Fianna Fáil's proposed new Department of Transport has received a boost, with a similar recommendation from a Government task force report published today.
The task force on transport access at seaports says a new transport department with full cabinet representation should be created. The group's report, which was commissioned by the Minister for the Marine, Mr Fahey, says this department should develop and implement policy across "all transport modes", with particular emphasis on integrated systems.
Fianna Fáil recommended the establishment of a dedicated transport department as part of its election manifesto, published last week. The task force on ports logistics chaired by Dr John Mangan of the Irish Management Institute advocates a radical shake-up of transport policy formulation, and outlines the cost to the economy of current congestion.
The Dublin Transportation Office (DTO) estimates that traffic congestion is costing over €630 million while the Dublin Chamber of Commerce has estimated that every 15 minutes' delay in the vicinity of Dublin Port costs the economy €38 million euro.
The task force notes that although there is often serious congestion close to ports, there is little evidence of such within the ports. It believes ports and maritime freight transport have been "treated in the past as the poor relation" of the State's transport system, despite their importance to the national economy. It also expresses support for the Dublin Transportation Office's (DTO) overall vision, but has certain reservations about implementation of aspects of its strategy.
Transit through seaports accounts for 99 per cent of the volume of goods traded, and in 2000 the weight of goods handled exceeded 45 million tonnes - an increase of 5.5 per cent on the previous year. It is estimated that by the time the current National Development Plan (NDP) ends in 2007, traffic through ports will have increased by 50 per cent.
The report notes the differences in strategic planning north and south of the Border, and makes 47 recommendations including:
- Establishment of an all- embracing transport department;
- urgent initiation of the Dublin Transportation Office's freight distribution study;
- urgent establishment of the Strategic Land Use and Transportation Authority for Dublin;
- review of the current model of port governance, which may contribute to excess competition between ports;
- possible extension of the Dublin Port Tunnel to the south side of the river in the context of the National Roads Authority study of the Eastern by-pass;
- establishment of a discrete body to enforce traffic regulations more thoroughly
- examination of incentives to encourage freight traffic transportation in off-peak hours, such as discounted tolls;
- examination of other sectors involved in contributing to traffic - such as the impact of altering school start times.
