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National Transport Authority to pay BusConnects partner €350m

Short list of potential firms is being worked on with contract due to be awarded in August

The BusConnects programme for Dublin, which plans to overhaul the bus system in the city, has two main components: creating 230km of dedicated bus lanes in tandem with 200km of cycle tracks, as well as redesigning the bus network. Photograph: Damien Eagers

Gordon Deegan
Mon Jan 22 2024 - 16:25

The National Transport Authority (NTA) is to pay an estimated €350 million to a partner to help deliver the BusConnects scheme for Dublin.

The BusConnects programme, which plans to overhaul the bus system in the city, has two main components: creating 230km of dedicated bus lanes in tandem with 200km of cycle tracks, as well as redesigning the bus network. The spine of the network is to be 12 dedicated bus corridors. It will also improve facilities for pedestrians.

The estimated €350 million) spend over 10 years is contained in new NTA documents dealing with the process.The authority aims to shortlist five firms who will then bid for the contract due to be awarded in August.

According to the pre-qualification documentation, staff from the successful bidder would work with NTA staff in a dedicated team with responsibility for the delivery of the BusConnects infrastructure works.

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The documentation said that the partner would help to co-ordinate, oversee, direct and work collaboratively with delivery partners and contractors to ensure the necessary infrastructure is delivered.

The contract would last 10 years and the NTA said that initial construction contracts for BusConnects will be entered into in 2024 and the potential completion of the final schemes is 2030.

Following the appointment of the partner firm in August, the NTA said that it then intends to appoint six design-and-build contractors by December 2024 who would then carry out the detailed design and construction of each of the 12 BusConnects corridors for the capital.

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An Bord Pleanála has approved BusConnects for Liffey Valley to the city centre and Clongriffin to the city centre with decisions awaited on a further 10 corridors..

On the €350 million estimate, the documentation said that it represents the NTA’s best estimate at this stage, but the actual value of the contract may be higher or lower depending on the volume of services required.

Outlining the need for a partner , the documentation said that while the NTA team has significant experience in delivering major transport projects, there is a recognition that the scale and complexity of BusConnects I would “require additional capacity and capabilities”.

Gordon Deegan

Gordon Deegan

Gordon Deegan is a contributor to The Irish Times

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