Cullen defends Coalition record on public transport
Although €1.5 billion will be invested in 2007 on improving the national road network — twice the €777 million budget for public transport projects — Mr Cullen said the balance will be reversed within the next few years.
The minister said the 58% increase in funding for public transport next year was “an unambiguous signal” that Transport 21 was coming on stream.
Outlining details of a 17% increase in his department’s spending estimates worth an extra €415m for an overall budget to €2.8bn in 2007, Mr Cullen said it would allow for a high level of investment on developing a integrated transport infrastructure.
“We will invest more than €1m extra every single day in 2007 than we invest this year,” said Mr Cullen.
Despite the ESRI’s calls for cutbacks in capital spending on major projects, he said the Government was satisfied that it was obtaining value for money on its transport programme. He said the funding would ensure that additional capacity and increased frequency on public transport services would continue to grow next year. Construction on the extension of the Luas to both Cherrywood and the Point Depot will begin, while plans for the Metro will also be advanced.
Route options for the Metro West line linking Tallaght and Ballymun via Blanchardstown are also due to be announced shortly.
Around €450m will be invested in rail projects, which will allow for the completion of a new rail depot at Portlaoise to house 150 new Intercity carriages due to be added to Iarnród Éireann’s fleet in 2007.
Construction work will also begin on several other rail projects next year, including the first phase of the Western Rail Corridor between Ennis and Athenry and a new Docklands station in Dublin — the first new station in the city centre in over 100 years.
Work will also get fully under way on the Cork Commuter Rail Project to include new services between Cork and Midleton and improved services on the Mallow line with new stations at Blarney, Dunkettle and Kilbarry.
Other improvement work will also be carried out on the Kildare and Maynooth lines.
“You will see shovels in the ground next year,” remarked Mr Cullen in response to Fine Gael criticism that he had given similar reassurance at the same time last year that such projects would start in 2006.
The minister claimed expenditure on those rail projects had gone towards planning, design and compulsory purchase orders as part of the preliminary stage of their development.
The annual subvention the CIE group of companies is also up 7% to €306m with separate budgets to provide additional buses for both Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann.
The Government will also spend €15m to supports its public service obligations on flights between Dublin and regional airports.
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