Transport 21 is an Irish infrastructure plan, announced on 1 November 2005 in Dublin Castle by the Irish Minister for Transport Martin Cullen. From 2006 to 2015, €34 billion will be invested to deliver a world-class Irish transport system.
The overall aim of Transport 21 is to:
- increase accessibility
- ensure sustainability
- expand capacity
- increase use
- enhance quality
Transport 21 is made up of two investment programmes
a) The Greater Dublin area programme.
b) The national programme.
The main objectives in the Greater Dublin programme area are:
- to construct the Suburban Rail Interconnector providing a tunneled link between Heuston Station and the Docklands, via St. Stephen's Green and linking with the Northern line;
- to extend the LUAS network to the Docklands, Citywest, Bray and construct a new line from St Stephen's Green to Liffey Junction (joining the two existing LUAS lines), and construct a new line from Lucan to the City Centre;
- to develop the bus network
- to develop Metro North and Metro West
- to create a network of interchange points across the network to allow users transfer easily;
- to introduce a smartcard integrated ticket which can be used on all public transport services;
- to develop park and ride facilities at carefully chosen locations;
- to introduce an integrated public transport information system;
- To complete the upgrade of the M50.
The national programme main objectives are:
- to complete the development of the inter-urban motorway network by 2010;
- to bring about improvements in the rest of the national road network
- to complete the safety programme on the national rail network;
- to bring about a radical improvement in the level and quality of rail services
- to develop the public transport system in the provincial cities'
- to improve regional and rural public transport services
Projects delivered under Transport 21 to date in 2008:
- 183 new intercity railcars entered into service on the Limerick - Dublin route.
- 21 of the 26 trams on the Tallaght Luas Line have been extended to 40 meters
- Work has begun on the N7 Castletown to Nenagh road, N25 Tullamore By Pass, the N9 Kilcullen to Carlow and Carlow to Knocktopher roads.
- An initial payment was made in respect of the City of Derry Airport runway safety project, o began on the.
- The N11 Kilpedder - Delgany Junction was opened to traffic
- Bus Eireann launched two new bus routes in Cork city.
Projects delivered under Transport 21 at the end of 2007.
- The M1 Dublin Border motorway is completed.
- 86% of the five Major Inter-Urban routes was either open to traffic or at construction. .
- 11 national road projects were completed during the year.
- Construction started on a further 10 national road projects.
- Hourly return services on the Cork Dublin route were introduced.
- Passenger numbers grew by 14% on the Cork service.
- New intercity railcars were introduced on the Sligo line.
- Upgrading of the Kildare rail line commenced to permit a major increase in route services.
- Phase 1 of the Western Rail Corridor started.
- Dublin Docklands railway station opened.
- New buses were delivered in Dublin.
- Longer trams were introduced on the Tallaght Luas line (increasing length from 30-40m).
- Work started on the Cherrywood and Docklands Luas extensions.
- Grants totalling €86 million were approved for the six regional airports.
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