Draft Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area 2016 - 2035 20 35 ii National Transport Authority Draft Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area National Transport Authority 1 Draft Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area Contents Strategy Purpose 3 1. Introduction and Context 5 1.1 Rationale for the Strategy 5 1.2 Legislative Requirements 9 1.3 Consultation 12 2. Policy Overview 14 2.1 Introduction 14 2.2 Primary Policy 15 2.3 Transport and Planning Policy 15 2.4 Other Sectors 16 2.5 Summary 17 3. Transport in the Greater Dublin Area 19 3.1 Introduction 19 3.2 Current Transport Supply 21 3.3 Regional Patterns and Trends 23 3.4 Patterns and Trends by Area 32 3.5 Transport Shortcomings 43 3.6 Considerations for the Strategy 43 4. Development of the Strategy 46 4.1 Appraisal for Options Common to all Corridors 46 4.2 Options Appraisal by Corridor 48 4.3 Options Appraisal for Local Movement 52 4.4 SEA Alternatives Assessment 52 5. The 2035 Transport Network 55 5.1 Introduction 55 5.2 Heavy Rail Infrastructure 55 5.3 Light Rail Infrastructure 60 5.4 Combined Rail Network 63 2 National Transport Authority Draft Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area 5.5 Bus Infrastructure 64 5.6 Cycling Infrastructure 71 5.7 Walking 73 5.8 Road Network 74 5.9 Demand Management 77 5.10 Park and Ride 78 5.11 Parking Supply 79 6. Transport Services and Integration 81 6.1 Bus Services 81 6.2 Bus stops and Bus Shelters 82 6.3 Rail Services 82 6.4 Fares 83 6.5 Passenger Information Systems 83 6.6 Optimising Interchange and transport facilities 83 6.7 Accessibility 84 6.8 Small Public Service Vehicles (Taxis, Hackneys and Limousines) 84 6.9 Local Transport Services 85 6.10 Environmental 85 7. Land Use Integration and Behavioural Change 87 7.1 Land Use Integration 87 7.2 Behavioural Change Programmes 90 8. Environmental Protection and Management 92 8.1 Regulatory Framework for Environmental Protection and Management 92 8.2 Lower-level Decision Making 92 8.3 Corridor and Route Selection Process 93 8.4 Appropriate Assessment 93 9. Summary of Outcomes 96 9.1 Introduction 96 9.2 Performance of the Transport Network 98 9.3 Benefits of the ransportT Strategy 103 National Transport Authority 3 Draft Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area Strategy Purpose To contribute to the economic, social and cultural progress of the Greater Dublin Area by providing for the efficient, effective and sustainable movement of people and goods. 4 National Transport Authority Draft Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area 01 Introduction and Context National Transport Authority 5 Draft Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area 1. Introduction and Context 1.1 Rationale for the Strategy This strategy provides a framework for the planning and delivery of transport infrastructure and services in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) over the next two decades. It also provides a transport planning policy around which other agencies involved in land use planning, environmental protection, and delivery of other infrastructure such as housing, water and power, can align their investment priorities. It is, therefore, an essential component, along with investment programmes in other sectors, for the orderly development of the GDA over the next 20 years. The National Transport Authority (the Authority) published the Greater Dublin Area Draft Transport Strategy 2011-2030 (2011 Draft Transport Strategy) in 2011. The work undertaken at that time has been reviewed and updated, as deemed necessary. While much has changed since the commencement and development of the previous strategy in terms of population and employment, and the associated demand for travel, the long-term 20 year outlook is not radically dissimilar to that envisaged in 2011. As such, while the approach to the review of the Strategy incorporates the latest available forecast data, and environmental baseline data, the nature of many of the transport proposals are similar to those set out in the previous draft Strategy. This new Strategy, in the simplest sense, presents the transport requirements for the GDA, based on principles of effective, efficient and sustainable travel, for the period up to 2035, insofar as this can be delivered by transport. To view it in financial terms, the infrastructure and associated costs set out in this document represent how much investment will be required in transport, in order to meet the forecast demand for the movement of people and goods in the GDA over the next 20 years. 1.1.1 Content of the Previous Strategy In terms of infrastructure, the 2011 Draft Transport Strategy reinforced and reiterated the need for many of the proposals from the preceding transport strategy ‘A Platform for Change’, in addition to some further measures. It set out a suite of transport interventions and supporting policies, aimed at reducing the car mode share to 45% for trips to work in the horizon year (2030). In order to do this, it contained, inter alia, the following transport schemes: ii DART Underground; ii Bus Rapid Transit; ii Dublin Bikes Expansion; ii Commuter Rail Expansion and Electrification; ii Navan Rail Line; ii Metro North; 6 National Transport Authority Draft Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area ii Metro West; ii Metro South; ii Luas Cross City; ii Luas to Lucan; ii Southwest Luas (as a potential project); and ii North to South Port Road Link. These schemes were supported by a broad range of land use policies, integration measures and demand management proposals. While the 2011 Draft Transport Strategy was an ambitious plan, it was developed, following extensive public consultation, and was supported by a detailed environmental, economic and transport assessment. Subsequent to the submission of the Draft Transport Strategy in 2011, to the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, the focus shifted to the short-term with the adoption of the Integrated Implementation Plan 2013-2018, in accordance with Section 13 of the Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008. This plan set out a 6 year programme for transport investment in the GDA, including provision for Luas Cross City, the Phoenix Park Tunnel Link, and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). 1.1.2 Transport Achievements since the Previous Strategy Since 2011, the following have been progressed in the GDA: ii The commencement of construction of Luas Cross City; ii The commencement of the project to reopen the Phoenix Park Tunnel to passenger services; ii The expansion of the Dublin Bikes scheme from 40 stations and 450 bikes to 101 stations and 1500 bikes; ii The adoption of the GDA Cycle Network Plan, and the commencement of its implementation; ii On-going increases in the numbers of people cycling; ii The opening of Marlborough Street public transport bridge; ii Investment of over €100m in other sustainable transport measures across the region; ii Development of the Bus Rapid Transit concept for Dublin; ii The on-going roll-out of Real-Time Passenger Information; ii The development of a national, unified transport brand – Transport for Ireland; ii The on-going roll-out and expansion of integrated ticketing – Leap Card; and ii Increased public transport use in the GDA. National Transport Authority 7 Draft Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area This progress has been made against the backdrop of severe constraints in the availability of funding. 1.1.3 Changes since the Previous Strategy The process of long term strategic transport planning is one that aims to bring together a number of different elements of people’s lives – where people live; where they work; go to school; shop; their recreational activities – and seeks solutions which serve the transport needs associated with these activities. These can be grouped under broadly defined economic, social and environmental factors. This section looks at some of the key changes which have taken place since the previous strategy. During the preparation of the 2011 Draft Transport Strategy for the GDA, there was a substantial decline in economic activity with a corresponding decline in employment levels and a substantial slowing in population growth. As a result, the demand for travel also reduced substantially. For example, the numbers ‘In Employment’ in the GDA, according to the CSO’s Quarterly National Household Survey (QNHS) fell from 890,000 in 2008 to 767,000 in 2013, a drop of 14%. In transport terms, this had the effect of reducing congestion on the road network for a number of years, but also led to a sharp decrease in patronage on public transport services. As a result of these changes, those people with access to a private car who would previously have chosen to use the bus or rail, due to their ability to avoid delays caused by congestion, may have shifted back to the car, as the road network became less congested. This trend began during the early stages of the economic recession and was reflected in 2011 Census data on travel, where the car mode share for trips to work in the GDA had increased from 59.5% in 2006 to 60.8% in 2011. In addition, the financial constraints during that period resulted in a substantial reduction in capital investment, particularly in public transport. As a result, no major public transport scheme has been completed in the GDA since the Luas extension to City West in 2011, with Luas Cross City scheduled to be finished in late 2017. Since 2013, the number in employment in the GDA has risen. According to the QNHS, Q2 2015, there are 824,500 people in employment in the GDA. This trend has been reflected in increased car use and the re-emergence of peak period congestion, coupled with a recovery in the numbers on public transport.