Annual Report 2005 1 Annual Report 2005 © Department of Transport Department of Transport Transport House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2, Ireland Tel 01-6707444 Fax 01-6709633 Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.transport.ie Copies of this report may be downloaded from www.transport.ie in pdf format. The Department may be contacted from any part of the country for the price of a local call by dialling 1890-443311 An Roinn Iompair Teach Iompair, Sráid Chill Dara, Baile Átha Claith 2, Éire Tel 01-6707444 Fax 01- 6709633 Rphoist: [email protected] Láithair Eangach: http://www.transport.ie Is féidir teangmhail a dhéanamh leis an Roinn ó aon pháirt den tír le haghaidh praghas glaoch áitiúil má dhiailionn tú 1890-443311 Annual Report 2005 Statement of the Minister It is my pleasure to introduce my 3 Department’s Annual Report for 2005 which reports on progress against our ambitious commitments and objectives set down in our most recent Statement of Strategy 2005-2007. Significant progress on implementing the Agreed Pass, Sligo Inner Relief Road, South Programme for Government has been made by Eastern Motorway section of M50. the Department in the course of 2005. The commencement of work on 15 other In 2005 my Department was given an projects including Dundalk/border on the extraordinary opportunity by Government: To M1, Arklow/Gorey Bypass on the N11 and prepare a plan to transform this country’s the Monaghan By Pass on the N2; transport network within a ten-year financial Major public transport developments framework. The opportunity was great, the including completion of the DART upgrade challenge immense but we met that challenge with project (extended platforms for 8 car trains, the launch, on 1 November, 2005 of the Transport accessibility improvements), entry into 21 project. service of 8 car DART trains, orders for 150 mainline railcars (in addition to the 67 Transport 21 is an integrated solution to Ireland’s carriages currently being delivered for the current and evolving transport needs. Transport Cork line) and continuation of the railway 21 will underpin our competitiveness, promote safety programme; balanced regional growth and enhance the quality of life for generations to come. This will give our Luas carried over 20m passengers in 2005 country the transport systems it needs and and, at the end of the year, Railway Order deserves. applications were lodged for extensions to Cherrywood and Docklands. Approval was In addition to the Transport 21 plans I am also given to extend the trams on the delighted with the roll out of State investment in Tallaght line by 10 metres, increasing their roads and public transport infrastructure which capacity by 40%. continued during 2005, including: The publication of the Government’s Action Plan on Aviation published in May, 2005, gave a clear 10 major road openings including Dundalk direction for the development of this critical Western By Pass, Kinnegad/Enfield By sector. It included: Annual Report 2005 Department of Transport Finally, I would like to express my appreciation and 4 A mandate to Aer Lingus to plan for the future on the basis that external equity thanks to the management and staff of the would be made available and a decision in Department for the continuing efforts they make principle that the State sell a majority towards the achievement of the Department’s shareholding in the airline subject to objectives. retaining a stake of at least 25% to protect strategic interests The provision of additional terminal and pier capacity at Dublin Airport with Pier D scheduled for completion in 2007 and Terminal 2 in 2009. Martin Cullen, T.D. Minister for Transport The Railway Safety Bill was enacted and Railway Safety Commission established on a statutory basis. Government approval was given for a Road Safety Authority to be a cornerstone for the implementation of road safety policy. This builds on earlier proposals for a Driver Testing and Standards Authority and incorporates the National Safety Council as well as arrangements for vehicle standards testing and certain functions relating to road haulage. The legislation for the Authority is expected to be enacted during 2006. An interim Chief Executive was appointed in 2005. The board of the new Authority is to be established in shadow form early in 2006. Despite the optimism generated by all these achievements, I am still very concerned and saddened about the rising rate of fatalities on our roads in 2005 against a backdrop of funding across Departments in excess of Û62m on Road Safety. While we are doing all we can to improve the situation through various strategies, including the establishment of a dedicated Road Safety Authority, increased penalty points and strengthening legislation, it is up to us all to seriously review our driving habits and to improve them to the benefit of all our citizens. Annual Report 2005 5 Annual Report 2005 Department of Transport 6 Annual Report 2005 Foreword by Secretary General This is the third Annual Report of the 7 Department of Transport, which was established in June 2002. The year 2005 was a very challenging one for the vast majority of transport projects are now Department of Transport in which we continued to coming in on or ahead of time and budget. make sustained progress in delivering on the goals and objectives set out in our Statement of Our reform agenda continued to be challenging Strategy 2005 – 2007 and fulfilling our Mission to as we set out to enhance the efficiency and underpin Ireland’s economic growth and effectiveness of the delivery of transport services. competitiveness and contribute to social The Government’s Action Plan on Aviation was development through the efficient and effective agreed in May, paving the way for private delivery of an appropriately regulated, sustainable, investment in Aer Lingus, the opening up of safe and integrated transport system. transatlantic air services and the expansion of capacity at Dublin Airport. Reforming measures We invested significant effort in the integration of were also progressed in respect of the National transport policies within the Department and Roads Authority and arrangements for the delivery across Departments of which the work by a of Transport 21 through a new Authority for the crosscutting team charged with developing Greater Dublin Area. Most of the functions under Transport 21 was an excellent example. This 10 the Taxi Regulation Act, 2003 were transferred to year transport investment framework was the Taxi Regulator in September 2005. Intensive approved by Government with a budget of Û34.4 discussions were held with stakeholders on billion and will help underpin Ireland’s modernising the regulatory framework governing competitveness for many generations to come. the bus market and replacing the Road Transport Act, 1932. While progress was made in these We were responsible for a budget of over Û2 talks, agreement had not been reached by the end billion last year, including over Û1.7 billion in of 2005. investment in roads and public transport infrastructure. Some of the highlights of the year The issue of transport safety and in particular were 10 major road openings, the completion of road safety posed particular challenges in 2005 the DART upgrade project and successful as the level of deaths and injury on our roads operation of Luas which carried over 20 million remained unacceptably high. Metrication of speed passengers in its first full year of operation. The limits was implemented successfully in January Annual Report 2005 Department of Transport Foreword by Secretary General 2005. Significant progress was made on engaging management, financial systems and human 8 with the Department of Justice and the Gardai on resources. We seek to inculcate and maintain a legislative measures to underpin road safety, strong and embedded sense of partnership within including proposals for speed cameras and the organization and a corporate ethos that extended road-side breath testing, which it is focuses on results. intended to have enacted during 2006 and on the extension of penalty points to 31 additional I want to acknowledge the efforts of all staff offences from April, 2006. Proposals to eliminate throughout the year and the contribution they the back-log of driver tests had not had the made to delivering on a challenging agenda. They anticipated impact by year end but the target for have had to deal with a considerable degree of elimination of the backlog remains as mid-2007 churn as we continue to re-align portfolios to and progress will be made in 2006. focus on priorities and to respond to our dynamic and fast-changing business environment. Government approval was given for a Road Organisational change is set to continue with the Safety Authority to be a cornerstone for the announcement in late 2005 that Maritime implementation of road safety policy. The Transport functions were to be transferred to the legislation for the Authority completed second Department of Transport with effect from 1 stage in 2005 and it is expected to be established January, 2006 - a move which further enhances during 2006. An interim Chief Executive was the integration of transport policy. appointed in 2005. The new Authority will incorporate functions from this Department, the In concluding I would like to express my thanks to National Safety Council and the National Roads Minister Martin Cullen T.D. and former Minister of Authority, will be headquartered in Ballina with a State, Ivor Callely T.D for their leadership and sub-office in Loughrea and, together with the support during the year. planned decentralisation of remaining road haulage functions to Loughrea, will fulfil our “early mover” commitments under the Government’s Decentralisation Programme. The Railway Safety Act was passed in December 2005, paving the way for establishing the Railway Safety Commission on a statutory basis in January, Julie O’Neill 2006.