2 Progress Made on the Prior Transport Strategy

2. Progress Made on the Prior Transport Strategy

Since the prior transport strategy was approved by Government in 2016, the NTA, along with the Councils, other transport delivery agencies and transport operators, have worked hard to build and develop that strategy’s projects and proposals. Major progress in the last four years includes:

“The Luas Cross City project has demonstrated the city’s ability to conduct large scale infrastructure projects. Not only did it come in on time and on budget, but the city’s footfall rose in each year of construction. This is a remarkable achievement that should be celebrated and is testament to the manner in which the NTA and TII undertook the project and the manner in which business concerns were taken on board. This certainly bodes well for future large-scale projects to be undertaken in the coming years”

2.1 Rail

In conjunction with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), in December 2017 we opened Luas Cross City, linking the Red and Green lines and providing an interchange between commuter rail and Luas at Broombridge.

The Dublin City Business Improvement District

In conjunction with TII, as part of the Luas capacity enhancement project, the length of trams on the Green Line and the size of the overall tram fleet have both been increased. All of the existing trams on the Green Line have been extended to 55-metres, and the overall tram fleet has grown from 67 trams in 2016 to 81 trams today.

www.wearedublintown.ie/2017/12/dublin-town-welcomesintroduction-luas-cross-city/

In conjunction with Iarnród Éireann, passenger services were reintroduced into the refurbished Phoenix Park Tunnel in 2016, providing direct rail access from the suburbs and towns of the south west of the region into Dublin City Centre.

A major upgrade of the city centre railway signalling system was completed in 2020, which allows a significant increase in the number of trains that can operate in the central city area, including a 50% increase in the number of trains able to cross the Loop Line Bridge over the Liffey.

In 2018, a 10-minute all-day DART service was introduced.

2.2 Walking and Cycling

We have invested tens of millions of euros in walking and cycling across the Greater Dublin Area since 2016, and significant additional investment for these modes was provided under the Covid-19 and Stimulus programmes in 2020.

Some example projects include the new cycleway along the seafront in Clontarf, the off-road pedestrian/cycling route between Baldoyle and Portmarnock, and the Royal Canal Greenway from North Strand Road into the Docklands, among numerous other schemes delivered across the GDA.

2.3 Bus

We have commenced the largest ever investment programme in our bus network under BusConnects Dublin. This will deliver high levels of bus priority on all the main corridors and a significantly improved service network.

The NTA has invested heavily in the renewal of the bus infrastructure, including bus stopping facilities, Real Time Passenger Information and fleet improvements.

The size of the bus fleet providing the publicly subsidised bus services in the Dublin region has increased by 180 vehicles since the start of 2016, to comprise 1,139 buses in the fleet at the end of 2020.

Increased investment in the rural Local Link services, notably in Kildare, Meath, Wicklow and Fingal counties.

2.4 Roads

The fare system has been restructured and simplified including the introduction of a 90-minute fare to deliver better value for money for those interchanging, and public transport fares on all PSO services are being reduced by 20% through 2022.

The Strategic Road Network in the GDA has continued to evolve, with modifications and safety improvements in all counties.

2.6 Outcomes

The M7 enhancement project and Osberstown Interchange are now complete, improving national road accessibility to strategic employment locations on this corridor.

The share of people travelling in to Dublin City Centre by sustainable modes in the morning peak period has increased from 66% in 2015 to 72% in 2019;

Numerous other regional and local road projects have also been completed, such as the Donabate Distributor Road and roads serving the Cherrywood Strategic Development Zone.

The number of cars entering the city centre between 7 am and 10 am has fallen from 65,000 in 2015 to 58,000 in 2019, while the total person trips has increased from under 200,000 to 217,000 over the same period.

2.5 Integration

The Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy was adopted by the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly (EMRA) in June 2019, with transport related inputs aligned with the existing transport strategy. This coordination between the NTA and EMRA ensured that land use and transport planning was appropriately integrated at the regional level.

The total passengers carried daily by Irish Rail services in the Dublin region rose from 28 million in 2015 to over 35 million in 2019, with its peak hour mode share also growing.

The total passengers carried by Metropolitan bus services annually in Dublin grew from 120 million in 2015 to 153 million in 2019.

The NTA made over 200 submissions on Development Plans, Local Area Plans and Planning Applications in the GDA. These submissions have led to closer integration between land use planning and transport, including the protection of future transport project alignments.

The total passengers carried by Luas grew from 35 million in 2015 to 48 million in 2019.

The 2019 Customer Satisfaction Survey carried out on behalf of the NTA showed 87% of public transport users to be satisfied with their public transport services.

The Real Time Passenger Information and Journey Planner services have been continually updated and expanded.

2.7 Forthcoming Schemes

Public Transport Fleet expansion:

219 Double-deck hybrid buses were delivered in 2021 and 2022 and are now deployed on the Dublin region services;

Metrolink – a Railway Order application to An Bord Pleanála was made in 2022.

DART+ West – a Railway Order application to An Bord Pleanála was made in 2022.

34 single deck electric buses and 100 double deck electric buses for deployment on the Dublin region services have commenced delivery for deployment in 2023;

DART+ South West – a Railway Order application will be made in 2023.

27 of 41 Intercity rail carriages were delivered in 2022 with the remaining to be delivered in 2023. These will come into service in 2023, providing additional rail capacity in the GDA; and

DART+ Coastal North – a Railway Order application will be made in 2023/24.

Luas Finglas –a public consultation on its Emerging Preferred Route has been completed and it is expected that a Railway Order application will be submitted in 2023/2024.

A framework for up to 750 electric / battery electric carriages was signed in 2021 with orders placed for 185 electric/ battery-electric carriages for DART, which will be delivered from 2024 onwards.

BusConnects Dublin Core Bus Corridors – the first tranche of planning applications has been lodged with An Bord Pleanála and further applications will follow in 2023.

BusConnects Dublin new services network – implementation has commenced and will continue throughout 2023 and into 2024.

Cycle network – a major programme of cycling expansion is underway, which will deliver many of the priority routes of the planned cycle network.

Safe Routes to School – this programme, which commenced in 2020, will deliver significant enhancements to the sustainable transport environment at and close to schools.

Figure from page 16

3. Strategy Challenges