Eamon Ryan would like to see acceleration of €2 billion BusConnects scheme

The minister said he would like to see work done to bring BusConnects to Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford

The Minister for Transport says he would like to see a major overhaul of Dublin's bus networks completed on a faster timeline than planned.

Eamon Ryan was speaking at Government Buildings after Cabinet approved moving the €2 billion BusConnects proposal to planning stage. 

The implementation of the scheme, which replaces a number of bus routes with key "spines", will go on until 2024 while the National Development Plan says that construction of the bus corridors will go on until 2030.

However, Mr Ryan said he will look to accelerate the delivery of the programme.

“It is going to progress to the next phase and one of the things in this area I’ll be looking to do is to see if we can do it quicker, to get through planning and to start introducing elements.”

Mr Ryan said he wants to see elements of the plan implemented quickly to ensure that traffic does not return to pre-pandemic levels in cities. To that end, he said, he would like to see work done to bring BusConnects to Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford. 

Public consultation on the corridor infrastructure proposals for BusConnects Cork is expected to launch in the second quarter of this year.

“What I’ll be looking to do in all five of our cities is to implement BusConnects or elements of BusConnects quickly so that public transport really starts to flow, and use this time coming out of Covid to make sure we don’t just see all the traffic returning and our streets being clogged and burning Russian oil," said Mr Ryan, who pointed to the pedestrianisation of streets in Cork as an example of where the state can move quickly.

However, he said he does not believe that making public transport free would be a solution to discourage car use and assist with the cost of living. He said the Government has "made its call" and a 20% reduction in some prices would happen in the next day or two.

Under the plan, the National Transport Authority will be permitted to begin tendering for next-generation ticketing, which would see passengers allowed to pay with their phones or bank cards. 

It also envisages a 23% increase in bus services, increased evening and weekend services, 24-hour operations on some routes, and a 16% increase in the number of residents located within 400 metres of a frequent bus service to Dublin city centre.

On the proposed facility to import liquified natural gas (LNG) in the Shannon Estuary, Mr Ryan said he does not believe it is the best answer for the region in terms of power or jobs. He said much of the concern from Fine Gael TDs is "understandable" as it is seen as a "huge jobs opportunity".

He said that proposals to build offshore wind farms in the estuary and along the coast are a preferable solution.

"That's the biggest economic opportunity that Kerry, Limerick and Clare has ever seen. And that's the opportunity we need to grab."

However, he said that whichever option is used it will not solve Ireland's energy questions in the immediate term.