[Donal Quinn]

bertie

Over the next seven years, we will build on that evidence. Completion of the primary routes, the M50 upgrade, the Atlantic Corridor, the Western Rail Corridor, the Metro and extension of the LUAS network are just some of the elements of our exciting but necessary Transport 21 programme.

interconnector interconnector interconnector!

From the exec summary

Public Transport: 13 billion with the objective to switch from car use to public transport, particularly in Dublin. Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) will account for 5.17 billion of this investment;

uh-oh - 5.17bn of PPP's - what's this about?

from the complete text
priority is

To deliver a radically upgraded public transport system in line with the timetable in Transport 21
especially in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA), but with significant impacts in other areas;

role of Dept of Finance

All the projects included in Transport 21 must comply with the Department of Finance Capital Appraisal and Value for Money Guidelines, as outlined in Chapter 12 of this Plan.

Public Transport Sub-Programme
Under the Public Transport Sub-Programme, just under \13.0 billion will be invested over the period of
the Plan.
The NDP 2000-2006 saw the first concentrated investment programme in public transport. It has led to a significant increase in public transport capacity including enhanced DART and Rail capacity as well as the
new LUAS light rail system in Dublin. It has also funded the complete renewal of our national rail network and the upgrading and expansion of our bus fleets. A major further step-up in public transport investment
is required in this plan. Accordingly, a massive increase in public transport investment is the centrepiece of Transport 21. The objective is to promote a switch from car usage to public transport. This is necessary
to promote efficiency, quality of life, competitiveness and environmental sustainability. A particular focus of the monitoring arrangements referred to in Chapter 13 will be to measure the increase in public transport
capacity, use and changes in modal split.

Greater Dublin Area (GDA)
The bulk of the public transport investment will be in the Greater Dublin Area. Projections show that there will be in the order of 300,000 more people living in the Dublin area by 2011. Already the city is suffering
from bad congestion at peak times. It is simply unsustainable environmentally and otherwise to rely on the car and the bus network alone to provide the answer.

What is required is a complete transformation in the public transport network in the GDA. Accordingly, over the period of Plan 2007-2013, the following projects will be advanced in line with the timetable in Transport 21:
• Completion of the Metro North line from city centre to Swords via Dublin Airport;
• Phased development of the Metro West line;
• Enhancement and extension of the LUAS network;
• Expansion of the capacity of the suburban rail network through city-centre resignalling, quadrupling of track on the Kildare line and re-opening of the Dublin to Navan rail link;
• Commencement of the Heuston Docklands Interconnector and the electrification of section of the Dublin suburban rail network;
• Significant expansion of the bus fleet and bus priority;
• the introduction in the Plan of a fully integrated, customer-friendly, smart card ticketing system in the GDA, facilitating the use of different transport modes (bus, LUAS, DART, Irish Rail etc) in single journeys;
• Construction of additional park and ride facilities;
• The mainstreaming of accessibility across all modes of public transport, in line with the Department of Transport’s Sectoral Plan under the Disability Act, 2006; and
• Development of enhanced cycling and walking facilities.
A significant element of the Plan investment in GDA public transport will be funded by PPPs. This will involve additional current spending by the Exchequer over the long term as the costs of the PPP funding are
recouped to the PPP provider. This additional cost should, however, be fully justified as the capital city will have an integrated public transport network which will enhance its competitiveness and help ensure its
position as a leading international urban metropolis.

The scale of Exchequer investment in Transport 21 requires revised structural arrangements to give more effective, efficient, coherent and integrated transport in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA). The preparation of
legislation to establish a Dublin Transport Authority with overall responsibility for surface transport in the GDA is at an advanced stage.

Public Transport Investment outside the GDA
The rest of the country also has a substantial need for upgrading of public transport infrastructure. The Plan will, therefore, also encompass:
• A major focus on the provision of enhanced rail services, including either hourly/two hourly services on the principal intercity routes serviced by modern rolling stock;
• The phased re-opening of the Western Rail Corridor from Ennis to Claremorris;
• \90 million for the Rural Transport Initiative;
• New commuter rail services in Cork and Galway; and
• Upgrading public transport services in provincial cities and in the regions, including additional buses, new bus priority measures and new park and ride sites.

well at least it says the interconnector will start being worked on before 2013...

more mentions of PPPs -which projects..?