard, the NTA's Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area 2016-2035, which was adopted subsequent to publication of the Capital Plan states at Section 5.5.4:

"In addition, on the Swords/Airport to City Centre corridor, it will be necessary to provide a higher level of public transport capacity than the existing provision, both in advance of new Metro North and also to serve areas south of the M50 subsequent to the implementation of new Metro North. This additional capacity will take the form of a BRT service or a BRT type service or a conventional bus corridor upgrade along this route or parts of this route. The exact arrangements to be implemented will be determined in conjunction with the development arrangements for new Metro North, and will be designed to be complementary to the new Metro North proposal. Accordingly, a BRT scheme is included for development along the Swords/Airport to City Centre corridor, but its extent may be reduced or it may be modified to a conventional bus corridor upgrade, in conjunction with the development of the new Metro North project."

I am informed by the NTA that there is not an embargo on road improvements along the route of the draft Swords/Airport to City Centre BRT corridor. However, the NTA has requested that Dublin City Council ensure that such improvements are compatible with the developed design of this BRT scheme in order to remove the potential for works to be constructed which would have to be reconstructed for the BRT scheme, should it proceed.

With regard to expenditure on BRT projects to date in 2017, I have referred your question to the NTA for reply. Please advise my private office if you don't receive a reply within 10 working days.