Public transport spending up to €424m

The Minister for Finance allocated an additional €82 million (£65 million) for key public transport projects in yesterday's Budget.

On top of the Budget Estimates outlined a fortnight ago, yesterday's allocation will bring spending on public transport to €424 million (£333 million) next year - an increase of 23 per cent on 2001. €25.4 million (£20 million) of the additional funding is to be contributed by the EU.

Key CI╔ capital projects are to receive €127 million. These include resignalling of the central rail corridor in Dublin - a move which will increase from 12 to 16 the number of trains in the corridor per hour. The move should expand the capacity of the corridor by 30 per cent.

The funding will also go towards the extension of suburban rail platforms in Dublin, allowing Dart trains to extend from six carriages to eight, a move which should increase capacity by another 25 per cent.

The funding will go towards the Kildare Route Project, a scheme to expand capacity on the Kildare suburban line by doubling the number of tracks from two to four, a move which would allow the separation of suburban and inter-city trains.

In 2002, Iarnr≤d ╔ireann will start taking delivery of 80 diesel rail cars, to be used mainly on the outer suburban rail system.

A rail depot at Drogheda will be constructed for the maintenance of these trains.

Both Bus ╔ireann and Dublin Bus will acquire new buses next year. Heuston Station in Dublin will also benefit from extra platforms, signalling and improved passenger facilities.

In addition, the following projects were announced as part of the Budget Day package.

€3.8 million for the Rural Transport Initiative, which will fund a number of pilot public transport schemes in rural areas.

€5 million for Public Transport Accessibility Projects to help the mobility impaired in accessing trains, buses and stations including improvements to rail station lifts and foot bridges.

€3.7 million for the development of integrated ticketing and real time passenger Information.

The Light Rail Project Office, which is soon to become the Railway Procurement Agency, is currently working on an integrated train, bus and Luas ticketing system for the Greater Dublin Area and funding is being provided for this project from the Budget.

€12.7 million is being provided for the Railway Procurement Agency to set up the day-to-day running costs.

The agency will support the development of PPP light rail projects and the new Metro.

€143 million has been allocated for rail safety. This will enable Iarnr≤d ╔ireann to continue its programme of track renewal and the upgrading of signalling, bridge renewal, level crossings improvements and improved safety management, across the national network.

€127 million for Light Rail.

The Budget allocation was immediately welcomed by the Minister for Public Enterprise, Mrs O'Rourke, who said it would "ensure the major investment programme underway in public transport continues to grow".

She pointed out that the £333 million to be spent on improving public transport, "does not include the major increase in the day-to-day subvention for running CI╔."