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Mr Noel Dempsey, TD, Minister for Transport, has announced
the publication of the Dublin Transport Authority Bill
2008.
This bill will facilitate the establishment of a new Transport
Authority with overall responsibility for coordinating transport
in the Greater Dublin Area.
Commenting, Minister Dempsey
said - "I want so see this new Bill enacted as quickly as
possible, so that the new much-needed Dublin Transport Authority
can be put in place without delay. This new Authority will
have responsibility for delivering reliable, integrated, cost-effective
transport for the Greater Dublin Area."
The Minister added - "Since
becoming Minister for Transport, I have detected a broad level
of support for the new Authority. With that in mind, I hope
that there will be cross-party and wide public support for
this Bill, so that the new Authority can start its work soon."
The Authority's functional
area will comprise the Greater Dublin Area - which takes in
the local authority areas of Dublin City, Fingal, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown,
South Dublin, Kildare, Meath and Wicklow. Within
this area, the Authority will have the necessary powers to
ensure that major infrastructure projects - such as the Metro
and the new underground Dart ('The Interconnector')
- are delivered in an efficient and cost-effective way and
in a manner that will minimise disruption during their construction.
The Authority will also be
given powers to ensure that public transport services are
delivered to the highest standards and that all modes of public
transport are fully integrated.
Minister Dempsey added - "The
public have a right to expect a world-class, integrated public
transport system and this new Authority will have the powers
to make that happen. Under Transport21, Government is spending
over €100 a second between now and 2015 on new buses,
trains, Metros, Luas lines and roads. The DTA will ensure
that these projects are delivered to the highest standards
in the shortest time period possible."
The principal functions of
the proposed Authority will include -
- It will be responsible for strategic transport planning
in the Greater Dublin Area. It will set out the framework
for the delivery of infrastructure and services in an integrated
transport plan covering a 12 - 20 year period.
- It will allocate capital
and current funding for public transport and traffic management.
- Public transport infrastructure
projects - such as Metro North and the new underground Dart
- will be implemented by the responsible transport agencies
under the direction and supervision of the Authority. The
Authority will be able to decide to implement projects itself,
if it judges it to be appropriate and will be able to give
mandatory directions to the implementing agencies - i.e.
Irish Rail, RPA, etc.
- The Authority will procure
public transport services and regulate public transport
fares. It will specify public service obligations. This
will allow the Authority to ensure the integration of services
and provide a new framework to hold service providers to
account for the quality of services provided to the public.
- It will prepare a traffic
management plan for the Greater Dublin Area, so as to ensure
a consistent approach across all local authority areas -
including during construction works for major infrastructure
projects. Most traffic management functions will continue
to be discharged by the local authorities within the strategic
framework provided by the Authority. However, the Authority
will be able to decide to carry out certain functions itself
if it judges this to be more effective and to give directions
to local authorities.
- The Authority will be closely
engaged in each stage of the planning process - i.e. from
the Regional Planning Guidelines through City and County
Development Plans to Local Area Plans - in order to ensure
the fullest possible consistency between the Authority's
transport strategy and the land-use planning process. At
the same time, the Authority's transport strategy will have
to consistent with the Regional Planning Guidelines in the
Greater Dublin Area.
The Authority will have a range
of other powers to ensure a high quality and integrated public
transport system. These include the following -
- Powers to ensure the delivery
of integrated ticketing
- Powers to ensure the delivery
of integrated fares and information systems.
The Authority will also publish
information on the performance of the transport system and
undertake research on transport to better inform future policy.
To download The Dublin Transport
Authority Bill - together with Explanatory Memorandum
- Click
Here
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