6.5.2 |Summary of SEA

6.5.2 |Summary of SEA Recommendations

Several environmental recommendations are set out within the SEA Environmental Report. These include:

ᴏ Integrating SEA objectives into the NIFTI implementation process, including specific requirements to take account of SEA key issues, objectives and recommendations in:

ᴏ Regional and local land use and transport strategies

Alternative 3: With Plan – NIFTI (Preferred Plan)

ᴏ The application of the CAF for strategic options comparison

NIFTI represents a complete review of the national transport investment framework and update to SIFLT. In common with Alternative 2, four new Investment Priorities have been identified from the background analysis to support the NPF. However, these priorities are not ranked. Future investment in transport will have to demonstrate its alignment with at least one of these priorities, and projects that align with several of them will generally be preferred, but it is no longer the case that protection and renewal is the first priority in all cases. This gives NIFTI greater flexibility over pursuing broader transport investment objectives.

ᴏ The development of an updated CAF

ᴏ Developing guidance on meeting the requirements of NIFTI and the SEA, directed at each tier of decision-making from regional and local plans to project-level standard management and mitigation measures

ᴏ More detailed and regular monitoring of transport modal share and traffic movements over the coming years to monitor changes in behaviours, including as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic

ᴏ Consulting with stakeholders to identify constraints, requirements and opportunities for future transport plans

Compared to SIFLT, NIFTI also introduces investment Hierarchies which will ensure the most environmentally sustainable solution to a given problem is deployed. In addition, maintenance and optimisation of existing assets will be preferred to the construction of new infrastructure, with the latter likely to have greater environmental impact in most cases.

ᴏ The NIFTI implementation group should undertake annual monitoring and reporting of the performance of NIFTI against SEA targets. The group should meet annually with the transport agencies to discuss the findings and any necessary actions to mitigate impacts which occur

NIFTI also sets out the revised transport sector structures and processes which will ensure that individual transport projects are aligned with the overarching vision of the NPF. Finally, NIFTI sets out a series of follow-up actions for research and policy development which will ensure that we continue to build the evidence base for transport investment in the coming years.

ᴏ Findings of the monitoring plan should be reported within future NIFTI plans/SEA

ᴏ Reviewing the SEA objectives and targets as part of lessons learned for the next national transport investment framework to reduce assessment uncertainty and delivery risk

ᴏ Feeding information gathered into the next national transport investment framework.

National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland | Assessing Environmental Impact