IARNROD Eireann is to press ahead with plans for a €580m rail link from Navan to Dublin despite the economic downturn.
Yesterday it revealed the route of the 34km line which will link the capital with Navan by 2015, assuming the project goes ahead.
The track will run along the old alignment of Consilla to Navan line which closed in 1963 -- apart from two options to serve the town of Dunshauglin.
Iarnrod Eireann proposes either building a station on the old alignment, about 1.8km from the town, which would allow a park-and-ride site to be built, or, alternatively, a station 800 metres from the town.
The costs of building the station closer to the town centre would be higher because of land prices.
The first phase of the project involves reopening 7.5km of railway line running off the Maynooth line, at Clonsilla, to the M3 interchange at Pace, north of Dunboyne.
The project is expected to be completed next year.
The proposed scheme, or phase two, consists of extension of the Clonsilla to Pace project with the building of 34km of double track.
Four stations are proposed as part of the project at Dunshaughlin, Kilmessan, Navan Town Centre and a terminus station at the north edge of Navan.
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Showing posts with label public transport. Show all posts
Showing posts with label public transport. Show all posts
Wednesday, 7 January 2009
Sunday, 4 January 2009
Minister to give buses higher priority
BUSES ARE to be given greater priority on town and city roads in a bid by Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey to cut journey times and increase passenger numbers.
Some city streets will be blocked to cars, while traffic lights will change on demand for buses, and private cars will be blocked from making right turns that can delay traffic flows, under the plan to be launched later this month.
Mr Dempsey is placing the bus "at the heart" of the effort to cut Ireland's unsustainable carbon dioxide emissions, sources within the Department of Transport insisted.
State subsidies will be offered to both Bus Éireann and private bus operators to create new routes in difficult areas, but only if the companies systematically increase the numbers of passengers.
Some existing routes operated by Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann will have to be redrawn to "maximise" the use of resources - though it is not entirely clear what this will mean in practice - while other routes not passing through city centres will be created.
Mr Dempsey will launch the Sustainable Transport Plan 2009-2020 at the end of January with 50 key recommendations to cut CO2 emissions and ease traffic jams. More feeder buses to Luas and Dart stations are proposed, though Mr Dempsey recently refused to pay for extra buses in Dublin until 40 key traffic hold-ups are removed.
In the past, sources said, transport was "all about cement and road building", but CO2 emissions and traffic congestion are now "dictating policy". Ireland must cut 20 per cent off its 2005 transport CO2 emissions to abide by European Commission targets.
By 2012, bus users in the capital will be able to use a €10 million GPS system to check arrival times of the next bus by mobile telephone and internet.
Under the plan, the public will be able to use one "smart" card to travel on all Dublin bus and rail systems by next year.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Some city streets will be blocked to cars, while traffic lights will change on demand for buses, and private cars will be blocked from making right turns that can delay traffic flows, under the plan to be launched later this month.
Mr Dempsey is placing the bus "at the heart" of the effort to cut Ireland's unsustainable carbon dioxide emissions, sources within the Department of Transport insisted.
State subsidies will be offered to both Bus Éireann and private bus operators to create new routes in difficult areas, but only if the companies systematically increase the numbers of passengers.
Some existing routes operated by Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann will have to be redrawn to "maximise" the use of resources - though it is not entirely clear what this will mean in practice - while other routes not passing through city centres will be created.
Mr Dempsey will launch the Sustainable Transport Plan 2009-2020 at the end of January with 50 key recommendations to cut CO2 emissions and ease traffic jams. More feeder buses to Luas and Dart stations are proposed, though Mr Dempsey recently refused to pay for extra buses in Dublin until 40 key traffic hold-ups are removed.
In the past, sources said, transport was "all about cement and road building", but CO2 emissions and traffic congestion are now "dictating policy". Ireland must cut 20 per cent off its 2005 transport CO2 emissions to abide by European Commission targets.
By 2012, bus users in the capital will be able to use a €10 million GPS system to check arrival times of the next bus by mobile telephone and internet.
Under the plan, the public will be able to use one "smart" card to travel on all Dublin bus and rail systems by next year.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Friday, 2 January 2009
€4m system will update bus arrival times
COMMUTERS left standing for ages in the cold will get relief with the roll-out in the New Year of a new system telling them when their bus will arrive.
Bus Eireann is to unveil a real-time information system for every route it operates across the country, with commuters able to find out the bus time by text or online.
Using a global positioning system, the transport company will be able to identify the location of all buses in the fleet at all times, and take into account traffic jams and roadworks.
The Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) system, which was tested during 2008, allows customers to access real-time arrival and departure information.
The €4m system will be fully rolled out by the middle of the year, when passengers will be able to receive real-time information on the next three buses to arrive at any bus stop in its network via the Web and SMS.
"Bus Eireann led the way among European bus companies in providing online ticket sales for immediate use and this nationwide real-time information system is another example of Bus Eireann's focus on innovation," a spokesman said.
"Providing this up-to-the-minute information on bus arrivals and departures to customers will improve the convenience of the service for passengers."
The company also plans to introduce another 65 buses early in the New Year, following delivery of 239 coaches in the past 18 months at a cost of €71m.
And double deck commuter buses will be introduced on routes in Leinster.
The company also says it carried 93 million passengers in 2008, and independent research says that 95pc of passengers are happy with the service -- an increase from 90pc in 2007.
The company also scored highly in terms of punctuality (95pc), and bus safety, cleanliness and comfort (99pc).
Paul Melia
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Bus Eireann is to unveil a real-time information system for every route it operates across the country, with commuters able to find out the bus time by text or online.
Using a global positioning system, the transport company will be able to identify the location of all buses in the fleet at all times, and take into account traffic jams and roadworks.
The Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) system, which was tested during 2008, allows customers to access real-time arrival and departure information.
The €4m system will be fully rolled out by the middle of the year, when passengers will be able to receive real-time information on the next three buses to arrive at any bus stop in its network via the Web and SMS.
"Bus Eireann led the way among European bus companies in providing online ticket sales for immediate use and this nationwide real-time information system is another example of Bus Eireann's focus on innovation," a spokesman said.
"Providing this up-to-the-minute information on bus arrivals and departures to customers will improve the convenience of the service for passengers."
The company also plans to introduce another 65 buses early in the New Year, following delivery of 239 coaches in the past 18 months at a cost of €71m.
And double deck commuter buses will be introduced on routes in Leinster.
The company also says it carried 93 million passengers in 2008, and independent research says that 95pc of passengers are happy with the service -- an increase from 90pc in 2007.
The company also scored highly in terms of punctuality (95pc), and bus safety, cleanliness and comfort (99pc).
Paul Melia
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Wednesday, 31 December 2008
Luas journeys derailed by one million
THERE WERE nearly one million fewer passenger journeys completed on the Luas trams in Dublin in 2008 compared to the previous year.
According to the Railway Procurement Agency (RPA), there were 27.4 million passenger journeys completed in 2008 compared to 28.4 million in 2007.
The Green Luas line to Dundrum and Sandyford has remained steady with more than 12 million annual journeys served, but the Red Line out to Tallaght has seen a significant decrease in numbers, although it still completed 15 million journeys this year.
In spite of the current economic downturn, the agency has insisted the light rail system was performing well.
“The fast, reliable and comfortable service which the Luas has provided over the last five years has produced a loyal and consistent customer base which has become more discerning in getting the best value for money from the range of ticket options which are available,” said RPA chief executive Frank Allen.
There has been a 50 per cent growth in the proportion of journeys made by those taking advantage of the tax benefits of using monthly and annual tickets.
There has also been an increase in customers using Iarnróid Éireann/Luas integrated tickets, which are up by 15 per cent.
The majority of Luas users have switched from single cash transactions at the vending machines to period passes and off-system sales outlets.
There was also an increase of 28 per cent of those using the Luas Smartcard.
Mr Allen said that the performance was encouraging in very difficult economic circumstances where levels of economic activity had contracted significantly.
He also added that the new lines which are under construction in Docklands and out to Cherrywood in South County Dublin will bring the Luas experience to other communities in the coming years.
In spite of the decrease in numbers from 2008, the single-journey fares on both Red and Green lines will rise by 10 cent and return fares will go up by 20 cent. The increases will come into effect on Monday, January 5th.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
According to the Railway Procurement Agency (RPA), there were 27.4 million passenger journeys completed in 2008 compared to 28.4 million in 2007.
The Green Luas line to Dundrum and Sandyford has remained steady with more than 12 million annual journeys served, but the Red Line out to Tallaght has seen a significant decrease in numbers, although it still completed 15 million journeys this year.
In spite of the current economic downturn, the agency has insisted the light rail system was performing well.
“The fast, reliable and comfortable service which the Luas has provided over the last five years has produced a loyal and consistent customer base which has become more discerning in getting the best value for money from the range of ticket options which are available,” said RPA chief executive Frank Allen.
There has been a 50 per cent growth in the proportion of journeys made by those taking advantage of the tax benefits of using monthly and annual tickets.
There has also been an increase in customers using Iarnróid Éireann/Luas integrated tickets, which are up by 15 per cent.
The majority of Luas users have switched from single cash transactions at the vending machines to period passes and off-system sales outlets.
There was also an increase of 28 per cent of those using the Luas Smartcard.
Mr Allen said that the performance was encouraging in very difficult economic circumstances where levels of economic activity had contracted significantly.
He also added that the new lines which are under construction in Docklands and out to Cherrywood in South County Dublin will bring the Luas experience to other communities in the coming years.
In spite of the decrease in numbers from 2008, the single-journey fares on both Red and Green lines will rise by 10 cent and return fares will go up by 20 cent. The increases will come into effect on Monday, January 5th.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Tuesday, 7 October 2008
Bus corridors get fast-tracked in Dempsey plan
NEW legislation to fast-track the provision of quality bus corridors is to be introduced by Transport Minister Noel Dempsey with just 13 QBCs having been built in Dublin in the past 10 years.
The move comes as the capital prepares itself for the 'big dig', which will see construction works taking place in large parts of the city as the underground DART tunnel and Metro North are built.
The current system for developing QBCs is "tortuously slow" and "clearly not working", sources said. The new system will see the Dublin Transport Authority, which is expected to be established early next year, take responsibility for the projects under a 'one stop shop' system.
QBCs, or 'Green Routes' as they are called in most regional cities, are designed to make bus travel more efficient by giving priority to public transport on roads.
The Stillorgan QBC in Dublin, 85pc of which is a dedicated bus lane, has seen a doubling of passenger numbers. Last year, over 200,000 passengers used Dublin QBC routes -- a massive increase on the number (144,000) who used the same bus services before they were QBCs.
However, the pace at which new QBC routes are being introduced has angered many. "The rate of development is just a complete joke," one source said. "There's been absolute resistance from local authorities, and the minister has told officials to draft legislation to fast-track QBCs.
"This is being done as a matter of urgency. There are 93 identified pinch points across the city, and we have to unlock them fast in advance of Metro North works."
Paul Melia
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
The move comes as the capital prepares itself for the 'big dig', which will see construction works taking place in large parts of the city as the underground DART tunnel and Metro North are built.
The current system for developing QBCs is "tortuously slow" and "clearly not working", sources said. The new system will see the Dublin Transport Authority, which is expected to be established early next year, take responsibility for the projects under a 'one stop shop' system.
QBCs, or 'Green Routes' as they are called in most regional cities, are designed to make bus travel more efficient by giving priority to public transport on roads.
The Stillorgan QBC in Dublin, 85pc of which is a dedicated bus lane, has seen a doubling of passenger numbers. Last year, over 200,000 passengers used Dublin QBC routes -- a massive increase on the number (144,000) who used the same bus services before they were QBCs.
However, the pace at which new QBC routes are being introduced has angered many. "The rate of development is just a complete joke," one source said. "There's been absolute resistance from local authorities, and the minister has told officials to draft legislation to fast-track QBCs.
"This is being done as a matter of urgency. There are 93 identified pinch points across the city, and we have to unlock them fast in advance of Metro North works."
Paul Melia
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Sunday, 21 September 2008
Gormley says public transport is key priority
PUBLIC TRANSPORT should be a priority of next month's budget, Minister for the Environment and Green Party leader John Gormley has said.
Speaking to reporters at his party's annual strategy session in Tralee yesterday, Mr Gormely said: "We have to protect the most vulnerable in society but also we have to ensure that major environmental infrastructural projects continue.
"We have to ensure that we get the balance right so that the ratio between public transport and roadways is kept intact and that public transport is given priority."
Mr Gormley was speaking after a meeting of Green Party Ministers and TDs with local election candidates.
Describing the current economic situation as unprecedented, he said: "It's clear now that some very tough decisions have to be made, that there will be adjustments in certain key areas.
"However, as far as the Green Party is concerned, we do have to protect the more vulnerable people in our society, we do have to ensure that major infrastructural projects such as waste-water treatment plants that are absolutely vital in terms of compliance with EU directives, that they continue and that we continue the progress in relation to environmental protection.
"So these are all the areas that we feel are a priority and we will ensure during the very tough negotiations that these major issues are actually explored and that we get commitments on those."
When asked if projects such as Metro North were in jeopardy, he replied: "All of these issues are being discussed with the Minister for Finance.
"There are priorities as far as we are concerned, in terms of public transport.
"Obviously from a Green perspective, there are issues such as the major motorways which are committed to but there are other road projects which we feel are of less priority and they need to be looked at because, as far as we're concerned, public transport should be given a greater priority."
He continued: "As you may know, we have set up an inter-party structure, meeting pre-Cabinet every week in the run-up to the budget and that will give us the opportunity to discuss these issues in greater detail."
When asked about his stance on suggestions that third-level college fees could be reintroduced, he said: "There is no Government decision at all in relation to college fees.
"I am not in the habit of giving personal views nor am I in the habit of answering hypothetical questions. These are issues that have to be discussed in detail," Mr Gormley said.
He continued: "Across a range of issues we have very difficult budgetary decisions that have to be made.
"I haven't discussed it yet with the Minister for Education so therefore I'm not in position to say yet what the Government position is."
When asked if the Green Party would welcome disaffected members of the Progressive Democrats, he said: "Those members of the PDs who are looking for a home will find a very good home in the Green Party."
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Speaking to reporters at his party's annual strategy session in Tralee yesterday, Mr Gormely said: "We have to protect the most vulnerable in society but also we have to ensure that major environmental infrastructural projects continue.
"We have to ensure that we get the balance right so that the ratio between public transport and roadways is kept intact and that public transport is given priority."
Mr Gormley was speaking after a meeting of Green Party Ministers and TDs with local election candidates.
Describing the current economic situation as unprecedented, he said: "It's clear now that some very tough decisions have to be made, that there will be adjustments in certain key areas.
"However, as far as the Green Party is concerned, we do have to protect the more vulnerable people in our society, we do have to ensure that major infrastructural projects such as waste-water treatment plants that are absolutely vital in terms of compliance with EU directives, that they continue and that we continue the progress in relation to environmental protection.
"So these are all the areas that we feel are a priority and we will ensure during the very tough negotiations that these major issues are actually explored and that we get commitments on those."
When asked if projects such as Metro North were in jeopardy, he replied: "All of these issues are being discussed with the Minister for Finance.
"There are priorities as far as we are concerned, in terms of public transport.
"Obviously from a Green perspective, there are issues such as the major motorways which are committed to but there are other road projects which we feel are of less priority and they need to be looked at because, as far as we're concerned, public transport should be given a greater priority."
He continued: "As you may know, we have set up an inter-party structure, meeting pre-Cabinet every week in the run-up to the budget and that will give us the opportunity to discuss these issues in greater detail."
When asked about his stance on suggestions that third-level college fees could be reintroduced, he said: "There is no Government decision at all in relation to college fees.
"I am not in the habit of giving personal views nor am I in the habit of answering hypothetical questions. These are issues that have to be discussed in detail," Mr Gormley said.
He continued: "Across a range of issues we have very difficult budgetary decisions that have to be made.
"I haven't discussed it yet with the Minister for Education so therefore I'm not in position to say yet what the Government position is."
When asked if the Green Party would welcome disaffected members of the Progressive Democrats, he said: "Those members of the PDs who are looking for a home will find a very good home in the Green Party."
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Tuesday, 5 August 2008
New rail station opens in Dublin's Park West
A new rail station opened today will bring residents and workers in Park West, Dublin, to the city centre in as little as six minutes, Irish Rail said today.
Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey officially opened Park West and Cherry Orchard station, the latest phase in the Kildare Route Project.
The station will be served by Kildare commuter trains with 25 services per day serving the station, according to the rail company.
“Commuters in Park West will see a dramatic increase in service on completion of the Kildare Route Project, in early 2010.”
The new building was designed by Iarnród Éireann architects and developed as a public-private partnership between Iarnród Éireann, Dublin City Council and Harcourt Developments. It is the third new station in the network to be developer-built and it is now owned and operated by Iarnród Éireann.
Chief executive of Dublin Chamber of Commerce Gina Quin said the new station was a welcome piece of infrastructure for commuters.
“The Kildare Route Project, being delivered under the Transport 21 €34 billion capital investment framework, will dramatically improve the transport of goods and the movement of people across and around the Greater Dublin Area,” she said.
But she said It was critical that the Government allocated funding to deliver the interconnector project on time so that the full value of the new stations is realised.
The interconnector was the "single most important rail project", Ms Quin said.
“For many commuters using Heuston Station, this is not their final destination. By delivering the interconnector, passengers using the Park West and Cherry Orchard station, or indeed any of the other railway stations under construction, will be able to continue their rail journey through Heuston station onto their end destinations around the city centre including St. Stephen’s Green, Pearse Street, Docklands, or Connolly.”
Speaking at the new station after he arrived by train from Heuston, Mr Dempsey said it would have the capacity to handle up to 3,000 passengers at peak hour.
“Like Adamstown this station has been built in advance of the completion of the Kildare Route Project and it will be able to accommodate the tripling of passenger numbers that the project will deliver by 2010.”
Irishtimes.com
www.buckplanning.ie
Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey officially opened Park West and Cherry Orchard station, the latest phase in the Kildare Route Project.
The station will be served by Kildare commuter trains with 25 services per day serving the station, according to the rail company.
“Commuters in Park West will see a dramatic increase in service on completion of the Kildare Route Project, in early 2010.”
The new building was designed by Iarnród Éireann architects and developed as a public-private partnership between Iarnród Éireann, Dublin City Council and Harcourt Developments. It is the third new station in the network to be developer-built and it is now owned and operated by Iarnród Éireann.
Chief executive of Dublin Chamber of Commerce Gina Quin said the new station was a welcome piece of infrastructure for commuters.
“The Kildare Route Project, being delivered under the Transport 21 €34 billion capital investment framework, will dramatically improve the transport of goods and the movement of people across and around the Greater Dublin Area,” she said.
But she said It was critical that the Government allocated funding to deliver the interconnector project on time so that the full value of the new stations is realised.
The interconnector was the "single most important rail project", Ms Quin said.
“For many commuters using Heuston Station, this is not their final destination. By delivering the interconnector, passengers using the Park West and Cherry Orchard station, or indeed any of the other railway stations under construction, will be able to continue their rail journey through Heuston station onto their end destinations around the city centre including St. Stephen’s Green, Pearse Street, Docklands, or Connolly.”
Speaking at the new station after he arrived by train from Heuston, Mr Dempsey said it would have the capacity to handle up to 3,000 passengers at peak hour.
“Like Adamstown this station has been built in advance of the completion of the Kildare Route Project and it will be able to accommodate the tripling of passenger numbers that the project will deliver by 2010.”
Irishtimes.com
www.buckplanning.ie
Friday, 20 June 2008
Luas' red line extension on track after green light
THE planned extension of the Luas in Dublin to serve both Citywest and Saggart has been given the green light.
Yesterday, An Bord Pleanala granted planning permission to allow construction work to begin on the extension to the red line of the light-rail system.
There will now be a two-month 'cooling-off' period where anyone who wishes to challenge the railway order will be able to undertake a judicial review in the courts.
Under the new plans, five stops will be added to the existing red line, which starts at Tallaght and ends at Connolly.
Transport Minister Noel Dempsey said the extension would add five million passenger journeys ever year. It is expected to be in use by 2011.
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Yesterday, An Bord Pleanala granted planning permission to allow construction work to begin on the extension to the red line of the light-rail system.
There will now be a two-month 'cooling-off' period where anyone who wishes to challenge the railway order will be able to undertake a judicial review in the courts.
Under the new plans, five stops will be added to the existing red line, which starts at Tallaght and ends at Connolly.
Transport Minister Noel Dempsey said the extension would add five million passenger journeys ever year. It is expected to be in use by 2011.
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Monday, 19 May 2008
Disruption due during Metro works
There will be a decrease in capacity for cars in Dublin city centre during works on Metro North and the Luas interconnector, Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey has said.
"Trying to provide world class public transport system does entail some inconvenience and disruption" Mr Dempsey said at the launch of a public consultation on a new transport strategy for Dublin from 2010 to 2030.
The time frame for the Metro North and the Luas Interconnector is from 2010 to 2015 but works will take place in different places at different times to confine disruption, Mr Dempsey added.
Director of the Dublin Transportation Office John Henry said the disruption was necessary and added: "I would like to see a more permanent solution, to make the city centre a much friendlier place to do business "
A congestion charge, such as the one adopted in London, will be one of the solutions to control transport use which will be looked at in the future, Mr Henry added.
"We are not talking about banning traffic in the city centre but rerouting it" Mr Henry said. "We need to re-establish the dominance of citizens of the city and reduce dominance of the car".
Dublin Chamber of Commerce said it supported plans to transform the city centre into a pedestrian-friendly, shopper-friendly, family-friendly and tourist-friendly space. However it warned that plans to introduce congestion charging were premature and must not be considered until adequate public transport is in place.
“Dublin suffers from a severe public transport deficit, which impacts upon workers, shoppers and tourists daily,” said Chief Executive Gina Quin
“Responding to this deficit by restricting private vehicles or imposing congestion charging will not improve traffic flows or patterns in the city centre. What is needed first is a significant increase in bus capacity in the Greater Dublin Area, and a fully operational traffic management plan which helps us to understand current traffic flows in and around the city.”
Members of the public interested in giving their views on the future shape of transport in the greater Dublin area can answer an online questionnaire at www.2030vision.ie by June 30th.
Ireland.com
www.buckplanning.ie
"Trying to provide world class public transport system does entail some inconvenience and disruption" Mr Dempsey said at the launch of a public consultation on a new transport strategy for Dublin from 2010 to 2030.
The time frame for the Metro North and the Luas Interconnector is from 2010 to 2015 but works will take place in different places at different times to confine disruption, Mr Dempsey added.
Director of the Dublin Transportation Office John Henry said the disruption was necessary and added: "I would like to see a more permanent solution, to make the city centre a much friendlier place to do business "
A congestion charge, such as the one adopted in London, will be one of the solutions to control transport use which will be looked at in the future, Mr Henry added.
"We are not talking about banning traffic in the city centre but rerouting it" Mr Henry said. "We need to re-establish the dominance of citizens of the city and reduce dominance of the car".
Dublin Chamber of Commerce said it supported plans to transform the city centre into a pedestrian-friendly, shopper-friendly, family-friendly and tourist-friendly space. However it warned that plans to introduce congestion charging were premature and must not be considered until adequate public transport is in place.
“Dublin suffers from a severe public transport deficit, which impacts upon workers, shoppers and tourists daily,” said Chief Executive Gina Quin
“Responding to this deficit by restricting private vehicles or imposing congestion charging will not improve traffic flows or patterns in the city centre. What is needed first is a significant increase in bus capacity in the Greater Dublin Area, and a fully operational traffic management plan which helps us to understand current traffic flows in and around the city.”
Members of the public interested in giving their views on the future shape of transport in the greater Dublin area can answer an online questionnaire at www.2030vision.ie by June 30th.
Ireland.com
www.buckplanning.ie
Saturday, 26 April 2008
Mind the gap: commuters face walk at 'integrated' rail station
THE extension of Luas to the Point Depot in Dublin will link up with the city's newest train station, as long as commuters don't mind a 350-metre walk.
The Department of Transport insisted yesterday that the docklands Luas was integrated with the docklands station, but admitted a short walk would be required to move from one public transport system to the other.
The bizarre possibility of an "integrated" public transport system requiring the use of an umbrella to make a connecting journey was raised yesterday, with Fine Gael accusing the Government of making a "huge mistake" and failing to learn the lessons of the past.
Enterprise, Trade and Employment spokesman Leo Varadkar said the decision not to have Luas stopping at the docklands station was "madness", and urged the Government to re-consider the route.
"Commuters are still scratching their heads about the Government's decision not to link the red and green Luas lines, this mistake is now being rectified at the cost of millions of euros," he said.
"Fianna Fail is about to make the same mistake in the docklands. The new Luas docklands extension will not link up with the existing Iarnrod Eireann docklands train station. Once again, Fianna Fail is showing that it cannot learn from its mistakes.
"Minister Noel Dempsey must urgently review this crazy decision. Dublin commuters already have to face traffic gridlock, the M50 car park, the insanity of the Mad Cow, an inadequate bus network and the prospect of a congestion charge. To build a Luas almost half-a-kilometre from an existing train station is a further insult."
Last week, Mr Dempsey said, in reply to a parliamentary question, that the Luas extension to the Point Depot would include a stop at Spencer Dock.
A spokeswoman for Mr Dempsey said the Luas and docklands rail would be integrated. The Railway Procurement Agency, responsible for delivering the Luas extension, added the Luas would stop "very close" to the docklands.
Paul Melia
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
The Department of Transport insisted yesterday that the docklands Luas was integrated with the docklands station, but admitted a short walk would be required to move from one public transport system to the other.
The bizarre possibility of an "integrated" public transport system requiring the use of an umbrella to make a connecting journey was raised yesterday, with Fine Gael accusing the Government of making a "huge mistake" and failing to learn the lessons of the past.
Enterprise, Trade and Employment spokesman Leo Varadkar said the decision not to have Luas stopping at the docklands station was "madness", and urged the Government to re-consider the route.
"Commuters are still scratching their heads about the Government's decision not to link the red and green Luas lines, this mistake is now being rectified at the cost of millions of euros," he said.
"Fianna Fail is about to make the same mistake in the docklands. The new Luas docklands extension will not link up with the existing Iarnrod Eireann docklands train station. Once again, Fianna Fail is showing that it cannot learn from its mistakes.
"Minister Noel Dempsey must urgently review this crazy decision. Dublin commuters already have to face traffic gridlock, the M50 car park, the insanity of the Mad Cow, an inadequate bus network and the prospect of a congestion charge. To build a Luas almost half-a-kilometre from an existing train station is a further insult."
Last week, Mr Dempsey said, in reply to a parliamentary question, that the Luas extension to the Point Depot would include a stop at Spencer Dock.
A spokeswoman for Mr Dempsey said the Luas and docklands rail would be integrated. The Railway Procurement Agency, responsible for delivering the Luas extension, added the Luas would stop "very close" to the docklands.
Paul Melia
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Wednesday, 27 February 2008
City to get its own 'tube' in new plan
It dwarfs the scale and impact of the Port Tunnel.
The €2bn underground Dart through the heart of Dublin city centre will run every three minutes and carry up to 70,000 commuters an hour.
New images showing the scale of what will be one of the biggest ever infrastructure projects in Ireland, due to open in 2015 and comprising two entirely new Dart services, were also released yesterday.
The 5.2km line, an underground tunnel from the Docklands to Heuston station, will increase rail capacity from 33 million passenger journeys annually now to over 100 million.
Dr John Lynch, Iarnrod Eireann and CIE chairman, yesterday described the Dart underground line as "the missing link, not only in our rail infrastructure, but in our transport infrastructure".
"It will be the most critical project under Transport 21 in enabling people to switch from private transport to public transport, and will transform the capacity of the greater Dublin area rail network."
As part of the exciting plans, the northern line Dart services from Balbriggan and Howth will branch off the existing line after Clontarf Road, going underground at Docklands station, where they will connect with the red Luas line.
The Dart interconnector will continue underground to Pearse Station, before connecting with the green Luas and Metro at St Stephen's Green, and proceeding to Heuston. The Dart will go overground to Adamstown and Hazelhatch in Co Kildare.
A second new Dart line will connect Maynooth -- and a massive M3 park and ride at Pace -- to the existing Bray/Greystones Dart line, stopping at Glasnevin and Drumcondra.
Crucially, the new links join all rail modes -- Dart, commuter rail, intecity, Luas and the proposed Metro. A railway order application is being submitted for the project in 2009.
Timetable for underground link
- 2001: Project included in blueprint for integrated greater Dublin transport.
- 2006: Scheme is approved under the massive €34bn Transport 21 package.
- 2007: Public consultation.
- 2008: Detailed site investigations.
- 2008: Iarnrod Eireann will apply for a Railway Order for the project -- equivalent to planning permission.
- 2009: Public hearing into the underground, followed by an inspector's report. The many parts of the project will then be put out to tender.
- 2010: Construction work will begin involving a twin-bore tunnel at 30 metres depth. Some stations will be mined (Christ Church, St Stephen's Green), with others built using 'Cut and cover' methods (Heuston, Docklands).
- 2015: Underground open.
Treacy Hogan Environment Correspondent
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
The €2bn underground Dart through the heart of Dublin city centre will run every three minutes and carry up to 70,000 commuters an hour.
New images showing the scale of what will be one of the biggest ever infrastructure projects in Ireland, due to open in 2015 and comprising two entirely new Dart services, were also released yesterday.
The 5.2km line, an underground tunnel from the Docklands to Heuston station, will increase rail capacity from 33 million passenger journeys annually now to over 100 million.
Dr John Lynch, Iarnrod Eireann and CIE chairman, yesterday described the Dart underground line as "the missing link, not only in our rail infrastructure, but in our transport infrastructure".
"It will be the most critical project under Transport 21 in enabling people to switch from private transport to public transport, and will transform the capacity of the greater Dublin area rail network."
As part of the exciting plans, the northern line Dart services from Balbriggan and Howth will branch off the existing line after Clontarf Road, going underground at Docklands station, where they will connect with the red Luas line.
The Dart interconnector will continue underground to Pearse Station, before connecting with the green Luas and Metro at St Stephen's Green, and proceeding to Heuston. The Dart will go overground to Adamstown and Hazelhatch in Co Kildare.
A second new Dart line will connect Maynooth -- and a massive M3 park and ride at Pace -- to the existing Bray/Greystones Dart line, stopping at Glasnevin and Drumcondra.
Crucially, the new links join all rail modes -- Dart, commuter rail, intecity, Luas and the proposed Metro. A railway order application is being submitted for the project in 2009.
Timetable for underground link
- 2001: Project included in blueprint for integrated greater Dublin transport.
- 2006: Scheme is approved under the massive €34bn Transport 21 package.
- 2007: Public consultation.
- 2008: Detailed site investigations.
- 2008: Iarnrod Eireann will apply for a Railway Order for the project -- equivalent to planning permission.
- 2009: Public hearing into the underground, followed by an inspector's report. The many parts of the project will then be put out to tender.
- 2010: Construction work will begin involving a twin-bore tunnel at 30 metres depth. Some stations will be mined (Christ Church, St Stephen's Green), with others built using 'Cut and cover' methods (Heuston, Docklands).
- 2015: Underground open.
Treacy Hogan Environment Correspondent
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Tuesday, 12 February 2008
New public transport bridge over Liffey agreed
Dublin City Council plans to build a new Luas and public transport bridge across the river Liffey from Marlborough Street to Hawkins Street, even though the Railway Procurement Agency (RPA) has yet to determine the route of the proposed Luas line.
The current city development plan allows for the construction of a footbridge at the site. South-east area councillors yesterday approved a council management proposal to seek a change to the development plan to allow the construction of the new bridge from Eden Quay to Burgh Quay.
The council is proposing to build a bridge to accommodate a southbound Luas line as well as two bus lanes, two cycle lanes and two footpaths, and hopes soon to seek tenders for its design. The council said it was seeking a "low-key design" to fit in with the surrounding architecture.
However, while the council is pressing ahead with its plans for the bridge, the RPA has yet to say whether this will be the route for the new Luas BX line, which will connect the Red and Green Luas lines across the city centre.
The RPA last year did identify its preferred option as a line from St Stephen's Green to College Green, down Westmoreland Street and across O'Connell Bridge, down O'Connell Street and back up Marlborough Street to cross a new bridge; however, it has not confirmed this as the route.
The council said even if the bridge was not chosen for the Luas route, it would build it anyway.
The bridge would ultimately be for public transport; however, councillors were told yesterday that the bridge would serve to ease the inevitable gridlock in the centre when metro and Luas works begin across O'Connell Bridge. During this construction, Westmoreland Street is likely to be closed and the new bridge would temporarily be permitted to carry cross-town traffic.
The proposal will now go before the full council for ratification.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
The current city development plan allows for the construction of a footbridge at the site. South-east area councillors yesterday approved a council management proposal to seek a change to the development plan to allow the construction of the new bridge from Eden Quay to Burgh Quay.
The council is proposing to build a bridge to accommodate a southbound Luas line as well as two bus lanes, two cycle lanes and two footpaths, and hopes soon to seek tenders for its design. The council said it was seeking a "low-key design" to fit in with the surrounding architecture.
However, while the council is pressing ahead with its plans for the bridge, the RPA has yet to say whether this will be the route for the new Luas BX line, which will connect the Red and Green Luas lines across the city centre.
The RPA last year did identify its preferred option as a line from St Stephen's Green to College Green, down Westmoreland Street and across O'Connell Bridge, down O'Connell Street and back up Marlborough Street to cross a new bridge; however, it has not confirmed this as the route.
The council said even if the bridge was not chosen for the Luas route, it would build it anyway.
The bridge would ultimately be for public transport; however, councillors were told yesterday that the bridge would serve to ease the inevitable gridlock in the centre when metro and Luas works begin across O'Connell Bridge. During this construction, Westmoreland Street is likely to be closed and the new bridge would temporarily be permitted to carry cross-town traffic.
The proposal will now go before the full council for ratification.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Sunday, 10 February 2008
Millions spent but better bus service fails to woo public
DESPITE spending hundreds of millions of euro on quality bus corridors and a new fleet over the last ten years, the number of journeys to work and school by bus increased by just 3,000 during the same period.
Figures released by the Department of Transport last week reveal the number of journeys to work and school made by bus or coach in the greater Dublin area between 1996 and 2006 increased by just two per cent.
Some 156,161 trips to work or to school per day in the Dublin region were taken by bus in 1996. By 2006 the number of these trips had increased to just 159,233.
Dublin Bus has invested millions of euros in a new fleet, and in quality bus corridors, launched new routes and extended many others as well as making its buses more accessible and attractive.
However, the latest figures available from the Central Statistics Office, show that in Dublin during 2006 almost half the population drove to work while just 14 per cent of commuters took the bus.
The Dublin Transportation Office spent €202m on bus corridors and a quality bus network (QBN) in the greater Dublin area between 1993 and 2007 inclusive. Another €55m was spent upgrading the wider network up to the end of last year.
"Bus patronage increases should be considered in the context of overall growth in travel in the last decade, which was an increase of 33 per cent," said a spokesperson for the Dublin Transportation Office.
"Although investment has been made in improving the reliability and consistency of journey times by bus, more remains to be done in terms of improving the overall experience of travelling by bus, and this will undoubtedly require further investment."
Under the Transport 21 plan, Dublin Bus was given the target of increasing passenger-carrying capacity by 60 per cent by 2015, through new and replacement bus acquisition. The plan also set out details for the doubling of the number of quality bus corridors.
"Regarding passenger trends, it would be more reasonable to look at our overall trend in passengers carried," said a spokesperson for Dublin Bus. "Numbers have increased from 134 million in 1998 to 148 million in 2007.
"This growth has been achieved against a background of substantial increase in rail and Luas capacity. We estimate that more than 10 million customers per annum have transferred to these modes of transport."
The figures from the Department of Transport also show that commuter trips by train have more than doubled in the last ten years.
The increase of 115.5 per cent in train trips includes journeys on the Dart and Luas and the increase was significantly buoyed by the arrival of the Luas in 2004.
At the same time the number of journeys to work and to school made by car increased by some 69 per cent in the region over the same period, while trips by vans or lorries increased by 110 per cent.
The figures also suggest that cyclists in the Dublin area are becoming a dying breed as bicycle journeys to work or school have declined by 25 per cent in the last ten years. Walking trips only increased by some 7.8 per cent.
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Figures released by the Department of Transport last week reveal the number of journeys to work and school made by bus or coach in the greater Dublin area between 1996 and 2006 increased by just two per cent.
Some 156,161 trips to work or to school per day in the Dublin region were taken by bus in 1996. By 2006 the number of these trips had increased to just 159,233.
Dublin Bus has invested millions of euros in a new fleet, and in quality bus corridors, launched new routes and extended many others as well as making its buses more accessible and attractive.
However, the latest figures available from the Central Statistics Office, show that in Dublin during 2006 almost half the population drove to work while just 14 per cent of commuters took the bus.
The Dublin Transportation Office spent €202m on bus corridors and a quality bus network (QBN) in the greater Dublin area between 1993 and 2007 inclusive. Another €55m was spent upgrading the wider network up to the end of last year.
"Bus patronage increases should be considered in the context of overall growth in travel in the last decade, which was an increase of 33 per cent," said a spokesperson for the Dublin Transportation Office.
"Although investment has been made in improving the reliability and consistency of journey times by bus, more remains to be done in terms of improving the overall experience of travelling by bus, and this will undoubtedly require further investment."
Under the Transport 21 plan, Dublin Bus was given the target of increasing passenger-carrying capacity by 60 per cent by 2015, through new and replacement bus acquisition. The plan also set out details for the doubling of the number of quality bus corridors.
"Regarding passenger trends, it would be more reasonable to look at our overall trend in passengers carried," said a spokesperson for Dublin Bus. "Numbers have increased from 134 million in 1998 to 148 million in 2007.
"This growth has been achieved against a background of substantial increase in rail and Luas capacity. We estimate that more than 10 million customers per annum have transferred to these modes of transport."
The figures from the Department of Transport also show that commuter trips by train have more than doubled in the last ten years.
The increase of 115.5 per cent in train trips includes journeys on the Dart and Luas and the increase was significantly buoyed by the arrival of the Luas in 2004.
At the same time the number of journeys to work and to school made by car increased by some 69 per cent in the region over the same period, while trips by vans or lorries increased by 110 per cent.
The figures also suggest that cyclists in the Dublin area are becoming a dying breed as bicycle journeys to work or school have declined by 25 per cent in the last ten years. Walking trips only increased by some 7.8 per cent.
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Wednesday, 6 February 2008
Dempsey derails ambitious CIÉ plan and opts for new Luas line
Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey last night informed CIÉ that it will have to drop ambitious plans for a heavy rail hub at Broadstone in Dublin in favour of a Luas line under the aegis of the Rail Procurement Agency (RPA), The Irish Times has established.
The key Broadstone depot - located a short distance from the quays in the northside of the city - has been the subject of what has been, in effect, a "turf war" between CIÉ and the RPA. Both agencies have wrangled over how it should be utilised in the future - at one stage CIÉ denied the other transport agency access to the site, prompting then minister Martin Cullen to make a personal intervention.
The site was earmarked for a Luas-type operation as far back as 1996 with plans to set up a new extension using the old Broadstone railway alignment, which is no longer in use.
But last summer, CIÉ submitted an alternative plan for Broadstone as a transport hub for heavy-duty rail. The blueprint was ambitious in scope.
Broadstone would become a new rail depot that would serve intercity trains from Galway along with commuter services from Maynooth, Navan and Kildare.
CIÉ said the expansion of Broadstone was vital to cater for significant expansion in rail services and huge increases in passenger numbers. It would also ease the pressure on Connolly Station.
But The Irish Times has learned that Mr Dempsey wrote to all the transport agencies yesterday informing them that he intends to allow the RPA to proceed with planning the Luas line along the agreed alignment using Broadstone.
In the letter, Mr Dempsey also mandated CIÉ to make an early application for planning permission to retain its dockland station on a permanent basis.
The dockland station was expected to be operational for 10 years but the upshot of Mr Dempsey's decision is that it will now be made permanent, and will become the station catering for commuter services from Maynooth, Navan and Kildare.
The Minister's decision was based on a study he commissioned from specialist consultants Booz Hamilton Allen (BHA) on the CIÉ plans.
Using traffic projection models, BHA concluded that a heavy-rail depot at Broadstone was not required and that a permanent dockland railway station would comfortably accommodate commuter rail services.
The CIÉ plans were predicated on projected population increases based on Central Statistics Office data.
However, BHA concluded that even with the largest projected increase in rail traffic, a heavy rail hub at Broadstone, was not required.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
The key Broadstone depot - located a short distance from the quays in the northside of the city - has been the subject of what has been, in effect, a "turf war" between CIÉ and the RPA. Both agencies have wrangled over how it should be utilised in the future - at one stage CIÉ denied the other transport agency access to the site, prompting then minister Martin Cullen to make a personal intervention.
The site was earmarked for a Luas-type operation as far back as 1996 with plans to set up a new extension using the old Broadstone railway alignment, which is no longer in use.
But last summer, CIÉ submitted an alternative plan for Broadstone as a transport hub for heavy-duty rail. The blueprint was ambitious in scope.
Broadstone would become a new rail depot that would serve intercity trains from Galway along with commuter services from Maynooth, Navan and Kildare.
CIÉ said the expansion of Broadstone was vital to cater for significant expansion in rail services and huge increases in passenger numbers. It would also ease the pressure on Connolly Station.
But The Irish Times has learned that Mr Dempsey wrote to all the transport agencies yesterday informing them that he intends to allow the RPA to proceed with planning the Luas line along the agreed alignment using Broadstone.
In the letter, Mr Dempsey also mandated CIÉ to make an early application for planning permission to retain its dockland station on a permanent basis.
The dockland station was expected to be operational for 10 years but the upshot of Mr Dempsey's decision is that it will now be made permanent, and will become the station catering for commuter services from Maynooth, Navan and Kildare.
The Minister's decision was based on a study he commissioned from specialist consultants Booz Hamilton Allen (BHA) on the CIÉ plans.
Using traffic projection models, BHA concluded that a heavy-rail depot at Broadstone was not required and that a permanent dockland railway station would comfortably accommodate commuter rail services.
The CIÉ plans were predicated on projected population increases based on Central Statistics Office data.
However, BHA concluded that even with the largest projected increase in rail traffic, a heavy rail hub at Broadstone, was not required.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Dempsey derails ambitious CIÉ plan and opts for new Luas line
Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey last night informed CIÉ that it will have to drop ambitious plans for a heavy rail hub at Broadstone in Dublin in favour of a Luas line under the aegis of the Rail Procurement Agency (RPA), The Irish Times has established.
The key Broadstone depot - located a short distance from the quays in the northside of the city - has been the subject of what has been, in effect, a "turf war" between CIÉ and the RPA. Both agencies have wrangled over how it should be utilised in the future - at one stage CIÉ denied the other transport agency access to the site, prompting then minister Martin Cullen to make a personal intervention.
The site was earmarked for a Luas-type operation as far back as 1996 with plans to set up a new extension using the old Broadstone railway alignment, which is no longer in use.
But last summer, CIÉ submitted an alternative plan for Broadstone as a transport hub for heavy-duty rail. The blueprint was ambitious in scope.
Broadstone would become a new rail depot that would serve intercity trains from Galway along with commuter services from Maynooth, Navan and Kildare.
CIÉ said the expansion of Broadstone was vital to cater for significant expansion in rail services and huge increases in passenger numbers. It would also ease the pressure on Connolly Station.
But The Irish Times has learned that Mr Dempsey wrote to all the transport agencies yesterday informing them that he intends to allow the RPA to proceed with planning the Luas line along the agreed alignment using Broadstone.
In the letter, Mr Dempsey also mandated CIÉ to make an early application for planning permission to retain its dockland station on a permanent basis.
The dockland station was expected to be operational for 10 years but the upshot of Mr Dempsey's decision is that it will now be made permanent, and will become the station catering for commuter services from Maynooth, Navan and Kildare.
The Minister's decision was based on a study he commissioned from specialist consultants Booz Hamilton Allen (BHA) on the CIÉ plans.
Using traffic projection models, BHA concluded that a heavy-rail depot at Broadstone was not required and that a permanent dockland railway station would comfortably accommodate commuter rail services.
The CIÉ plans were predicated on projected population increases based on Central Statistics Office data.
However, BHA concluded that even with the largest projected increase in rail traffic, a heavy rail hub at Broadstone, was not required.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
The key Broadstone depot - located a short distance from the quays in the northside of the city - has been the subject of what has been, in effect, a "turf war" between CIÉ and the RPA. Both agencies have wrangled over how it should be utilised in the future - at one stage CIÉ denied the other transport agency access to the site, prompting then minister Martin Cullen to make a personal intervention.
The site was earmarked for a Luas-type operation as far back as 1996 with plans to set up a new extension using the old Broadstone railway alignment, which is no longer in use.
But last summer, CIÉ submitted an alternative plan for Broadstone as a transport hub for heavy-duty rail. The blueprint was ambitious in scope.
Broadstone would become a new rail depot that would serve intercity trains from Galway along with commuter services from Maynooth, Navan and Kildare.
CIÉ said the expansion of Broadstone was vital to cater for significant expansion in rail services and huge increases in passenger numbers. It would also ease the pressure on Connolly Station.
But The Irish Times has learned that Mr Dempsey wrote to all the transport agencies yesterday informing them that he intends to allow the RPA to proceed with planning the Luas line along the agreed alignment using Broadstone.
In the letter, Mr Dempsey also mandated CIÉ to make an early application for planning permission to retain its dockland station on a permanent basis.
The dockland station was expected to be operational for 10 years but the upshot of Mr Dempsey's decision is that it will now be made permanent, and will become the station catering for commuter services from Maynooth, Navan and Kildare.
The Minister's decision was based on a study he commissioned from specialist consultants Booz Hamilton Allen (BHA) on the CIÉ plans.
Using traffic projection models, BHA concluded that a heavy-rail depot at Broadstone was not required and that a permanent dockland railway station would comfortably accommodate commuter rail services.
The CIÉ plans were predicated on projected population increases based on Central Statistics Office data.
However, BHA concluded that even with the largest projected increase in rail traffic, a heavy rail hub at Broadstone, was not required.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Monday, 14 January 2008
Integrated ticketing costs soar to €50m
The Department of Transport has defended the estimated €50 million cost and the timeframe of the delay-plagued integrated ticketing scheme for public transport, blaming complex technical issues.
A departmental note generated ahead of integrated ticketing being discussed by the Dáil's Public Accounts Committee later this month, refers to the complicated systems required to provide a single smart card for rail, bus and Luas journeys with private and public transport companies.
The decision to include the free travel scheme for pensioners and people with disabilities has also contributed to the increased cost and to delays on a project that it not now expected to be finished until 2013.
According to the note: "One of the reasons why it has taken this long . . . is that it was decided to include a link-up on the ticket to the free travel pass [so the integrated ticket software has to be made compatible with the software in the Department of Social and Family Affairs].
"Initially, there was no provision for this link-up."
Integrated ticketing has been beset by delays, controversy and cost overruns since it was first announced by then minister for public enterprise Mary O'Rourke in November 2000.
The Rail Procurement Agency was given responsibility for the €29.6 million project with a completion date set for 2005. However by mid-2005, the agency abandoned the procurement process, prompting separate inquiries by the Department of Transport and comptroller and auditor general John Purcell.
Following criticism by Mr Purcell of project management, lack of progress and substantial wasted expenditure, a new project board was established in 2006.
It promised that the system would be rolled out in the greater Dublin area by September 2009, with nationwide roll-out compete by 2013. It also projected that €20 million more was needed to complete the project.
Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey made this project a key priority when he came into office last summer, according to his office. Central to his strategy has been to set up the Dublin Transport Authority (DTA) which will have overall responsibility for the project. Legislation is expected next month.
Sources in Mr Dempsey's department said similar systems in Hong Kong and Singapore cost €100 million and €150 million.
Senator Paschal Donohoe of Fine Gael said: "No political will exists to decide competing requests from different semi-State organisations. This is the reason the DTA still does not exist. Not setting the business rules at the start has completely undermined the project."
PAC chairman Bernard Allen said the committee would seek assurances that there would be no further overruns or delays.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
A departmental note generated ahead of integrated ticketing being discussed by the Dáil's Public Accounts Committee later this month, refers to the complicated systems required to provide a single smart card for rail, bus and Luas journeys with private and public transport companies.
The decision to include the free travel scheme for pensioners and people with disabilities has also contributed to the increased cost and to delays on a project that it not now expected to be finished until 2013.
According to the note: "One of the reasons why it has taken this long . . . is that it was decided to include a link-up on the ticket to the free travel pass [so the integrated ticket software has to be made compatible with the software in the Department of Social and Family Affairs].
"Initially, there was no provision for this link-up."
Integrated ticketing has been beset by delays, controversy and cost overruns since it was first announced by then minister for public enterprise Mary O'Rourke in November 2000.
The Rail Procurement Agency was given responsibility for the €29.6 million project with a completion date set for 2005. However by mid-2005, the agency abandoned the procurement process, prompting separate inquiries by the Department of Transport and comptroller and auditor general John Purcell.
Following criticism by Mr Purcell of project management, lack of progress and substantial wasted expenditure, a new project board was established in 2006.
It promised that the system would be rolled out in the greater Dublin area by September 2009, with nationwide roll-out compete by 2013. It also projected that €20 million more was needed to complete the project.
Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey made this project a key priority when he came into office last summer, according to his office. Central to his strategy has been to set up the Dublin Transport Authority (DTA) which will have overall responsibility for the project. Legislation is expected next month.
Sources in Mr Dempsey's department said similar systems in Hong Kong and Singapore cost €100 million and €150 million.
Senator Paschal Donohoe of Fine Gael said: "No political will exists to decide competing requests from different semi-State organisations. This is the reason the DTA still does not exist. Not setting the business rules at the start has completely undermined the project."
PAC chairman Bernard Allen said the committee would seek assurances that there would be no further overruns or delays.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Wednesday, 7 November 2007
Bus route row could cripple public transport in capital
A ROW over new routes is threatening to severely disrupt transport across Dublin city this coming weekend.
Drivers at Harristown depot, near the airport, said they were likely to be on strike from Sunday as a result of what they said was Dublin Bus management's attempt to force in new scheduling arrangements.
Two new routes are due to be introduced on Monday -- the 4A, which will run from Ballymun to Stradbrook, and the 128, which will run from Baldoyle to Rathmines through the city centre.
Unions representing drivers want the start, break and finish to occur at the garage, while Dublin Bus wants some of the routes to start, break and finish in the city centre. Last month the Labour Court heard that the unions' refusal to accept this has meant that some new buses are being left unused and there is a surplus of 60 staff.
The court ruled in the company's favour and pointed out that workers have already signed up to an agreement that allows services to start, break and finish at individual garages or in the city centre.
However, a representative from the National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU) said yesterday that the dispute was not about breaks but the company's "incompetence" in managing the new depot.
"Drivers will break wherever they are asked, all they expect is to start and finish their day's work in the same place and not 11km away. The new schedules will add hours to drivers' working week and will be a complete shambles for passengers. Buses will be waiting in the city for relief drivers who are trying to get there from a depot 11km away. It's a recipe for disaster and our members are saying no to it."
The Harristown Drivers Association accused Dublin Bus of "acting like bully boys" and forcing a strike in the lead-up to Christmas.
A spokesperson for Dublin Bus said the two new routes were urgently needed and that the schedules, extra drivers and new buses were all in place and ready to go from Monday.
The €42m Harristown Garage near Dublin Airport opened in October 2004 and boasts a gym and restaurant.
In its submission to the Labour Court, the unions said workers were led to believe that all starts, breaks and finishes would be at the garage -- a contention rejected by the company. The court found that there was no written agreement stating this.
Breda Heffernan
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Drivers at Harristown depot, near the airport, said they were likely to be on strike from Sunday as a result of what they said was Dublin Bus management's attempt to force in new scheduling arrangements.
Two new routes are due to be introduced on Monday -- the 4A, which will run from Ballymun to Stradbrook, and the 128, which will run from Baldoyle to Rathmines through the city centre.
Unions representing drivers want the start, break and finish to occur at the garage, while Dublin Bus wants some of the routes to start, break and finish in the city centre. Last month the Labour Court heard that the unions' refusal to accept this has meant that some new buses are being left unused and there is a surplus of 60 staff.
The court ruled in the company's favour and pointed out that workers have already signed up to an agreement that allows services to start, break and finish at individual garages or in the city centre.
However, a representative from the National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU) said yesterday that the dispute was not about breaks but the company's "incompetence" in managing the new depot.
"Drivers will break wherever they are asked, all they expect is to start and finish their day's work in the same place and not 11km away. The new schedules will add hours to drivers' working week and will be a complete shambles for passengers. Buses will be waiting in the city for relief drivers who are trying to get there from a depot 11km away. It's a recipe for disaster and our members are saying no to it."
The Harristown Drivers Association accused Dublin Bus of "acting like bully boys" and forcing a strike in the lead-up to Christmas.
A spokesperson for Dublin Bus said the two new routes were urgently needed and that the schedules, extra drivers and new buses were all in place and ready to go from Monday.
The €42m Harristown Garage near Dublin Airport opened in October 2004 and boasts a gym and restaurant.
In its submission to the Labour Court, the unions said workers were led to believe that all starts, breaks and finishes would be at the garage -- a contention rejected by the company. The court found that there was no written agreement stating this.
Breda Heffernan
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Monday, 4 June 2007
200kmh trains will cut hour off journey to southern city
PLANS are underway to introduce a 200-km-per-hour rail service between Dublin and Cork, reducing journey time by one hour.
Under the plan, similar to the high-speed TGV French service, the number of stops would be reduced to two, although these have not yet been decided.
It has been estimated that the cost of the project will be somewhere between €60m and €100m and is due to be in place by 2010.
Engineers from Iarnrod Eireann are currently examining the track in order to decide what adjustments will need to be made to allow trains to run at the new high speeds.
Contractors
The state body is tendering for outside contractors to help assess the track. When that is completed, the proposed works will be put out to tender.
While the new fleet of carriages being used will be able to handle the increased speed, the locomotive engines will need "certain enhancements", according to a spokesperson.
Any sharp curves which exist on the track will have to be removed in order to deal with the higher speeds.
The use of high-speed lines will be made possible by the €300m Kildare route project which is due to be finished in 2009. As a result, commuter trains will be taken off the line used by inter-city services.
"The Kildare project will significantly increase our speed because we won't have to stop at those inner-commuter stations and there will be two dedicated inner-city tracks," said an Iarnrod Eireann spokesperson.
"At Portarlington and Limerick junction there are curves in the tracks. We are working to eliminate them so we don't have a speed restriction."
Tracks
The spokesperson said it was too early to say whether prices for the tracks will increase or decrease as a result of the new technology. The use of the trains on the Dublin to Belfast line has also been raised, which would reduce the journey time to less than 90 minutes.
It is expected that the project would be done on a cross-border agreement as Iarnrod Eireann is only responsible for the line to the border.
Shane Hickey
Irish Independent
Under the plan, similar to the high-speed TGV French service, the number of stops would be reduced to two, although these have not yet been decided.
It has been estimated that the cost of the project will be somewhere between €60m and €100m and is due to be in place by 2010.
Engineers from Iarnrod Eireann are currently examining the track in order to decide what adjustments will need to be made to allow trains to run at the new high speeds.
Contractors
The state body is tendering for outside contractors to help assess the track. When that is completed, the proposed works will be put out to tender.
While the new fleet of carriages being used will be able to handle the increased speed, the locomotive engines will need "certain enhancements", according to a spokesperson.
Any sharp curves which exist on the track will have to be removed in order to deal with the higher speeds.
The use of high-speed lines will be made possible by the €300m Kildare route project which is due to be finished in 2009. As a result, commuter trains will be taken off the line used by inter-city services.
"The Kildare project will significantly increase our speed because we won't have to stop at those inner-commuter stations and there will be two dedicated inner-city tracks," said an Iarnrod Eireann spokesperson.
"At Portarlington and Limerick junction there are curves in the tracks. We are working to eliminate them so we don't have a speed restriction."
Tracks
The spokesperson said it was too early to say whether prices for the tracks will increase or decrease as a result of the new technology. The use of the trains on the Dublin to Belfast line has also been raised, which would reduce the journey time to less than 90 minutes.
It is expected that the project would be done on a cross-border agreement as Iarnrod Eireann is only responsible for the line to the border.
Shane Hickey
Irish Independent
Friday, 23 February 2007
€1bn plan to transform public transport in Galway city - On track?
A €1bn plan to transform public transport in Galway city was at the centre of a row yesterday.
No sooner had Transport Minister Martin Cullen and CIE Chairman, Dr John Lynch (pictured) spoken in glowing terms about the plan at a function in Galway, than proceedings broke up in disarray. Local heritage group, Cairde na Gaillimhe and Labour Party President Michael D Higgins both slammed the project.
All of those at the top table refused to answer questions or enter into debate about the use of the hugely valuable city centre site at the heart of the transport plan. The 14-acre Ceannt station landbank is the last available development site in the city centre.
Brian McDonald
© Irish Independent
No sooner had Transport Minister Martin Cullen and CIE Chairman, Dr John Lynch (pictured) spoken in glowing terms about the plan at a function in Galway, than proceedings broke up in disarray. Local heritage group, Cairde na Gaillimhe and Labour Party President Michael D Higgins both slammed the project.
All of those at the top table refused to answer questions or enter into debate about the use of the hugely valuable city centre site at the heart of the transport plan. The 14-acre Ceannt station landbank is the last available development site in the city centre.
Brian McDonald
© Irish Independent
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