Speech by Martin Cullen T.D., Minister for Transport at the National Roads Programme 2006 Allocations

Date: 24 February 2006

I'm delighted to be here today with the NRA to announce details of the 2006 national road grant allocations.

The beneficial impact of the increased investment in the national road network is increasingly evident throughout the country. We now have extensive lengths of high quality road on many of our major routes the M1, N7, N4/N6. Major improvement works have also been completed on many other routes throughout the country.

The critical importance of a well functioning transport infrastructure for the economic and social life of the country, and for our quality of life in general, is well recognised by this Government. We are actively redressing serious past underinvestment in this infrastructure. At the same time we are coping with phenomenal growth in traffic as a result of our ongoing exceptional economic performance.

Despite the record investment of the last ten years, it was growing increasingly clear that a radical development was required to enable us make the major leap forward required to bring our transport infrastructure and services up to the standard required for a 21st century, first-world economy.

Transport 21

The objective of Transport 21 is to transform Ireland's transport network into one that is world-class. It represents a strengthening of the Government's commitment to ensure that Ireland has a transport network to match and support its buoyant economy.

Transport 21 has been developed in particular to support the Government's National Spatial Strategy 2002-2020. Transport 21 will connect regions, cities and towns with each other. It will also connect key economic gateways such as airports and seaports. This is vital for the economic well-being of the country, enabling us to move our goods into, out of, and around the country as seamlessly as possible.

The Government recognises the strong correlation between a good transportation system and a sound economy. And it is the strength of that economy that is providing the resources to fund Transport 21. In turn, this will increase the capacity of this country and its regions to grow and develop for the benefit of all our citizens.

The national road development programme provided for in the NDP and in Transport 21 is fundamentally about transforming a patchwork into a network. Until recent years national road improvement works tended to consist of isolated by-passes or upgrades of limited route sections. The emphasis has now switched, particularly in respect of the key national primary routes, to full route improvement. We now have extensive lengths of high quality motorway and dual carriageway on the routes to the Border, Galway, Cork and Limerick. Most of the longstanding infamous traffic bottlenecks on our national primary routes have been eliminated.

Equally as we complete the major inter-urban routes other national primary routes particularly on the Atlantic Corridor will be prioritised.

2006 National Roads Programme

The pace and momentum of the national roads programme will be substantially accelerated in 2006. Apart from the completion of 13 projects comprising over 80kms of road, work is expected to commence on 15 more projects comprising 300kms of road. This length of new construction starts is a record and is treble the average length of starts in the last 3 years.

The main elements of the 2006 programme are:

Completion of 13 projects with a combined length of over 80kms
Commencement of work on 15 new projects with a combined length of over 300kms
Commencement of a major programme to upgrade directional and tourism signage.
Investment of €60m in pavement renewal works, safety projects and bridge works on national secondary routes;
Investment of €120m approximately in the planning and design of over 80 major improvement projects throughout the country;
Investment of €20m in safety related projects

Improved delivery of transport infrastructure

The successful upgrading of our transport infrastructure requires more than huge levels of investment however. We must continue to improve our performance in the delivery of major infrastructure on time and within budget.

In recent years, our record in this respect has improved markedly. Out of the 24 major road schemes currently in construction, 21 of these are on time and on budget. Of the other three, all three will be delivered on time with any overruns down to planning and land acquisition issues.

This performance reflects the measures we have taken to strengthen cost estimation and control systems and procurement practices. A key element of these improvements has been the greater use of the Design and Build form of contract.

Conclusion

In conclusion I wish to thank the NRA, local authorities, contractors and consultants and all involved in the implementation of the programme for their efforts to date and to wish them well in their ongoing efforts in upgrading an infrastructure that is vital for our ongoing growth and development.

ENDS