Transport plans under fire after Cullen pledge

THE Government’s failure to live up to its transport commitments was attacked yesterday as Martin Cullen became the third Fianna Fáil transport minister in a row to promise a transport authority for Dublin.

The mooted transport authority for the capital has already been promised twice before in the past eight years, by Mary O’Rourke and Séamus Brennan. However, Mr Cullen resurrected the idea again yesterday, saying it was necessary to ensure the smooth and co-ordinated operation of the 17 different public bodies responsible for transport in Dublin.

“I think we need a very strong overall transport body in situ. It’s a very specific high-powered, really authoritative, transport body. They would plan; they would really get involved in managing the entire market,” he said.

Mr Cullen said the new body would operate in a similar fashion to Transport for London and have its own brand and logo.

But Fine Gael immediately claimed that they had first come up with the idea in 1998. “Fine Gael first drew attention to the vast array of bodies with some element of responsibility for the Department of Transport back in the 1990s. We recommended a single strong body to deliver an integrated public transport system for Dublin,” said transport spokeswoman Olivia Mitchell.

Since then, Ms Mitchell said former minister Ms O’Rourke had subsequently announced she would set up a Dublin Authority with responsibility for transport and land use while Mr Brennan had promised a similar measure.

“Seven years on, and Mr Cullen is still promising a new transport body and bus competition. Unfortunately, his creditability is totally shot after years of unproductive promises,” she said.

“Seeing is believing, and I don’t believe any of his latest promises,” said Ms Mitchell.

Labour councillor and former Dublin lord mayor Dermot Lacey accused Mr Martin of being a hypocrite since he had refused Labour calls for a Dublin Transport Authority when he was Environment Minister.

“The pretence at innovation by Martin Cullen flies in the face of his record and it’s time that he got off the line altogether and let someone else lay down tracks that actually might deliver a better system,” he said.

Also yesterday, Mr Cullen indicated that he will move soon to reform the private bus market by introducing a public transport commission with responsibility for bus and rail routes.

The commission would also have responsibility for taxi and public transport fares.

Mr Cullen also said the Government would not allow its share in Aer Lingus to drop below 25%, where it would no longer be able to block a private takeover of the company.