Private Members’ Motion - Congestion in Dublin City Centre - Speech for Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross TD

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I wish to move the government’s Counter Motion on Dublin Transport.

Let me begin by saying that I welcome this opportunity to address the House on the issues raised, particularly in light of this Government’s serious commitments outlined at the launch last Friday of Project Ireland 2040 that includes the National Development Framework and the 10 year National Development Plan.

I reject the Fianna Fáil Motion and on behalf of the Government, I have proposed a Counter Motion and call on the House to support it.

We all know that congestion has a negative impact on the quality of people’s lives and on the economy. This Government is continuing to take steps to address the prolonged under investment in integrated public transport of the last decade. This will not only provide an alternative to private car use and ease congestion but also move us towards our climate change objectives.

Project 2040 rightly recognises that significant investment in public transport will be required to accommodate change and growth, while also providing more choice for the travelling public and improving quality of life. Together with the National Transport Authority’s Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area 2016-2035, Project 2040 provide for the planning and delivery of public transport infrastructure and services over the short, medium and long term.

My investment priorities identified will build on recent Government investment in public transport projects in the Dublin region such as:

• Luas Cross City
• the upgrade to the Phoenix Park Tunnel
• bus fleet replacement
• sustainable transport projects
• improvements to rail and bus station facilities
• the introduction of passenger-friendly smarter technologies

The Fianna Fáil Motion states that there was no forward planning to allow for the introduction of Luas Cross City – this is simply not true. The House may be aware that Dublin City Council and the NTA jointly published the Dublin City Centre Transport Study in 2015 which sets out the various measures proposed for Dublin's city centre to ensure the efficient functioning of transport within the city centre. In preparing the 2015 Study, Dublin City Council and the NTA reviewed the current and future transportation needs of the city centre. The study took into account the introduction of the Luas Cross City Project and the need to make the city more attractive, safer for walking and cycling and the move towards a more sustainable and accessible city for all. Those two bodies, working closely with Dublin Bus, Transport Infrastructure Ireland and other key stakeholders, are progressively implementing the measures set out in the study to enable the continued development and growth of the city.

Changes were needed throughout the city centre to accommodate the operation of the new Luas line. Changes have been made. These include the introduction of additional bus lanes along the North and South Quays, bus priority measures on the Rosie Hackett public transport bridge and junction and traffic signal changes. If necessary, further changes will be introduced.

The 2015 study recognised that the College Green area would be unable to cater for the same number of vehicles as it had previously, following the introduction of the Luas trams. Addressing this, a separate proposal for a civic plaza at College Green was developed by the City Council, and this proposal also provides for revised traffic arrangements through this area. The College Green civic plaza proposal is currently with An Bord Pleanála for determination and, if approved, will remove a lot of the conflicting traffic movements that currently exist in College Green. This is an independent process and we must await the outcome of that process.

In advance of a rescheduled Oral Hearing, the NTA, in collaboration with Dublin Bus, Dublin City Council and other key stakeholders, have proceeded to reduce the number of buses passing through the area, which allow the junctions and signals to function more effectively. The combined effect of these changes has been to reduce the volume of buses passing through the College Green area, by about 20% in order to reduce the delays arising in this area.

Yesterday, I held a meeting with the NTA’s Chief Executive Anne Graham. She is well aware of my concerns and those of my colleagues in this house. Today, the NTA announced additional changes to further reduce bus numbers in the area.

I have been advised by the NTA that passenger numbers on the Luas Green Line have increased by over 24% since the start of Luas Cross City last December. That’s a huge, sudden increase in the number of people using our public transport system. You could say that the Luas has been a temporary victim of its own success. But while it is welcomed that so many new customers are using the extended Green Line, this success presents new challenges. It has meant that, at certain times of the day, some trams are operating at capacity.

However, this is actively and robustly being addressed. As part of the Luas Cross City project, we have purchased seven additional new long 55 metre trams. These have a higher passenger capacity than existing trams and thereby significantly increase overall capacity on the Green Line. The first of these additional trams recently came into service. Two more are currently in Ireland undergoing final testing and commissioning. One of these is expected to go into passenger service by the end of this week with the second to operate about a week or so later, at the start of March. The remaining four trams - following the necessary final testing and commissioning - will be put into service progressively over the following ten weeks. Coupled with increasing capacity, the NTA has also advised me of planned changes to the Luas Green and Red Line timetables to improve the frequency of service particularly in the morning and evening peak periods.

In addition, we have ordered more trams. Late last year, I asked cabinet to approve the Green Line Capacity Enhancement project. This project includes the lengthening of existing Green line trams to 55 metres and the purchase of a further 8 new longer trams. Again, this will greatly increase the capacity of the fleet to meet future passenger demand. As you know, we have recently completed a project to lengthen the platforms at the existing Green Line stations to enable the use of these new, longer trams so the stations are ready and waiting to be of use.

The Fianna Fáil motion criticises the lack of investment in extra buses to meet public demands, the lack of investment in park and ride facilities and calls for short to medium-term policy changes to get routes into and in Dublin moving again. Every single one of these issues is being addressed by this Government. They are detailed in the National Development Plan. Perhaps Fianna Fail should read it. They would see that these issues are being addressed. In 2017, funding was allocated for a total of 102 buses that were purchased for Dublin Bus. Additionally, funding will be allocated for 140 buses to be purchased in 2018 for the Dublin Region. As the House will be aware, 10% of the bus market in the Dublin region will be opened, with Go Ahead announced as the preferred bidder.

Beyond that, BusConnects is the main investment priority for public transport to address congestion in Dublin in the short to medium term. A radical improvement in the bus system can deliver a step change in performance across all areas of the Dublin region within a relatively short time. The benefits of BusConnects can start coming on stream progressively from 2019.

BusConnects will provide a greatly enhanced bus service across Dublin, with high quality infrastructure. This will include continuous bus lanes as far as is practicable along the busiest bus corridors along with a network of park and ride facilities at key locations. It will also involve enhanced services and major improvements in ticketing and information. There will be continued investment in sustainable transport projects including traffic management and other smarter travel projects along with new urban and cycling routes in Dublin to allow transport infrastructure to function more effectively and relieve congestion.

This significant investment will be complementary to the somewhat longer-term large scale projects proposed in the NTA’s GDA Strategy and now included in the National Development Plan. These include Metro Link, the DART Expansion Programme and strategic park and ride sites, which will be delivered over the medium term and will significantly improve capacity in the public transport network across the region.

On the roads side, the Fianna Fáil motion criticises the delays on the M50 at peak times. Transport Infrastructure Ireland is continuing to take steps to manage the traffic flow on the M50 for which additional funding was made available in Budget 2018 following the mid-term review of the Capital Plan. These include the redesign of some junctions and in the medium term the implementation of variable speed limits and dynamic lane closures.

The public transport projects and initiatives that I have outlined will address congestion in the Dublin region and deliver real change on the ground and network wide benefits across the region.

This Government is committed to achieving a modern, efficient and effective integrated public transport system at a national and regional level including the Dublin region. Therefore, the NTA, together with other key stakeholders, will continue to work diligently to successfully alleviate the current congestion in the Dublin region.

I therefore commend the Government’s counter-motion to the House.

Ends