Irish
Government launches €34bn '21st century transport plan for 21st century Ireland'
By Finfacts Team
Nov 1, 2005, 16:05

A Dublin Luas tram

Transport 21 also includes new commuter rail services for Cork City and
Galway City, DART extensions in Dublin, and a new road route connecting Donegal, to Galway, Limerick, Cork and Waterford, known as the Atlantic Corridor.

An Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern TD launched Transport 21, a strategy which will see €9.4million invested every day for the next 10 years in Irish transport.  The Taoiseach was joined by the Tánaiste, Mary Harney TD, the Minister for Transport, Martin Cullen TD and the Minister for Finance, Brian Cowen TD. 

Cullen outlined the details of Transport 21, nationally and in the Greater Dublin Area, saying Transport 21 had connecting communities and promoting prosperity at its core.  Minister Cowen outlined the economic benefits of Transport 21 and detailed a series of value for money
measures to ensure Transport 21 is delivered on time and on budget.

Speaking in Dublin Castle, the Taoiseach said Transport 21 signalled a new era for transport in Ireland.  He said:  "We need and deserve a first > class transport system.  We have all worked to generate the resources, now we must invest to continue to improve the lives of everybody.  On transport, we have to move from far behind to the lead.  Transport 21 is designed to achieve this objective and deliver benefits in every part of > the country."

The Tánaiste, Mary Harney said:  "This programme will not merely meet the transport needs of our citizens, but also underpin our competitiveness into the future.  Ireland is no longer a low wage economy and we have no wish to return to being one.  A  comprehensive and efficient transport network is essential if we are to continue to improve our living standards while remaining competitive in the global market place."      

Martin Cullen said: "Transport 21 will deliver a 21st century infrastructure for a 21st century Ireland.  It has connecting communities and promoting prosperity at its core.  It is visionary, detailed, integrated and deliverable. Transport 21 seizes the historic opportunity to complete the transformation of our country."

STATISTICS OF TRANSPORT 21

·         €9.4million per day for transport for the next 10-years

·         175 million extra public transport users

·         75 million extra suburban rail passengers

·         City Centre to Dublin Airport in 17 minutes by Metro

·         80,000 more bus passengers per day

·         80 million Luas and Metro passengers per annum

·         7 new Luas projects

·         Dublin rail journeys – DART, Luas, Metro, Suburban – in zero or one change of train

·         Doubling of Park & ride sites in Dublin to 74

·         70kms of QBC in Cork

·         187 new rail carriages

·         A train on the hour from Dublin to Cork

·         A train every hour at peak from Dublin to Galway

·         A train every hour at peak from Dublin to Limerick

·         A train every two hours off peak from Dublin to Galway

·         A train every hour off peak from Dublin to Limerick

·         A train every two hours from Dublin to Sligo

·         A train every two hours from Dublin to Tralee

·         A train every two hours from Dublin to Waterford

·         Four trains a day from Dublin to Westport, Ballina and Rosslare

·         Train service from Ennis to Claremorris

·         GALWAY:  Commuter train service every day from Athenry to Galway City

·         CORK:  Commuter train service every day from Midleton to Cork City

·         CORK:  Commuter train service every day from Mallow, Blarney, Dunkettle and Kilbarry to Cork City

·         €9m per annum for Rural Transport Initiative, serving 500,000 passengers plus

·         A saving of up to 39 minutes by car from Dublin to Galway

·         A saving of up to 41 minutes by car from Dublin to Cork

·         A saving of up to 56 minutes by car from Dublin to Waterford

·         A saving of up to 17 minutes by car from Dublin to Limerick

·         850kms of dual carriageway, 2+1 and single carriageway roads

·         Atlantic Corridor:  Connecting the Gateways of Letterkenny, Sligo, Galway, Limerick, Cork and Waterford

	Completion Dates for Selected Major Projects
2006	Introduction of hourly services on Dublin-Cork rail route Dublin Port Tunnel
2007	New Portlaoise train depot Delivery and introduction to service of 120 intercity railcars M1 Motorway M50 Upgrade (Phase 1)
2008	Joining of the Tallaght and Sandyford Luas Lines in City Centre Luas extension from Connolly to Docklands Luas extension Tallaght to Citywest (subject to developer contributions) Cork commuter rail service to Midleton Ennis – Athenry rail line (Western Rail Corridor)
2009	Dublin City Centre rail resignalling project M3 Motorway Phase 1 of Navan Rail Link Opening of new Dublin City Centre rail station Limerick Southern Ring Road Waterford City Bypass Galway – Athenry commuter rail services
2010	Metro West Phase 1 Tallaght to Clondalkin Kildare rail upgrade Sandyford Luas line extension to Cherrywood Dublin- Cork Inter-Urban Motorway Dublin-Limerick Inter-Urban Motorway Dublin-Galway Inter-Urban Motorway Dublin-Waterford Inter-Urban Motorway M50 Upgrade (Phase 2)
2011	Metro West Phase 2 Clondalkin to Lucan Athenry – Tuam rail line  (Western Rail Corridor)
2012	Metro North Luas extension from city centre to Liffey Junction Metro West Phase 3 Lucan to Blanchardstown
2013	Lucan to city centre Luas Rail Safety Programme completed
2014	Metro West Phase 4 Blanchardstown to Ballymun Tuam – Claremorris rail line  (Western Rail Corridor)
2015	Interconnector completed Extend Electrification to Balbriggan, Maynooth, Navan, Hazelhatch.  Phase 2 of Navan rail link Luas extension Cherrywood to Bray