1.2 | Investing in Transport

1.2 | Investing in Transport

Investment in transport is never for its own sake. The goal of transport is not the construction of a new railway line, for example, but to facilitate all the benefits which that piece of infrastructure will bring by allowing for the movement of people and goods.

Transport supports liveable communities and connects families and friends. Investing in transport allows people to travel around the island, accessing amenities, employment and key public services such as healthcare and education. The right transport investment promotes

National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland | Project Ireland 2040

positive social and economic outcomes for all. By developing an accessible network, the transport system can ensure that everyone can get to and from their chosen destinations.

The population of Ireland is projected to grow by one million people between 2018 and 2040. In recent decades Dublin and the wider Eastern and Midland region has experienced the majority of growth in population, homes and jobs. This concentration is not sustainable. Consequently, the NPF sets out a region-focused strategy for managing future growth. This regional rebalancing must be supported by appropriate transport investment across the country.

Transport is fundamental for economic development. Reducing the time spent travelling between and within towns and cities supports economic activity. Ensuring that surface access to ports and airports is available for goods and services of high strategic value is essential for international trade. Providing workers with access to employment creates opportunities and is crucial for attracting investment. Tourism depends on transport links, both internally and with regard to international gateways.

The NPF targets half of the growth in population between now and 2040 to take place in the Eastern and Midland region, and only 25% within Dublin and its suburbs. The remaining half is to be shared between the Northern and Western, and Southern Regions. Half of population growth is targeted to take place in the five cities—Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford—and half in towns, villages and rural areas.

As the second largest source of Irish greenhouse gas emissions, the transport sector will have to significantly decarbonise in the decades ahead for Ireland to meet its climate change goals and minimise the damage from climate breakdown, such as more frequent extreme weather events, rising sea levels and population displacement. As the economy has grown in recent years, transport activity and emissions have risen also, and the correlation between emissions and economic growth must be broken. This will require considerable investment in walking, cycling and public transport, which will also bring environmental benefits in terms of air quality and noise pollution.

Outside the cities, the regional importance of Athlone, Sligo, Letterkenny, Drogheda and Dundalk is recognised, as are the important cross-border economic and social links with Derry and Belfast in relation to the final three of those towns. To help tackle urban sprawl and the continual expansion of our towns and cities, a target of 40% of all new housing to be delivered within the footprints of existing settlements has also been set.

While the NPF sets the national spatial and development strategy, the three Regional Assemblies have a key role to play in delivering the NSOs at a regional scale. Central to this is the preparation of Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies for each of the regions, to promote the sustainable development of the regions and identify the policies and initiatives to enable the delivery of national planning policy at a regional level. The Regional Assemblies actively engage with the Department of Transport in respect of their Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies, including identifying where transport investment can help meet regional priorities. In future, this engagement and investment will be guided by NIFTI.

Tackling congestion through the provision of sustainable mobility also lessens the amount of time people spend commuting each day and leads to improvements in public health.