Revised timeline for projects and the effect of cut in public transport investment programme budget

Date: 22 October 2008


Dáil Question Nos: 119, 120, 121 To ask the Minister for Transport the revised timeline for all Transport 21 projects; when planning, construction and operation phases are due to commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. - Fergus O'Dowd. To ask the Minister for Transport the effect the €70 million cut in the public transport investment programme budget will have on Transport 21; and if he will make a statement on the matter. - Fergus O'Dowd. *To ask the Minister for Transport if 2015 is still the completion date for all Transport 21 projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. - Fergus O'Dowd.

Answered by Noel Dempsey T.D.
Minister for Transport

REPLY

I propose to take questions 119, 120 and 121 together.

Following on from the Budget announcement, by the Minister for Finance, of the capital funding available to my Department in 2009 and the coming years, I will keep the priorities and timescale for Transport 21 projects under continuing review. The provision of increased capacity will be a key consideration in determining public transport investment priorities in the period ahead.
The reduction in capital funding in 2009 will not have a significant effect on the roll out of the Transport 21 public transport programme and will not result in the postponement of the start of construction of any public transport project.

Thirty-seven projects have already been completed since the beginning of Transport 21 in 2006 and twenty-five are currently underway. A list of these projects is provided as an Appendix.

The start and completion dates of projects, which have not yet commenced will be determined by the funding allocation available during the current difficult economic climate. The commencement dates for these projects will also be influenced by the time taken for public consultation, the relevant statutory process and the procurement and contract award processes.

Appendix 1

Completed projects:

Project	Completion Date
· N2 Monaghan Town Bypass · N2 Ashbourne Bypass · N4 Edgeworthstown Relief Road · N7 Naas Road widening · N8 Rathcormac – Fermoy (PPP) · N8/N73 Mitchelstown Relief Road · N15 Ballyshannon-Bundoran Bypass · N21 Castleisland-Abbeyfeale · N25 Kinsalebeg · N25/27 Kinsale Road Interchange · N30 Enniscorthy-Clonroche Realignment · Dublin Port Tunnel · N52 Mullingar Eastern Bypass · N55 Cavan Bypass · N56 Mountaintop to Illistrin Phase 1	2006
· Docklands Railway Station · Introduction of first intercity railcars on Dublin – Sligo route · 67 new intercity rail carriages deployed on Dublin-Cork line and introduction of hourly rail services Dublin-Cork · N1 Dundalk to Border · N2 Castleblaney Bypass · N4 Dromod – Rooskey · N5 Charlestown Bypass · N6 Tyrellspass to Kilbeggan · N11 Arklow to Gorey Bypass · N11 Enniskerry junction improvements · N18 Ennis Bypass/N85 Western Relief Road · N52 Mullingar to Belvedere · N56 Mountaintop to Illistrin Phase 2 · N77 Kilkenny Ring Road Extension	2007
· New Portlaoise train depot · M50 Upgrade (Phase 3) and introduction of barrier free tolling · Capacity enhancement luas Red Line – all trams extended from 30m to 40m providing a 40% increase in capacity · N6 Kilbeggan to Athlone · N8 Cashel to Mitchelstown · N9 Carlow Bypass · N11 Kilpedder-Delgany Junction · New intercity railcars introduced on Dublin-Limerick, Dublin-Westport, Dublin-Galway, and Dublin-Waterford lines	2008

Completion dates for projects currently underway:

Project

Indicative Completion Date

· M50 Upgrade (Phase 1)
· Completion of delivery of 200 new buses for Dublin Bus
2008

· Cork commuter rail service to Midleton
· Luas extension from Connolly to Docklands
· Western Rail Corridor (Phase 1) Ennis - Athenry
· Completion of roll-out of 183 intercity railcars
· N4 Leixlip/M50 junction (Lucan bypass upgrade)
· N6 Athlone to Ballinasloe
· N7 Nenagh to Limerick
· N8 Cullahill-Cashel
· N9 Waterford-Knocktopher
2009

· Kildare rail upgrade
· Luas extension from Sandyford to Cherrywood
· M3 Clonee to North of Kells
· N6 Galway to Ballinasloe
· N7 Limerick Tunnel
· M7/M8 Portlaoise to Cullahill/Castletown
· N7 Castletown to Nenagh
· N8 Fermoy-Mitchelstown
· N9 Kilcullen-Carlow
· N9 Carlow-Knocktopher
· N25 Waterford City Bypass
· M50 Upgrade (Phase 2)
· N52 Tullamore Bypass
· Completion of delivery of 239 new buses for Bus Eireann
2010

Project	Indicative Completion Date
· M50 Upgrade (Phase 1) · Completion of delivery of 200 new buses for Dublin Bus	2008
· Cork commuter rail service to Midleton · Luas extension from Connolly to Docklands · Western Rail Corridor (Phase 1) Ennis - Athenry · Completion of roll-out of 183 intercity railcars · N4 Leixlip/M50 junction (Lucan bypass upgrade) · N6 Athlone to Ballinasloe · N7 Nenagh to Limerick · N8 Cullahill-Cashel · N9 Waterford-Knocktopher	2009
· Kildare rail upgrade · Luas extension from Sandyford to Cherrywood · M3 Clonee to North of Kells · N6 Galway to Ballinasloe · N7 Limerick Tunnel · M7/M8 Portlaoise to Cullahill/Castletown · N7 Castletown to Nenagh · N8 Fermoy-Mitchelstown · N9 Kilcullen-Carlow · N9 Carlow-Knocktopher · N25 Waterford City Bypass · M50 Upgrade (Phase 2) · N52 Tullamore Bypass · Completion of delivery of 239 new buses for Bus Eireann	2010