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CENTRAL GOVERNMENT

Transport Policy In February the Government published ‘Smarter Travel - A Sustainable Transport Future – A New Transport Policy for Ireland 2009 – 2020’. The Taoiseach, Mr Brian Cowen TD, said it ‘sets out how the Government’s vision of sustainable travel and transport in Ireland by 2020 can be achieved’. It took into account over 480 submissions from interest groups and the public. The Minister for Transport, Mr Noel Dempsey TD, said ‘This policy sets out the results of that consultation process and the consensus on the steps that need to be taken if we are to achieve a sustainable travel and transport system by 2020. To achieve that level of sustainability, changes in personal behaviour will be necessary, changes in public policy in relation to settlement patterns will be required and continued investment in public transport will be needed’.

The report was regarded as not offering many new measures not previously announced. It contained 49 ‘actions’, many related to enhancing bus services, but very few related to rail. There are no specific ‘actions’ related to passenger rail services.

Regarding land use, it states that future planning guidelines will include ‘a requirement that development in urban rail corridors be high density and appropriate for public transport (e.g. not warehousing or other activities with low employment intensity)’.

In ‘Movement of Goods’, it states that ‘a specific target to reduce energy and emissions from the freight sector is needed while at the same time enhancing our competiveness’. Action 10 states: ‘We will

·  Ensure that the Department of Transport deals with freight policy issues in a more integrated manner and prepares a specific strategy for the freight sector. We will set a target aimed at reducing the environmental impact of freight while at the same time improving efficiency in the movement of goods and promoting economic competiveness’

·  Organise a forum to bring all interested parties together, including industrial development agencies and industry representative bodies, to explore in greater depth the issues related to the movement of goods, including:

­  The realistic potential for rail freight

­  Developing key logistics centres to transfer goods to more sustainable forms of transport for final delivery in urban areas

In ‘Public Transport’, Action 12 states ‘We will:... Ensure bus services are redesigned to provide for greater use of feeder buses to/from Luas /Metro /Rail stations’

Budget Cuts On 7 April the Government announced a series of cuts in funding for public transport due to the worsening economic situation. These included:

·  Preparatory work for the electrification, upgrade and re-signalling of the Dublin-Maynooth line.

·  Preparatory work on upgrade of the Cherry Orchard-Inchicore line

·  Construction of a new station at Kilbarry in the Cork-Mallow section

·  Implementation of the railway safety programme

·  Upgrade works on Luas power lines

·  Planning on the Metro West line

·  A reduction by €5m to €20m in the programme to improve accessibility for disabled persons to public transport

·  €3m of spending on an integrated ticketing project was deferred until 2010.

A reduction of €10m in public transport service payments to CIÉ. The Minister for Transport said this could be compensated for by selling off property.

The remainder of this article appears in IRRS Journal number 169, published June 2009.