InBus_Win09_1-55:InBusiness 1-61 11/12/2009 16:18 Page 37
Transport | FEATURE
TRANSPORT 21
– Permission to proceed
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Patrick Freyne examines the priority projects in Transport 21 for 2010 and talks to key
stakeholders about their importance to the country.
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ANNOUNCED IN 2005, Transport 21 is a says Seán Murphy of Chambers Ireland. “Our when there’s an upturn, we don’t have
large co-ordinated project involving all of overall contention would be that whatever projects to start.”
Ireland’s transport-related agencies, which aims about changing completion dates, we should be Tim Brick, Executive Manager of Dublin
to deliver state-of-the-art public transport and progressing the planning permissions so that City Council, is also hopeful that things will
road network infrastructure to a nation sorely in when the money is available, the projects are proceed as planned. “Overall, the Department
need of such services (a cost of €34bn was shovel-ready and we can get on with them.” of Transport have sustained their commitment
muted at the time). Many also feel planning should also be put in to the design, development and planning for
Four years on and Transport 21 finds itself at place for an eastern bypass around Dublin to all projects,” he says. “Notwithstanding the
an interesting crossroads. After all, Minister finish the ring around the city, and as many fiscal correction that we are now facing, we
Martin Cullen, then Minister for Transport, chamber members have noted, the completion have been assured to date that the
could hardly have envisaged the economic of the N11 south of Gorey to Rosslare is crucial, commitment will remain in place.”
meltdown the country has experienced since he as it is a key route into the continent. “It’s the Despite the obvious need to continue to
announced the plan in 2005. And so, inevitably only trans-European roadway on the island,” forge ahead with the planning process, the
the scheduled completion date of some projects notes Murphy. “So we should be finishing it as a new programme for Government negotiated
may have to be delayed as capital expenditure matter of urgency.” by Fianna Fail and the Green Party states that
comes under increased pressure. Maurice Treacy, a principal officer with the from 2011 onwards, the ‘ratio of expenditure
Department of Transport, admits that there have on new Transport 21 projects between public
MAKING COMMITMENTS been delays but also stresses that all projects are transport and the nationals roads programme
That pressure is already being felt as parts of still firmly on the table. “If the Transport 21 will be two-to-one in favour of public
the road network become casualties of the funding was coming as previously planned we’d transport.’ Maurice Treacy maintains that it
weakening fiscal position of the government, be pushing projects ahead quicker than we’re was always the plan to shift the focus of
creating significant blockages as a result. These doing at the moment,” he says. “But we are at Transport 21 to public transport during the
include the Gort/Oranmore section of the pains to say that no project has been cancelled; second half of the programme, while the
motorway linking Limerick/Shannon to Galway, we’re just slowing them up a little. Last year we NRA confirms that all road infrastructure
which, if completed would increase the critical were asked to prioritise our projects; we said at projects in the ground will be completed next
mass of population within an hour’s drive of the the time that we would complete the major year. These projects include the Phase Two of
airport – the road from Athlone to Galway motorways first, the next priority would then be the M50 Upgrade; the N3 Clonee to Kells;
comes on stream at the same time further Metro North followed by the Dart the N6 from Galway to Ballinasloe, the N7
connecting the midlands to that network. The Underground, and that the fourth priority would from Castletown to Nenagh, taking in the
M20 linking Cork to Limerick also seems to be to keep providing funding for planning and Limerick Tunnel and on to Limerick; and
have fallen off in the revised programme for projects. We don’t want to stop planning the N9 from Kilcullen to Carlow and on
government. “We don’t see the logic for that,” because we could end up in a situation where to Knocktopher.
InBusiness Winter 09 37
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