Eolas transport report June 2022

Transport report

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transport report

Achieving transport objectives by sharing data

Sharing data across agencies operating in the transport sector will deliver many of the strategic objectives that improve mobility and deliver service enhancements; supporting essential services that also promote sustainability, safety, compliance, and sustainability, writes Andrew Smith, Business

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Development Director of Abtran.

Following the impact of the restrictions on travel over the last two years, we are seeing passenger numbers and road journeys returning to pre pandemic levels once again. In a post-Covid world, the transport sector is now responding to accelerated growth for both users and stakeholders. Responding to an accelerated set of needs and circumstances for both users and stakeholders. The recent pandemic demonstrates that large scale behaviour

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change is achievable and helps to shape our thinking for a future of sustainable and digital led services.

Taking these factors into consideration the transport sector continues to move forward and deliver on their strategies, promoting new patterns of mobility and developing service improvements.

In addition to delivering some of the headline objectives in relevant government programmes such as

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cycling and walking infrastructure, road user charging, decarbonisation, or public transport, there are many other objectives where the effective and efficient use of data will deliver many other benefits. The use and sharing of such data will be critical to supporting a variety of agendas, whether that be automation, digitisation, mobility services, improved reporting and analytics, or collaboration across agencies.

Data sharing Historically the sharing of data across the transport sector and supporting agencies has previously been limited to covering high visibility areas such as enforcement on our roads, speeding, road tax, or toll charge payments as examples. As data controllers, each agency has a responsibility to secure and privatise the data it holds on users or customers, and with GDPR now firmly in place, this responsibility has come more into focus in recent years.

The range of datasets accessible across agencies and the potential to further combine and share the data will go a long way to achieving various agency objectives for both the public and private sector, including An Garda Síochána, TII, RSA, NTA and other key stakeholders with transport related targets. This approach to data sharing is consistent with delivering integrated public service targets.

The objectives related to sharing data across the various transport strategies will continue to be developed, through road safety or road user charging for example, each with specific data requirements to support the deliverables of relevant agencies. The sharing of personal data has integrity and privacy at the core, however we can readily share non personal data such as vehicle data between agencies providing the legislative change is in place. Controlled sharing will support delivery of an enhanced service to the wider public and bring multiple benefits to wider stakeholders and government.

Technically, data sharing has become easier over the last 10 years with cloud infrastructure now the default hosting option rather than on premise,

standardised data sharing models across organisations, established protocols and practices around use cases and data security all firmly established. This environment gives the data controller in the respective agency much more scope to manage their data effectively, whether it is for sharing with another stakeholder or supplier as a data processor or servicing a customer.

The opportunity is to ensure that each stakeholder delivers a flexible IT environment that readily captures data and is then presented in a standardised format and accessible through standard APIs. The drive towards sustainable motoring, emerging technologies such as electronic or autonomous vehicles, or GPS systems will provide new challenges on how best to capture,

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The GDPR rules as they stand should not stop agencies from optimising the sharing of data to support the delivery of their objectives where any additional legislation required for enforcement will progress in parallel. It is a key deliverable in the coming years to ensure that data across agencies is used effectively and GDPR should not be a constraint. While the integrity of personal data and privacy of the individuals whose data we hold is a primary consideration, there are already compliance and enforcement processes in practice across agencies today, highlighting existing data sharing protocols. These use cases are only possible however through the current relevant legislation such as the Roads Act 1993 or Data Protection Act where change and consolidation in future will be required.

“The use and sharing of such data will go a long way to support various agendas whether that be automation, digitisation, mobility services, better reporting and use of analytics, or collaboration across agencies.”

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Summary

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Data sharing and linking data sets with real-time access across the transport sector is one of the emerging deliverables for key transport agencies.

Developing use cases that span agencies and delivering ready access to data and analytics across multiple platforms whether that be an API call or a portal service, will be a source of important value in the years ahead. New data led services for stakeholders and customers will deliver both an improved customer experience and capability to measure performance, while analytics will be crucial to support driving insights, identifying emerging trends and enhancements to transport services.

store and use data. New road user charging models under development will in future be linked to journeys across the road network rather than individual charge points. This creates more useful data that will support other strategies such the use of ANPR information for road safety and speeding enforcement between two points; a programme that is already in pilot on our roads.

Transport authorities

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Transport agencies and stakeholders will need to work together to implement the technological platforms, service portals and solutions needed for data sharing, reuse, real time access, and targeted management reporting. Today, solution partners and stakeholders are continually evolving new services across transport and other sectors that embrace a cloud first, API approach to delivering services that are more affordable, flexible, and responsive to

the needs of the future. Effective collaboration will be essential to support the mode shift in coming years where experience across the supply chain with data sets that can be leveraged, drawing on use cases and proven approaches in other sectors and jurisdictions.

Across the various deliverables in the transport sector, whether it’s road safety or road user charging, the programmes require that partners are engaged and able to contribute effectively to support the objectives. Partners must be ready to play a part in pilot schemes, service transitions, and the general support of change across the industry. Change that addresses technical or operational functionality, or even public acceptability, will be an important consideration for incumbent or emerging partners working in collaboration with agencies to develop platforms and solutions that meet the diverse and future needs of users and stakeholders.

Andrew Smith

In his role as Business Development Director, Andrew has responsibility for supporting customer service propositions in Abtran from tender proposals to contract development and has gained significant experience working with clients in transport on behalf of Abtran. Andrew has 18 years of experience in Customer Services solutions with a background in technology and transition programme delivery.

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While the sharing of data has in the past been limited by a number of constraints such as legislation, technical limitations or differing agency objectives, the Climate Action Plan and individual transport objectives up to 2030 gives us a real opportunity to deliver on these key objectives, at least in part, through the sharing of data between agencies and key stakeholders. An integrated and consolidated approach to data through improvements to technology and data sharing will enable the transport agencies to deliver on their commitments and objectives. This will see the introduction of high levels of compliance on our private and public transport services, enabling road users to travel safely and access essential and sustainable services for our emerging sustainability and mobility needs. These solutions will leverage the information we have towards a data led and data driven future.

T: +353 21 230 1800 E: info@abtran.com W: www.abtran.com

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institutional and organisational support;

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Decarbonising Irish transport The most significant challenge facing the transport sector is striking a balance between facilitating growth in travel demand while simultaneously decarbonising. As such, Ireland requires a fundamental change in how journeys are undertaken.

With projected population growth of approximately one million people by 2040, Ireland’s transport system will be fundamental to the delivery of the Government’s long-term spatial strategy to accommodate growth, the National Planning Framework (NPF).

Indeed, included among the 10 National Strategic Outcomes, the priorities of NPF, are compact urban growth, improved accessibility, robust rural communities, sustainable mobility, and decarbonisation.

The National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland (NIFTI) is the Government’s framework for future investment in the land transport network to enable the delivery of the National Strategic Outcomes.

Decarbonising transport is an crucial component in the context of halving Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Excluding international aviation, at 12.2 MtCO2eq, transport emissions account for 20 per cent of Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions, with road transport responsible for 96 per cent of these emissions.

Even with severe public health restrictions in 2020, emissions reduced by only 16 per cent when compared with 2019. As such, delivering a 51 per cent reduction in transport emissions by 2030 will be a sizeable challenge.

As acknowledged in Climate Action Plan 2021, the built environment must evolve from one that is vehicle centred to one that is people centred, primarily through the creation of 15-minute neighbourhoods.

Practically, this concept is defined by people to living and accessing most of their daily needs within a 15-minute journey via sustainable modes of transport.

Speaking with eolas, Transport Minister Eamon Ryan TD acknowledges the decarbonisation challenge in transport, specifically referencing “the development patterns in transport over the last 50 years have steered us towards a more dispersed car-dependent model, a haulage system reliant on diesel,” adding: “How we change that is more complex.”

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Several actions will underpin the decarbonisation of transport, including a shift to sustainable modes of transport and the electrification of vehicle fleets.

Sustainable mobility Sustainable mobility is contingent on the provision of “reliable and realistic” transport alternatives to complete everyday journeys.

As such, unprecedented investment in active travel and public transport infrastructure is required. With an objective of delivering an additional 500,000 sustainable journeys each day by 2030, the Government has committed to: •

BusConnects;

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Connecting Ireland;

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expanding rail service and infrastructure; and

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investing in walking and cycling.

Additional measures to promote sustainable mobility include: •

electric scooter legislation;

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support for local authorities to expand shared mobility schemes;

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promotion of cargo bicycle use; and

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enhanced road safety awareness.

Delivery Reflecting on sustainable mobility delivery, Minister Ryan outlines: “The Department of Transport will be leading; bringing in agencies like the National Transport Authority and Transport Infrastructure Ireland, local authorities, and regional assemblies, working in teams, and breaking down the silos that sometimes exist in the public service.

Acknowledging the challenge of delivery, “across a whole range of different areas of government”, as a consequence of the permitting and contracting process, the Minister adds: “What I am saying about the acceleration is in public transport infrastructure, not just the metro, but DART+, and rail plans in Cork, Limerick, Galway, and Waterford.

“A signal on that was given in the European Recovery and Resilience Fund. We had money from Europe and spent it on metropolitan rail in Cork for one. These projects will still take time, rail projects by their very nature do. The MetroLink, no matter how it’s done, is a fiveseven-year timeframe. We will bring that to government shortly and we need to get it through the planning system.”

Fleet electrification Currently, there are approximately 45,000 electric vehicles registered in Ireland and until total cost of ownership parity is reached with internal combustion engine cars, cost will remain a obstinate barrier to EV uptake. Meanwhile, while technological advances are soothing range anxiety, the public charging network and electricity grid capacity must develop in parallel to facilitate for a much larger EV fleet.

Ultimately, a wholesale transition to EVs is contingent on: •

expansion of the EV charging network;

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ensuring electricity grid readiness;

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reviewing and updating fiscal and regulatory incentives;

However, with a transport budget of €35 billion for the coming decade and €70 billion worth of transport projects in varying stages of planning and development, this will be difficult.

“We are looking to see how we can deliver the most for the budget we have, particularly at this time of inflation. We need to take what we learned during Covid and Brexit as to how the public service can be quick and responsive, and that’s the key,” the Transport Minister insists.

Climate Action Plan 2021 Containing 71 transport specific actions, the Climate Action Plan for transport aligns with several national policy plans, including Project Ireland 2040, the National Planning Framework (NPF), the National Remote Work Strategy, the National Adaptation Framework, Our Rural Future, and the Sustainable Mobility Policy.

Climate Action Plan 2021 requires an emissions reduction of between 5.2 and 6.2 MtCO2eq. from 12.2 MtCO2eq. in 2018 to between 6 and 7 in 2030. To meet this emissions reduction, the Climate Action Plan 2021 commits to: •

providing an additional 500,000 daily public transport and active travel journeys;

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developing the required infrastructural, regulatory, planning, and financial context to support improved system, travel, vehicle, and demand efficiencies;

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increasing the electrical vehicle and low emitting vehicle fleet on Irish roads to 945,000 vehicles (including 845,000 passenger cars, 95,000 electric vans, 3,500 low emitting trucks, 1,500 electric buses, and an expanded electrified rail network);

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raising the blend proportion of biofuels to B20 in diesel and E10 in petrol;

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reducing internal combustion engine vehicle kilometres by 10 per cent compared with present day figures; and

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undertaking a programme of work to review, progress, and refine measures that deliver an additional 0.9 MtCO2eq. by 2030 “in a fair and equitable manner”.

Simultaneously, the Government reiterated its commitment to a 2:1 ratio for expenditure on new public transport infrastructure and new roads in the Programme for Government, in parallel to a €360 million investment in active travel each year.

NIFTI In December 2021, the Government also published the new National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland (NIFTI), in which it established the principles of future transport investment. Replacing the 2015 Strategic Investment Framework for Land Transport, NIFTI sets out four strategic investment priorities to address transport challenges. These are: 1.

decarbonisation;

reviewing and amending building regulations with regard to charging points;

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protection and renewal;

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mobility of people and goods in urban areas; and

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supporting a shift towards electric vans;

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enhanced regional and rural connectivity.

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transitioning the public transport fleet to low emission alternatives; and

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mandating the conversion of public sector fleets to EVs.

The objective of NIFTI is to ensure that a balance is met between the protection and renewal of existing transport infrastructure, and the development of new assets.

Establishing investment priorities and how investment will be undertaken, its primary function is as a tool for the development of proposals for future transport investment.

Project sponsors are required to demonstrate their projects’ alignment with the NIFTI’s four priorities.

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It is apparent that the realisation of the National

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“In that case, we look and ask how we can accelerate BusConnects in all five cities, how can we accelerate and deliver the new Connecting Ireland rural transport system, and it is all about delivery.”

Planning Framework by 2040, alongside the legally binding Climate Act 2021 ambition net-zero greenhouse gas emissions no later than 2050, and a reduction of 51 per cent by 2030 will require significant additional investment in public transport and active travel assets.

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NTA looking forward to a decade of delivery

Anne Graham announcing details of the purchase of 750 DART carriages.

Recent years have seen a shift in public discourse and political prioritisation around investment in transport. With a sharper-than-ever focus on building a sustainable future, investment in public transport and active travel is now front-and-centre when it comes to tackling climate change in Ireland, writes Anne Graham, Chief Executive Officer of the National Transport Authority.

While it is certainly the case that Ireland has experienced a decade of chronic underinvestment in sustainable transport, it is only fair to acknowledge that the picture now is quite different.

requirements with future projected growth in population and economic activity, ensuring that it can all be delivered in the most sustainable possible way.

We are also making progress in implementing major

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Yes, both Luas Cross City and the Phoenix Park Rail tunnel were completed in recent years, and while both of them were key projects and very significant in their own right, other plans were parked or deferred.

But thankfully, things have changed for the better. Doubtless there are challenges arising as we recover from the Covid pandemic, and geopolitical uncertainties arising from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but at least the roadmap to a future where more and more people across Ireland can avail of better public transport and active travel options, is clear.

In 2021, National Transport Authority (NTA) published the draft GDA Transport Strategy 2022-2042, which we hope will be signed off by the Government in the coming months. In the meantime, the 2016-2035 Strategy remains the blueprint for transport development in the capital and the region. The GDA Strategy provides a framework for all transport development and infrastructure in the region and aligns transport 38

investment programmes in the regional cities of Cork, Galway, Waterford and Limerick.

MetroLink Dublin In 2019, Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and NTA published their preferred route proposals for MetroLink. Since then, work has continued on the technical design, surveys and investigations as part of preparing the documentation required to support a planning application.

In line with the Public Spending Code, the preliminary business case (PBC) for MetroLink has been provided to the Department of Transport and is currently being reviewed by Government. It is anticipated that a planning application will be submitted in Q3 of this year, subject to Government approval.

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Anne Graham with Transport Minister Eamon Ryan TD; Cork City Council Chief Executive Ann Doherty; and Colm Kelleher, Lord Mayor of Cork.

The start of construction will be determined by the timing and outcome of the statutory planning process. The design team for the project has advised that a prudent time period for the construction, systems’ installation, testing and commissioning of a metro system like this is between eight and nine years.

documents is continuing, and it is anticipated that a railway order application to An Bord Pleanála for the DART+ West project will be made at the in early Q3, later this year.

DART+ programme

This is a transformative programme of investment to provide better bus services to more people. The BusConnects Dublin programme includes investment in infrastructure and fleet, along with higher frequency services and new routes serving a wider catchment. The project is a key part of the Government’s policy to improve public transport and address climate change. In March 2022, in line with the Public Spending Code, the preliminary business case for BusConnects Dublin was approved by Government.

DART+ will provide a sustainable, electrified, reliable and more frequent rail service, improving capacity on the rail corridors serving the GDA and increasing the overall length of the DART network from 50km to roughly 150km and is comprised of five main elements: •

DART+ Fleet – New electric and battery electric DART fleet;

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DART+ West – Maynooth/M3 Parkway to city centre;

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DART+ South West – Hazelhatch/Celbridge to city centre;

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DART+ Coastal North – Drogheda to city centre; and

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DART+ Coastal South – Greystones to city centre.

In December 2021, the Government confirmed the following approvals:

BusConnects Dublin

Core Bus Corridors - Dublin The approval of the BusConnects Dublin Preliminary Business has permitted the lodgement of planning applications for the Core Bus Corridors.

A total of 12 applications, each comprising an environmental impact assessment report and associated compulsory purchase order, will be submitted to An Bord Pleanála in respect of the Core Bus Corridors projects.

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approval in principle of the DART+ programme preliminary business case;

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authorisation for NTA to approve the award of the DART+ Fleet framework contract and the initial fleet order; and

Two of these have already been lodged: Clongriffin to city centre; Belfield/ Blackrock to city centre; with a third, Blanchardstown to city centre to be lodged very shortly.

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authorisation for the DART+ West project to proceed to railway order submission.

Bus Network Redesign - Dublin

The fleet framework agreement was signed and the initial fleet order placed during December 2021. The build time for the new fleet is approximately 30 months, with testing and commission of fleet taking a further 12 months. On this basis new DART fleet will be delivered during 2024 with the fleet entering service during 2025.

DART+ West Iarnród Éireann published the preferred option for public consultation in 2021, with a second round of consultation taking place earlier this year. Preparation of the environmental impact assessment report and other statutory approval

The NTA is introducing the new bus network on a phased basis. Two phases were implemented in 2021, with the first phase centred on the H-Spine along the Howth to city centre corridor. The second phase, comprising the C-Spine along the Lucan to city centre to Ringsend corridor, was launched in November 2021, in tandem with the introduction of a new 90minute fare.

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DART+ Fleet

This provides a single fare for most public transport journey across the Dublin Metropolitan Area, allowing transfers between services and across all modes undertaken within 90 minutes of the start of the first journey.

In May 2022, Phase 3 consisting of the N4/N6 orbital routes on Dublin’s northside was rolled out, with a further two phases to be launched by the end of the year.

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Next generation ticketing The evaluation of the tender pre-qualification submissions for the overall design, build, operate, and maintain contract for the new ticketing system is now complete and a short list of five tenderers has been selected. The approval of the PBC has allowed the tender stage to commence.

Transition to low emission fleet

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As part of BusConnects Dublin, the existing bus fleet is being transitioned to a low and zero emission fleet. At the end of 2021, a total of 221 new hybrid diesel-electric buses had been introduced into the bus fleet in the Dublin Metropolitan Area.

In July 2021, NTA entered into a framework agreement for the supply of long length single deck electric buses, with an initial order of 34 buses for Dublin. It is expected that these vehicles will be delivered and ready for operation by Q4 2022.

NTA has also completed a procurement process for a framework agreement for the supply of double deck battery electric buses with an initial order of 100 buses for Dublin.

NTA purchased three hydrogen fuel cell double deck buses for the purposes of undertaking a pilot to assess the potential for hydrogen buses to provide a zero emission solution for longer distance/higher duty bus routes through increased range. The pilot commenced in July 2021 and the buses are currently being operated by Bus Éireann on the 105X routes to Ratoath.

Cycling and walking NTA will be allocating funds to Ireland’s local authorities to support investment of well in excess of €250 million on walking and cycling infrastructure in 2022.

Projects to be progressed this year include the Clontarf to city centre route in Dublin, MacCurtain Street in Cork, O’Connell Street in Limerick, the Salmon Weir Bridge in Galway, as well as connection of the Waterford Greenway from Bilberry into the city centre. These and other projects will make our urban centres more attractive places to live, work and visit.

Funding is also being directed to rural local authorities, with some 1,200 walking and cycling projects being developed.

Projects include the Hanover Pedestrian and Cycle Scheme in Carlow and the N63 pedestrian and cycle scheme in Longford. This will bring a renewed vibrancy to our regional towns and villages.

Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy (CMATS) sets out an ambitious vision to deliver an accessible, integrated transport network that enables the sustainable growth of the Cork Metropolitan Area as a dynamic, connected, and internationally competitive European city region.

The multi-billion euro investment programme proposes: •

a transformed bus system;

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an enhanced commuter rail system;

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new east-west light rail line;

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a comprehensive cycling network;

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enhanced pedestrian facilities; and

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park and ride provision and road improvements.

BusConnects Cork NTA is proposing major investment for bus services and infrastructure in Cork. We recently unveiled a €600 million investment in BusConnects Cork which will include the creation of 12 new sustainable transport corridors (STC) to help meet the needs of a growing city while accelerating the journey to a net-zero future. A consultation process on this is due to get under way very shortly.

Separately, work on redesigning Cork’s bus network – routes, frequencies and timetables – is proceeding well. A second public consultation on our proposals took place at the end of last year, and a final revised bus network for Cork will be published in the coming months.

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Anne Graham with students from Stanhope St primary school, Dublin, celebrating Bike Week 2022.

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Anne Graham with Iarnród Éireann Chief Executive Jim Meade and global Chief Executive of Alstom, Henri Poupart-Lafarge, announcing details of the purchase of 750 DART carriages.

Cork Light Rail Cork Luas will run from Ballincollig to Mahon Point, via the city centre and the docklands.

An emerging preferred route is being examined by TII right now and will be subject to a full public consultation later in the year.

Limerick-Shannon Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy NTA recently published the Limerick-Shannon Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy (LSMATS) for a second round of public consultation.

Among the proposals we want to progress this year are: •

Limerick Metropolitan Bus Network Review;

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development of proposals for bus lane infrastructure;

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investment in electrification of bus fleet;

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continue the roll-out of the Limerick Cycle Network Plan;

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prepare the Shannon Local Transport Plan, to be led by Clare County Council; and

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development of a rail investment programme in association with Iarnród Éireann.

In the meantime, Bus Éireann’s Galway city bus services are now provided entirely with electric hybrid double deck fleet, with procurement of battery electric single deck and double deck bus fleet at an advanced stage.

In conclusion As far as sustainable transport is concerned, the coming decade is set to be most transformative in the history of the State.

More projects are being progressed than ever before. There’s more investment in the pipeline than ever before. More opportunities for people to choose sustainable options are being developed than ever before.

In the NTA, we believe we have a critical role to play in building a sustainable future for Ireland are committed to meeting all our responsibilities in the years ahead. I know that NTA is up to that challenge, and I believe the people of Ireland are too.

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Waterford Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy

linking the western and eastern suburbs, through the city centre that is being progressed by Galway City Council with the support of NTA. It is expected that a submission by Galway City Council to An Bord Pleanála will be made in the next two to three months.

T: +353 1 879 8300 E: ceo@nationaltransport.ie W: www.nationaltransport.ie

The NTA Board recently approved the publication of a draft transport strategy for the Waterford area, with public consultation getting under way, 1 June 2022.

Galway Transport Strategy We will continue to work with Galway City Council on the implementation of the objectives set out in the Galway Transport Strategy.

For example, the Cross-City Link is a public transport corridor 41

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Active travel to benefit from 2022 funding windfall The Programme for Government pledged that 20 per cent of the capital transport budget per year would be dedicated to cycling and pedestrian projects; in line with this aim, the recently published National Sustainable Mobility Policy outlines an ambition to spend almost €1 million per day on active travel projects.

The National Sustainable Mobility Policy sets out the State’s strategic framework to 2030 for active travel and public transport, with an aim of delivering “at least 500,000 additional daily active travel and public transport journeys by 2030”, along with a 10 per cent reduction in the number of kilometres driven by fossil-fuelled cars.

Data from the Central Statistics Office’s (CSO) National Travel Survey 2019 suggests that this goal is eminently achievable: 29 per cent of all trips undertaken were less than 2km, but 57 per cent of these journeys were by private car, with walking or cycling accounting for 40 per cent. Overall, just 2 per cent of journeys are made by cycling and 14 per cent by walking.

The same survey found that 20.8 per cent of people who use private cars cited a lack of alternatives as their main reason for doing so, with the National Sustainable Mobility Policy noting that the Government recognises “that for some remote rural areas and longer journeys, active travel and public transport may not always be a viable option and the Climate Action Plan 2021 includes measures to promote the uptake of electric and low-emission 42

vehicles where car journeys are necessary”.

The National Sustainable Mobility Policy Action Plan 2022-2025 outlines how the Government plans on changing these behavioural patterns. In terms of active transport, priorities include improving the safety of walking and cycling networks to make them more accessible for all users and reallocating road space to prioritise walking and cycling. Under the goal of expanding available of sustainable mobility in metropolitan areas, the action plan includes the delivery of additional cycling infrastructure – with 400km of the GDA network and 200km of the regional cities network both to be completed or under construction by 2025 – to expand the operation of bike share schemes in cities, with Waterford’s operational in 2022, and to develop pedestrian enhancement plans for the five metropolitan areas by 2023.

Under the goal of expanding availability in rural areas, pedestrian enhancement plans for regional growth centres and key towns are to be developed by 2024, as well as urban cycle networks for all regional growth centres and key towns by 2023 and 100km of cycle networks

for these areas by 2025. Cycle network plans for all counties are to be published in 2023.

Speaking on the importance of the plan, Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan TD said: “This is an important new policy which is central to ensuring that we meet our ambitious climate targets. It is all about getting people moving in a greener way, by choosing walking, cycling or public transport over fossilfuelled vehicles, and helping people choose more sustainable options.

Sustainable mobility also helps improve our quality of life and bring life back into our cities, towns and villages. We have listened to our stakeholders in developing this policy and action plan to focus on the right measures to make it easier for more people to travel by sustainable modes and make fewer car journeys.”

Such plans are in line with the postCovid acceleration of active travel funding that Ryan pledged in January 2022 after he had confirmed that the NTA had allocated €289 million of funds to Ireland’s local authorities to spend on walking and cycling infrastructure. The funding directed towards these authorities is expected to fund circa

On the national level, the National Cycle Network for Ireland has been opened to public consultation, with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) inviting views on the proposed 3,500km network.

Public consultation launched on 4 May 2022 on the new network. Which will connect over 200 villages, towns, and cities and include cycling links to transport hubs, education and employment centres, leisure and tourist destinations, and support so-called ‘last mile’ bicycle deliveries.

Minister Ryan handed stewardship of the project over to TII in 2021, who have worked since autumn 2021 to develop their draft plan. With the plan now out for public consultation, it is anticipated that it will be submitted to the Minister for approval in Q3 2022 and move quickly into its implementation phase. Minister of State for Transport Hildegarde Naughton TD said of the network: “The NCN will provide benefits for cyclists and local communities across the country. It will help commuters, leisure users and tourists to choose to cycle, encouraging a modal shift to a healthy form of travel and helping to reduce carbon emissions from transport.”

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1,200 walking and cycling projects being developed by local authorities throughout the State, including the Clontarf to city centre route in Dublin, MacCurtain Street in Cork, O’Connell Street in Limerick, the Salmon Weir Bridge in Galway, an extension to the Waterford Greenway from Bilberry to the city centre, and the Hanover Pedestrian and Cycle Scheme in Carlow. Almost 1,000km of new and improved active travel infrastructure will be delivered by 2025 under current plans, with the €289 million of funding received for 2022 a quadrupling of the €45 million in 2019 and a vast increase on the €184 million of 2021.

National Sustainable Mobility Policy Published in April 2022, the National Sustainable Mobility Policy establishes a national framework for active travel and public transport to 2030. The policy aims to empower citizens to choose active travel and public transport alternatives to internal combustion engine vehicles. This will support the pursuit of the national climate objective.

The policy is guided by three principles: 1. Safe and green mobility 2. People focused mobility 3. Better integrated mobility These principles are underpinned by 10 high-level goals, supported by an action plan which will be reviewed and updated in 2025, with a second action plan published for 2026 until 2030.

10 high level goals: 1. Improve mobility safety.

2. Decarbonise public transport.

3. Expand availability of sustainable mobility in metropolitan areas.

4. Expand availability of sustainable mobility in regional and rural areas.

5. Encourage people to choose sustainable mobility over the private car.

6. Take a whole of journey approach to mobility, promoting inclusive access for all.

7. Design infrastructure according to universal design principles and the hierarchy of road users model.

8. Promote sustainable mobility through research and citizen engagement.

9. Better integrate land use and transport planning at all levels.

10. Promote smart and integrated mobility through innovative technologies and development of appropriate regulation.

Implementation of the National Sustainable Mobility Policy will require cross-departmental collaboration, with input from the National Transport Authority, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, the regional assemblies, local authorities, and others. Oversight of implementation will be undertaken by a newly established leadership group.

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Decarbonising Irish road transport with compressed natural gas transport report

purchase of up to 400 gas-powered trucks, buses, and vans. We routinely meet with companies who are facing mounting pressure to shift to a more sustainable business model and reduce their carbon emissions,” Hanahoe explains.

As a business operating for four generations, the move to CNG means that, as the volume of renewable gas on the network increases in the years ahead, Toner Transport will be able to transition to an even more sustainable transport solution without further investment, increasingly reducing emissions and maintaining a competitive advantage for many more generations to come.

Gas Networks Ireland’s CNG Growth Sales Manager, David Hanahoe.

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While heavy goods vehicles account for under 2 per cent of vehicles on Ireland’s roads, they account for almost 20 per cent of all emissions in the road transport sector.

Ireland faces a significant challenge to meet its emission reduction targets, particularly in the transport sector, as it currently accounts for 34 per cent of Ireland’s final energy use, making it the country’s largest source of energy demand by sector. It is also one of the most difficult sectors to decarbonise.

bar) and is typically used as a transport fuel. It is particularly suitable for use in commercial vehicles where electric solutions are not a viable option. The gas used can be either natural or renewable gas that meets the network specifications, providing a pathway to more sustainable transport.

“Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) reliably delivered through the national gas network is key to driving sustainable supply chains and is the first step towards net-zero commercial transport in Ireland,” Gas Networks Ireland’s CNG Growth Sales Manager, David Hanahoe, says.

“Gas Networks Ireland is working to develop a new, cleaner transport network, to reduce emissions and provide Ireland’s HGV and bus fleet operators with a cleaner alternative fuel option to diesel,” Hanahoe says.

CNG is natural gas that has been compressed to high pressures (over 200 44

“To support Irish companies and local authorities making this transition, we have a €2.9 million CNG vehicle grant scheme in place to support the

EU Clean Vehicle Directive A key consideration for public organisations moving forward is the EU Clean Vehicles Directive, which passed into Irish law in 2021. This Directive sets targets for public procurement of clean vehicles by increasing the share of low and zero-emission vehicles tendered for by public authorities.

Ireland has agreed to adopt the maximum target of almost 40 per cent of cars and light trucks and 10 per cent of heavy-duty trucks procured from August 2021 must be cleaner vehicles. For buses, the target is even higher, with a requirement of 45 per cent to be cleaner vehicles and half of that to be zeroemission vehicles.

“At Gas Networks Ireland, we offer support to agencies and councils that wish to explore CNG and renewable gas as an option to meet this obligation when procuring their heavy transport and passenger vehicles. Contact us to start on your journey to a cleaner fleet,” Hanahoe says.

T: 1800 411 511 E: cng@gasnetworks.ie W: www.gasnetworks.ie/cng

transport report

Irish airport and port statistics 2021 Aviation statistics 2021 Number of passengers handled by main Irish airports in 2020:

8,293,330

Number of passengers handled by main Irish airports in 2021:

9,132,872

Change in number of passengers handled by main Irish airports:

+10.1%

Number of flights handled by Ireland’s main airports in 2020:

95,000

Number of flights handled by Ireland’s main airports in 2021:

94,040

Change in number of flights handled by Ireland’s main airports:

-1%

Passengers travelling on international flights through Ireland’s main airports to/from Europe in 2021:

8,329,435 or 92%

Passenger distribution by main airport 2021 (%) 3%

4%

Change in tonnage of freight handled by

2% 1%

Ireland’s main airports in 2021 when

Dublin Shannon

Cork Knock

Kerry 90%

46

Source: CSO Ireland, 2022

compared with 2020:

+15.9%

Tonnage of freight handled by Ireland’s main airports in 2021:

160,855

Port traffic 2021 Tonnage of goods handled by main Irish ports in 2020:

51,361 million

Tonnage of goods handled by main Irish ports in 2021:

53,958 million

Change in tonnage of goods handled main Irish ports:

+5%

11,855

Number of vessels arriving in Irish ports in 2021:

12,713

Change in number of vessels arriving in Irish ports:

transport report

Number of vessels arriving in Irish ports in 2020:

+7.2%

273,092 million By region of trade, Great Britain and Northern Ireland accounted for 31.2% of total tonnage of goods handled by Irish ports while other EU countries accounted for 41.7% Gross tonnage of all vessels arriving in Irish ports in 2021:

Passengers that passed Millions

Tonnage of goods handled by main Irish Ports, 2019-2021 60,000

through Irish ports in 2020:

814,000

50,000 40,000 30,000 20,000 10,000 0 Liquid bulk

Dry b ulk

Lift-on/Lift-off 2019

Source: CSO Ireland, 2022

2020

Roll-on/Roll-off

Break bulk and other goods

Total

Passengers that passed through Irish ports in

2021

2021:

1,020,000

Millions

Passenger numbers handled by Irish airports, from 2017 to 2021 45 40 35 30 25 20

Change in number of

15 10

passengers that passed

5 0 2017

Source: CSO Ireland, 2022

2018

2019 Year

2020

2021

through Irish ports:

+25.3% 47

transport report

Luas Finglas: Fast, reliable and sustainable transport Figure 1: Luas Finglas Preferred Route.

The proposed route is 3.9km in length and will include four new stops: St Helena’s, Finglas Village, St Margaret’s, and Charlestown. A 350-vehicle park and ride (P&R) facility will be provided near the St Margaret’s Road stop, close to the M50. The route will provide interchange opportunities with bus networks at all the new stops and with mainline rail services at Broombridge.

Most of the route will be built using grass track, an attractive and sustainable innovation for urban transport in Ireland.

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The primary basis for the project is set out in the transport strategies for the Greater Dublin Area 2016-2035 and 2022-2042, which outline the proposed transport solutions to support economic and spatial development in Dublin. Luas Finglas will provide people living and working in northwest Dublin with a fast, reliable, accessible and sustainable transport service, while enabling compact growth. The strategic case is also underpinned by Project Ireland 2040, including its National Development Plan 2021-2030 and the Climate Action Plan 2021.

Luas Finglas is the next extension of the Luas Green Line from its current terminus at Broombridge to a new terminus in Charlestown. It will create a new public transport connection between the communities of Charlestown, Finglas Village, Finglas West, St Helena’s, Tolka Valley and the city centre, writes Marcello Corsi, Project Manager of Luas Finglas.

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As part of an integrated transport system, Luas Finglas will provide alternative transport options to residents and encourage a move from private cars to public transport. This will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help enable a transition to both a low carbon and increasingly climate resilient society in line with the ambitions set out in the Climate Action Plan 2021.

Luas Finglas will involve the construction of two major structures, a bridge over the Railway and the Royal Canal at Broombridge, and a bridge over the Tolka River in Tolka Valley Park. Both structures are being designed to stand out in terms of visual, aesthetic and environmental quality.

transport report

Figure 2: Urban and Landscape Integration example, a typical cross section along green area.

The scheme will incorporate active travel modes along the alignment, including attractive walking and cycling infrastructure.

Luas Finglas will be comparable to the higher speed sections of the Luas network as it will be built along a brand new, fully segregated, mostly off-road corridor. According to initial estimations, journey times from Charlestown (M50) to Trinity College in the city centre will be approximately 30 minutes, and this runtime will be consistent due to the high level of segregation.

Luas Finglas passengers commuting to and from the city centre will benefit from the existing high capacity, high speed section of the Luas Green Line between Broombridge and Parnell Street as this largely off-road rail-based public transport corridor from the M50 to the north city centre will deliver a consistent and competitive runtime while freeing road capacity in the critical areas of Finglas, Phibsborough, and the north inner city.

Progress to date The project commenced in 2018 with Phases 0 and 1. The options selection process was completed in the summer of 2020 with the publication of the emerging preferred route (EPR) and the first non-statutory public consultation (NSPC).

Next steps The next steps will include the development of the reference design, preliminary business case, environmental impact assessment report (EIAR) and all planning documentation with a view to submitting a planning application in Q3 2023, subject to prior Government approval and funding availability.

Social benefits of Luas Finglas The scheme will act as a strong catalyst for social opportunities through improved access to jobs, education, leisure and social facilities throughout Finglas and Charlestown. Furthermore, areas adjacent to the preferred route (e.g., north Broombridge, west of Finglas Village and Charlestown environs) will become increasingly attractive for residential, employment and/or mixed-use development,

supporting the ambition for compact, ‘transit-oriented’ development as set out in Project Ireland 2040. The recent rezoning of industrial lands in Jamestown by Dublin City Council is a testament to this process.

Circular economy on Luas Finglas TII is committed to delivering on a Circular Economy (CE) Plan along with a pilot study to apply the principles of CE to the Luas Finglas project.

The project design teams are undertaking CE workshops to explore and prioritise opportunities for integrating CE principles in the project approach. Key opportunities identified are as follows: 1. Earthworks optimisation: adopting a hierarchy for soil reuse on the project; 2. Design for disassembly of track: adopting a design for disassembly approach to track design improving maintenance and track replacement over the life cycle; 3. Material data integration in the project BIM1 strategy: integration of key material data into the project data environment;

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The benefits of Luas Finglas will go well beyond the users’ benefits, as the scheme will enable and act as a catalyst for a wider regeneration of the Finglas and Charlestown areas in the northwest suburbs of Dublin.

In 2021, TII appointed an engineering designer (Barry Transportation/Egis joint venture) to support the development phases, and the EPR was developed to the preferred route (PR) taking into account feedback received during the first NSPC. A second NSPC on the PR was held in Q4 2021 with feedback being largely positive. Changes from the EPR to the PR included the relocation of three of the four stops and the P&R, the realignment of the corridor in five areas, and fully aligning the active mode elements of the scheme with the Draft Greater Dublin Area Cycling Strategy, published by the NTA in 2021. Luas Finglas preferred route preliminary design was completed in Q1 2022.

4. Sharing of lighting and other assets: Public lighting, CCTV, and signage to be designed to avoid duplication of components such as lighting poles; and 5. Adopting nature-based solutions and a regenerative design approach: project to be designed to achieve optimal outcomes for biodiversity, drainage, planting, and design of public space.

4

1. Building Information Management System.

49

transport report

assessment and offset of carbon footprint;

Figure 3: Tolka Valley Park, Luas Finglas will cross the Tolka River on a new bridge to the west of the existing bridge.

Sustainability on Luas Finglas Sustainability objectives and strategies for Luas Finglas align with those set out in the National Planning Framework, part of Project Ireland 2040, and the Sustainable Development Goals National Implementation Plan 20182020.

The sustainability approach to Luas Finglas is also guided by TII’s Statement of Strategy 2021 to 2025 and the TII Sustainability Implementation Plan – Our Future (2021). There is a dedicated

sustainability plan for addressing the key sustainability challenges, risks and opportunities of the Luas Finglas scheme and its long-term planning and operation.

The sustainability plan focuses on the following key points: •

Reduce environmental impacts: protect, preserve, and improve biodiversity, promote urban ecology and ecosystem services;

•

Low carbon transport: provision of a low-emission light-rail, carbon

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Figure 4: Artistic impression of the Finglas Village Stop at the Civic Centre, along Mellowes Road.

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•

Resource efficiency: minimise waste, sustainably use materials and natural resources;

•

Infrastructure resilience: provision of a reliable and climate resilient light-rail service;

•

Accessibility and sustainable growth: provide integrated transport solution with better linkages between people, places and resources to drive economic activity and enhance regional productivity;

•

Health and well-being: address air quality issues in urban and rural areas through better planning and design; and

•

Engagement and collaboration: enhance collaborations, stakeholder, and public engagement.

Urban and landscape integration Luas Finglas runs through several parks and local open spaces. It is therefore important that the existing use of these spaces, and opportunities for their enhancement are realised through the design process. Approximately 70 per cent of the line will run on grass track which will aid its visual integration in the spaces it passes through.

Integrating Luas Finglas into its receiving environment requires consideration of a number of elements such as its transport function, opportunities for water management at waterway crossings, local landscape and biodiversity, and critically the local communities.

Reference to local authority policies, development plans and guidelines formed an initial basis for decision making.

As the project developed, there was close consultation with all municipal divisions regarding planning for existing and future land use, integration with parks and landscape, and consideration of lighting, architectural heritage, roads etc.

Careful consideration was given to St Margaret’s Road itself, its future use, and its configuration. Here, the light rail alignment is envisaged as a linear green edge to the future Jamestown Development, with grass track and a strong tree line separating light rail from the road carriageway. Landscaping is being utilised to break up the remaining expanse of road by segregating modes in a safe and attractive way.

Universal Design is at the heart of the Finglas extension with consideration being given to people with disabilities, people with mobility issues, or women travelling alone. This is manifested in fully accessible and uncluttered layouts, which are safe and easy to navigate and involve prioritisation of walkers, cyclists and vulnerable users.

For much of its length, Luas Finglas will form a new transport corridor that will serve an array of local key trip attractors including schools, sporting facilities, parks and services. The Luas Finglas transport corridor will therefore likely generate short distance trips to and from these facilities. The project team leveraged any opportunity to facilitate

Figure 5: Examples of model generated 3D views of the project.

active travel and improve walking and cycling facilities. As such, an exciting aspect of Luas Finglas is the opportunity to incorporate safe, segregated cycling and pedestrian paths along several sections of the route. This will provide integration between the scheme and the surrounding areas and enable shortdistance trips to and from various destinations in the vicinity of the line.

Active travel elements will also provide an important link between the wider Finglas area and the Tolka Valley and Royal Canal greenways, while integrating with and complimenting the Draft Cycle Network Plan 2021 for the Greater Dublin Area.

Use of BIM and 3D models One of TII’s key strategic objectives involves BIM models and other information generated as part of project development being utilised to support efficient development of the design in close collaboration with all project stakeholders. A Common Data Environment (CDE) has been established for the project. This will be opened to contractors at construction stage to ensure the correct management of Engineering content throughout the project.

generated from geometrically verified Engineering models supplemented with concept 3D visualisations, compared to just drawings.

Having ‘virtually built’ and interrogated the design and engaged with project stakeholders throughout earlier design development phases, this will aid in stakeholders’ understanding of the project scope and allow for improved interaction and input.

Mitigating conflicts through model and information coordination is a key project requirement. Processes have been developed to minimise conflicts, promote sharing of project information, more efficient design development, and gap analysis and interface management. Luas Finglas is being built twice, virtually by the design team and in real life during construction.

E: Marcello.Corsi@tii.ie W: www.tii.ie

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Active mobility on Luas Finglas

transport report

Luas Finglas stops are located and designed to optimise access, social activity, personal safety and interchangeability; to make a positive contribution to the built environment by using simple high-quality materials, minimisation of clutter and respect for the character and context of their surroundings.

Upon completion of the reference design, a higher degree of certainty in achieving stakeholder buy-in can be accomplished with design information

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transport report

Hourly cross-border rail could be in place ‘by end of next year’ With the launch of the All-Island Strategic Rail Review in 2021, the Government signalled its intent to build cross-border rail links. It has now been said that an hourly service between Belfast and Dublin could be in place by the end of 2023.

The claim was made by Jim Meade, Chief Executive of Iarnród Éireann, who told the Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications, as he discussed the All-Island Strategic Rail Review, that an hourly Enterprise service during peak times could be in place by year-end 2023. Meade told the committee that high-speed hourly links between Cork, Dublin, and Belfast are ‘more than an ambition’ and that the entire Iarnród Éireann fleet will be replaced as part of the plans.

“We don’t have an hourly on currently and we believe there’s demand for that service,” Meade said. “The hourly service is more than ambition, it’s something we’re going to deliver over time. I have been working with Chris Conway [CEO] of Translink and looking at how we would, at least in the peak, bring in an hourly service in the morning and evening as we wait until we develop the full service for 2027.

“We have some extra fleet coming at the back end

52

of this year. We’re looking to try and allocate some of them to allow us to do a morning and evening peak initially. There is a requirement to get people into Dublin early morning and then out later in the evening. We should be able to do that probably by the back end of next year, it might be a bit sooner.”

Meade also added that the plan would eventually introduce an all-day hourly service some time from 2026 to 2027. With the current journey time from Belfast to Dublin clocking in at over two hours, Meade stated that plans to upgrade existing rail lines to 200 km/h operation would cut the journey time to 90 minutes. This goal is “feasible and achievable” according to Meade and would eventually stretch to all cities in Ireland.

“The ambition is, that certainly on the Belfast to Cork corridor, we will achieve those kinds of speeds and an equivalent improvement on the branch lines,” he said. “The principle we are working to is that we bring all our major cities to under two hours.

We’re currently on the two-hour mark, depending on which service you get, but the ambition is to continue to improve services incrementally to get all the cities under two hours.”

electrification. On the improvement of links between all cities in

Meade also mentioned the review as an opportunity to expand Iarnród Éireann’s presence in the movement of train freight.

The State operator accounts for just over 1 per cent of freight in all of Ireland, a figure that Meade believes “should be in double digits” given that containerised traffic that moves by rail “reduces the carbon footprint of that individual container by 75 per cent” and is, thus, a “no-brainer”.

help to address regional disparity and drive investment in

Ireland and the furtherance of regional connectivity, Translink stated that “improved, higher-speed railway connections will regions such as the north-west”.

Increased services “would help to consolidate the benefits already delivered by the North-West Transport Hub” in Derry, a £27 million project opened in 2019 with support from the EU’s INTERREG VA fund, the Department for Infrastructure in

transport report

Northern Ireland, and the Department of Transport in the The All-Island Strategic Rail Review was jointly launched by the Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan TD and then-Northern Ireland Minister for Infrastructure Nichola Mallon in April 2021.

The review seeks to examine the potential for high-speed rail and shaping and developing the rail network across Ireland.

Republic. “In discussion of the plans to develop the Enterprise

The Strategic Rail Review will consider the rail network throughout the entirety of Ireland with regard to: improving sustainable connectivity between the major cities (including the potential for high-/higher speed); enhancing regional accessibility; supporting balanced regional development and considering rail connectivity to international gateways – sea and air ports, which will include examining the role of rail freight.

economic growth and improve links at every level including key

In its submission to the committee, Translink, the northern public transport operator, said that the decarbonisation goal of the review aligns with its own aim to deliver a fully net zero fleet by 2040 and noted that the strategic outline case jointly developed by Translink and Iarnród Éireann for replacing the entire Enterprise fleet was based on a move towards

Dublin-Belfast service, Translink notes that development of this service would also support connections from Derry onwards to Belfast, Dublin, Limerick, and Cork,” the submission reads. “It is its view that this development would serve to support airports and ports across the island. It is also supportive of an increased role for rail freight, noting that ‘ports within Northern Ireland at Belfast, Larne, and Foyle are in close proximity to the railway network but not connected’.”

In his submission to the committee, rail consultant Richard Logue outlined a number of “quick wins” including amending train timetables to make intercity services more frequent and improving existing tracks to allow for higher train speeds. In terms of expansion, he highlighted the lack of direct rail connectivity to airports throughout Ireland and emphasised the importance of the Western Rail Corridor for balanced regional development.

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transport report

A bright future for bus transport in Ireland

Bus Éireann CEO Stephen Kent says there has never been a more exciting time to be involved in bus transport.

Bus transport is the most popular form of public transport, with Bus Éireann clocking up 120 million kilometres of journeys in 2019, more than any other Advertorial

operator. Good public transport for Ireland is important as we emerge into a post-Covid reality, writes Stephen Kent, Chief Executive Officer at Bus Éireann.

54

As people begin to travel again and form new habits around commuting, Bus Éireann continues to collaborate with the National Transport Authority to improve our bus network. We believe that to encourage more people to choose buses over private cars, public transport must be affordable, reliable, and sustainable and should connect people with who and what matters to them.

Affordability will be a key consideration for those returning to the workplace and to education when deciding how to travel. The Government’s decision to reduce fares on PSO bus services by 20 per cent for all passengers and by 50 per cent for those aged 19 to 24 shows a commitment to moving away from private cars. This is the biggest discount across the board since 1946 and Bus Éireann was the first public transport operator to provide this deduction to our

passengers. This reduction in fares will impact 20 million passenger journeys, significantly reducing the cost of taking the bus.

Challenges remain for the operation of a reliable bus network in Ireland, with congestion being a concern. Dublin and Cork both rank among the 100 most congested cities in the world1 and this presents not only a daily frustration for commuters, but a significant barrier towards a reliable service for bus users and potential passengers. Among the main benefits of taking the bus for those commuting is the ability to relax as they travel, read the news, check social media, and reconnect with family and friends. Congestion impacts on the reliability of our services, making it more challenging to get passengers to their destinations on time. This creates the perverse incentive of more people taking their own cars and increasing congestion further as a result.

Sustainability is also an important consideration for any modern public transport system, and we are committed to making our services sustainable for our customers and the communities we serve. Bus Éireann published our first sustainability strategy in 2021, with the

Bus Éireann is Ireland’s national bus company, with over 2,700 employees, operating over 1,100 vehicles to over 5,000 bus stops.

“Our entire Galway city bus service is currently operating on hybrid buses, which reduce emissions by 30 per cent. We are also the first operator in the country to have three hydrogen fuel-cell buses in service, in the greater Dublin area.” ambition of reducing our own greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) by 50 per cent by 2030. We collaborate closely with the NTA on the transition of our PSO fleet to the latest zero and lowemission vehicles. Our entire Galway city bus service is currently operating on hybrid buses, which reduce emissions by 30 per cent. We are also the first operator in the country to have three hydrogen fuel-cell buses in service, in the greater Dublin area. By the end of this year, the Athlone town fleet will have transitioned to Ireland’s first fully electric town bus service.

With the Government’s commitment in the Climate Action Plan to achieve a 51 per cent reduction in carbon emissions by 20302, we are carrying out upgrades and enabling works in our own depots to facilitate the latest, sustainable bus technologies and rolling out an ecodriving telematics system on our fleet to improve fuel consumption, passenger safety and comfort. Bus Éireann will continue to play our part in offering a sustainable public transport option for communities across Ireland.

Following enhancements on the Navan town bus service by the NTA and Meath

County Council, the town bus saw a four-fold increase in average monthly passenger numbers by the end of last year3. The Government’s Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan also proposes a 25 per cent increase in rural bus services, enhancing connectivity to communities who are unserved or under-served by public transport currently. We in Bus Éireann are conscious of our duty to the 65 per cent of young people and the 29 per cent of older people who use our services currently and who say they are dependent entirely on us.

There has never been a more exciting time to be involved in bus transport, with buses increasingly able to offer a viable alternative to private cars. Although challenges exist, Bus Éireann will continue our commitment to delivering an affordable, reliable, and sustainable bus service to communities across Ireland.

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Outside of Dublin, there is just 30km of bus prioritisation in Ireland and the Government has signalled their intention to increase this significantly. The BusConnects Cork plans announced by the NTA would see 75km of new bus lanes in the city, significantly reducing journey times and in Dublin, core bus corridors with bus prioritisation are a key element of BusConnects Dublin. The challenge of congestion is not insurmountable, but it does require thoughtful planning in order to convince more people that travelling by bus is a fast and reliable alternative to commuting by car.

transport report

Considering these reductions at a time when fuel prices are high, leaving the car behind makes more sense than ever. For many young people who will benefit from the 50 per cent reduction with the new Young Adult Leap card, this is an opportunity to form a lifelong attachment to public transport by making it an affordable alternative to car usage.

The ambition to make a lasting, positive connection between buses and our young people can be seen in our goal to increase the size of the school transport scheme, which currently carries over 122,000 students each school day, by 20 per cent by 2030.

T: 0818 836 611 E: info@buseireann.ie

1. TomTom Traffic Index 2021 2. Department of Transport on the Climate Action Plan 2021 - https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/bb62c-climate-action-plan-will-transform-how-we-travel-with-decarbonisationcreating-a-cleaner-greener-transport-system/ 3. National Transport Authority, December 2021 – https://www.nationaltransport.ie/meath-county-council-completes-bus-stop-infrastructure-for-navan-town-services/ 55

transport report

Transport statistics 2022 Vehicle licensing and registration 2020 Vehicles under current licence in 2020:

Private cars under current licence in 2020:

2,860,984

New private cars licensed for first time in 2019:

113,305

2,215,127 New private cars licensed for first time in 2020:

84,309

Total new vehicles licenced for the first time in 2019:

Total new vehicles licenced for the first

149,748

time in 2020:

Used (imported) vehicles licenced for the first time in 2019:

116,514

286,944

Road traffic volumes 2020 47.1 billon km Total distance travelled by Irish licensed vehicles in 2020: 36.2 billion km Change in distance travelled by Irish licensed vehicles: -23.1% Total distance travelled by Irish licensed vehicles in 2019:

Type of fuel

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

Total

476

392

623

1,222

3,443

3,940

10,096

Petrol and electric hybrid

1,354

2,474

4,279

6,629

9,578

9,787

34,101

Diesel and electric hybrid

86

4

1

1

1

465

558

122

283

259

715

1,321

2,402

5,102

Electric

Petrol or diesel plug-in hybrid electric

49,857

56 56

Road safety and fatalities 2021 Fatalities on Irish roads in 2020:

Fatalities on Irish roads in 2021:

147 -7%

transport report

Change in fatalities on Irish roads:

137

Fatalities on Irish roads by road user type, 2020 and 2021 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Driver

Passenger Pedestrian Pedal cyclist Mo torcyclist 2020

Other

2021

Source: RSA, 2022

Road freight transport 2020 Laden journeys made by Irish

Change in overall road freight

registered goods vehicles:

activity:

-8.2%

11.775 million

Overall road freight activity in 2020:

Overall road freight activity in 2019:

11.383 billion tonne-kilometres

billion tonne-kilometres

Total tonnage of freight transported by Irish registered goods vehicles: Total number of licensed hauliers in the State in 2020: Total number of licensed hauliers in the State in 2019:

3,799

12.403

140,998 million tonnes

3,787

Change in total number of licensed hauliers in the State:

-0.3% Source: CSO Ireland, 2021 57

transport report

Luas: A smart, sustainable way to travel “We have identified significant opportunity for the evolution of our overall maintenance strategy,” says Egan. “In specially established workshops, we asked employees for their opinions on the current practices within maintenance and what they believed needed to change.”

A data analysis was also conducted which reviewed manpower, facilities, tools, assets, and spare parts. Further workshops reviewed what worked well within current practices and what needed to be improved upon, as well as reviewing the organisational structure, with Transdev Group highlighting structures they use elsewhere which may be beneficial to use in Dublin.

Seamus Egan, Managing Director of Transdev Dublin Light Rail Ltd.

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Seamus Egan, Managing Director of Transdev Dublin Light Rail Ltd. (TDLR) offers an insight into how TDLR as operator and maintainer of Luas, Dublin’s light rail network, plans to optimise the service over the coming years.

Luas is a smart, sustainable way to travel and offers commuters a safe, dependable, frequent, and punctual travel option. The opportunity and, equally, the challenge now for TDLR is to improve performance without causing inconvenience to the customer. Egan says: “There are many ways in which we aim to improve performance.

“The spotlight will primarily be on maintenance, which we are currently transforming. Alongside this, extensive work is taking place on a replacement 58

programme for overhead line equipment, with both programmes being conducted in accordance with Lean Management Work Principles.”

TDLR took over responsibility for Luas maintenance on 1 December 2019, four months before the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic and the introduction of restrictions.

A key focus for TDLR will be making improvements by transforming how Luas maintenance is delivered.

These workshops resulted in a highlevel plan with five key pointers that form the basis of the Maintenance Transformation Plan. With the support of Transdev Group, the Luas Maintenance Transformation is now underway. The Maintenance Leadership Team is led by Pierre Gau, Asset Performance Director, and Judicaël Esmieu, Head of Transition.

What does the Maintenance Transformation Plan look like?

•

The first factor has already started with the designation of the new depot managers.

•

The second step saw the designation of daily planners and fleet coordinators to optimise our strategic planning delivery.

•

The third step may involve reviewing rosters with input from all relevant staff members.

•

The fourth step involves the expansion of our maintenance capability with newly created teams.

•

The fifth step will highlight new internal roles to allow our multiskilled technicians to grow within their teams.

Overhead Line Equipment and Replacement Programme

transport report

Alongside this change in Fleet Maintenance are the OHLE works (Overhead Line Equipment and Replacement Programme). There are two parts to this: replacing the older parafil support cables supporting the electric overhead power lines with a newer stainless steel cable type, in addition to rail replacement works.

The overhead line work is being performed by Pod-Trak (an OHLE design and installation company under contract to TII). The plan for 2022 is to complete works over the first two weekends of every month alternating between the red and green lines each month (two weekends on the Red Line then two weekends on the Green Line).

The rail replacement works include replacing curves that demonstrate signs of wear caused by the lateral forces from tram wheels as they turn over time.

The replacement works, scheduled for this year, normally involve a weekend shut down in the affected areas with replacement bus services feeding the temporarily closed Luas stops. These asset renewal works are essential for network upgrading and will increase the longevity of the Luas network.

Egan says: “It’s certainly an exciting and challenging time for Luas. All of this is happening amidst a return of customers to Luas, a labour market shortage, inflationary wage demands, supply issues, and continued Covid-related absenteeism.”

Customer experience

The TFI 90 Minute Fare, introduced by the NTA, is making an enormous difference for passengers. It is both convenient and beneficial and by reducing the fare even further in recent times, the whole customer experience has been truly enhanced.

“Last year during the height of the pandemic, we also undertook extensive training in lean management across the business from executive level to the shop floor,” Egan says.

TDLR now have a team of lean ambassadors assigned to supporting colleagues and delivering various projects following lean principles.

This has greatly reduced waste, increased productivity, and increased the number of decisions made in real time.

An excellent example of this is the monitoring of sand in the depot silos by newly installed sensors connected to a

smartphone app. This ensures full realtime visibility of an essential component of Luas trams.

Egan concludes: “My vision for Transdev is for all our work to be delivered in this way; to be smart, informed, and connected by digital technology in a culture of collaboration and accountability.

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“The continued return of customers is to be warmly welcomed,” Egan says.

“Every week we see the number of people choosing to travel by tram rising.

Recent changes to the fare structure make it even cheaper to travel by public transport.”

Lean management

“I look forward to the future.”

Transdev Dublin Light Rail Limited Red Cow, Clondalkin D22 C5P3 T: 01 4614 910 E: reception@tdlr.ie W: www.tdlr.ie 59

transport report

Transport legislative priorities and committee activity eolas surveys the legislative landscape for transport in 2022, with a number of bills included in the Spring Legislative Programme as well as a number of important committee reports published.

Legislative priorities Although none were included under the priority legislation heading, the following bills were included in the Spring Legislative Programme 2022: Air Navigation and Transport (International Aviation Agreements) (Amendment) Bill

To make legal provision for the Beijing Convention 2010 and the Montreal Protocol 2014 in Ireland

Heads in preparation

Horse Drawn Carriages Bill

To repeal the Dublin Carriage Acts 1853-55 and relieve An Garda Síochána of responsibility for the regulation and licensing of horse-drawn carriages in Dublin and assert the power of local authorities, including Dublin City Council, to regulate horse-drawn carriages within their respective functional areas

Heads in preparation

Large Public Service Vehicle Reform Bill

To streamline the procedure for the LPSV licensing framework and to eliminate overlap and duplication within the current LPSV licensing regime

Work underway

Marine Casualty Investigation Bill

To implement recommendations from the review of marine casualty investigation structures in Ireland

Work underway

Merchant Shipping (International Conventions) Bill

To provide for the national implementation of certain international maritime conventions, the updating of existing statutes in respect of other conventions and provision of some miscellaneous maritime safety amendments

Work underway

Railway Safety (Amendment) Bill

To amend the statutory limits for concentration of alcohol in blood, urine and breath for a railway safety critical worker and to update procedures for sampling and testing for intoxicants and associated procedures under the Railway Safety Act 2005 and a number of other updating provisions

Heads approved on 22 May 2018 pre-legislative scrutiny (PLS) has taken place

Road Safety Authority (Amendment) Bill

To amend the Road Safety Authority Act 2006 to update existing and add new provisions

Work underway

Taxi Regulation (Amendment) (Rickshaw) Bill

To regulate pedicabs to provide for improved public safety and enhanced passenger experience as a result of the wide-ranging concerns raised by multiple stakeholders including the public in relation to rickshaws carrying persons for reward

Heads approved on 6 November 2018 PLS has taken place

Although not included in the Spring Legislative Programme, the following Bill is also nearing completion: Air Navigation and Transport Bill

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To facilitate reform of safety and economic regulatory oversight of the aviation sector in Ireland by merging the safety regulation side of the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) with the Commission for Aviation Regulation (CAR) to create a standalone aviation regulator. The for-profit air navigation side of the IAA will become a separate commercial agency.

Also, to amend the regulation of airport charges in Ireland, strengthening regulation, governance, and enforcement.

Currently in the third stage of Seanad Éireann reading, having passed all Dáil stages

transport report

Committee activity The Joint Committee on Transport and Communications is made up of: •

Joe Carey TD, Fine Gael;

•

Duncan Smith TD, Labour Party;

•

Cathal Crowe TD, Fianna Fáil;

•

Ruairí Ó Murchú TD, Sinn Féin;

•

Michael Lowry TD, Independent;

•

Senator Lynn Boylan, Sinn Féin;

•

Steven Matthews TD, Green Party;

•

Senator Jerry Buttimer, Fine Gael;

•

James O’Connor TD, Fianna Fáil;

•

Senator Gerard P. Craughwell, Independent;

•

Kieran O’Donnell (Chair), Fine Gael;

•

Senator Timmy Dooley, Fianna Fáil; and

•

Darren O’Rourke TD, Sinn Féin;

•

Senator Gerry Horkan, Fianna Fáil.

Thus far, the Committee has published three reports in 2022: Annual Report 2020, Joint Committee on Transport and Communications

Published 14 March 2022

A report covering the 21 meetings of the committee between 30 September and 1 December 2020. Issues covered during this period included issues affecting the aviation sector in Ireland a briefing by department officials on the effects of Brexit an update on the National Broadband Plan and broadband phone connectivity.

Work Programme 2022

Published 14 March 2022

Covers work to be done by the committee for the remainder of 2022, including scrutiny of EU legislative proposals the examination of key policies such as the Climate Action Plan as it relates to transport through zero and lowemission vehicles.

Submission to the public consultation on the All Island Strategic Rail Review

Published 16 March 2022

A report covering the representations made to the committee regarding the review by organisations and individuals such as Iarnród Éireann, Translink, and Richard Logue.

Recommendations from the committee within the report include: that strengthening of all-island connectivity should be a key priority for the review that increased coordination between the departments of Transport and Housing, Planning and Local Government is needed to align planning that the Department of Transport carry out further economic appraisal with regard to the Western Rail Corridor that the Department reassess demand for services on the Limerick to Ballbrophy rail line and review existing timetables, investing in necessary upgrades that all disused rail lines be either recommissioned or established as greenways that the review consider the inclusion of the Western Rail Corridor and the North Tipperary line in the Iarnród Éireann Rail Freight 2040 Strategy that Iarnród Éireann and local authorities collaborate to ensure new investment is linked with active travel infrastructure development that the review consider whether current demand forecasting is comprehensive enough and that all forecasting models be transparent, with data and methodology published for each service and that Iarnród Éireann continue engagement and co-operation with An Garda Síochána to improve reaction time to personal safety incidents on rail services.

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Ireland’s rail revolution is underway

The placement of an order for the largest and most sustainable rail fleet ever signals a transformed future, writes Jim Meade, Chief Executive of Iarnród Éireann.

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Iarnród Éireann’s journey to being the backbone of Ireland’s sustainable transport network is underway.

In December 2021, the largest and most sustainable ever order of fleet for Ireland’s public transport network was confirmed as up to 750 new rail carriages are set to be delivered over the coming decade.

The contract for new electric and battery-electric trains, with an initial consignment of 95 carriages arriving from 2024, signal that Ireland’s rail revolution is underway. More trains, less carbon, more accessibility, less congestion, more frequency, capacity, and sustainability; these will be features of a transport network with rail at its core.

At the heart of our plans is DART+, supported by the Irish Government under the National Development Plan, and for which the major fleet order was placed.

Put simply, this investment will allow more trains to operate on all routes on our network, provide greater standards of accessibility, and allow for the 62

decarbonisation of all Greater Dublin Area rail services.

It will see: •

the electrification of the Maynooth, Hazelhatch, and Drogheda rail lines;

•

infrastructure works to allow more trains to operate, including at Connolly and Docklands;

•

integration with other public transport modes including proposed MetroLink and BusConnects programmes;

•

the transformative DART+ fleet order; and

•

all leading to a doubling of the carrying capacity of the Greater Dublin Area network.

Accessibility for mobility and sensory impaired customers will be a principle of all station and fleet improvements, and our largest ever lift renewal programme is underway. Investment in car and cycle park and ride facilities, and customer information will

also make our services easier to access and to use.

DART+ Programme project status Serving

Update

Next steps

Investment in infrastructure in the Dublin area will not only benefit Dublin commuter belt services, however. It will grow our ability to operate services right around the country. We are also ambitious to see journey time improvements on national routes, and targeted line speed improvement works are already taking place.

DART+ West

Maynooth/M3 Parkway to City, including new depot West of Maynooth

Public consultation complete

Railway Order application Q3 2022

DART+ South West

Hazelhatch to Heuston and Phoenix Park Tunnel

Public consultation complete

Railway Order application second half 2022

DART+ Coastal North

Connolly to Drogheda

First public consultation complete

Second public consultation second half 2022

Regional cities

DART+ Coastal South

Connolly to Greystones

Emerging preferred option being developed

First public consultation commences late 2022

DART+ Fleet

New trains for all DART+ routes above

Contract awarded to Alstom

First carriages arrive 2024

As part of the Government’s National Recovery Plan, €185 million is to be invested in the Cork commuter rail network, under the EU-funded Recovery and Resilience Plan, allowing Iarnród Éireann to increase the Cork commuter rail network’s capacity through: •

Double-tracking Glounthaune to Midleton;

•

Developing a new through platform at Kent Station for through running for Mallow to Midleton/Cobh; and

•

Resignalling the Cork commuter network.

In Galway, funding under the Urban Regeneration Development Fund (URDF) includes: •

•

investment of €9.3 million for a 1km passing railway loop at the existing Oranmore Train Station, which will allow the busy commuter link between Athenry and Galway to grow, in advance of our ambition for full double-tracking of the section in the future; and Ceannt Station will be regenerated as part of a major €40.3 million Galway City Council Transport Connectivity project.

In Limerick, the completion of the city’s own transportation hub centred on Colbert Station will also boost services, and the Limerick Shannon Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy has detailed the

opportunities provided by the network of rail lines around Limerick City.

Waterford’s Plunkett Station will be relocated to be part of an integrated transport hub under plans to develop the city’s North Quays.

Rail Freight 2040 and Rosslare Europort Iarnród Éireann’s new Rail Freight 2040 Strategy has also been published, which aims to achieve: •

A five-fold increase in the number of rail freight services, to include over 100 new weekly services across the rail network;

•

A resulting reduction of 25,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually, with rail freight emissions per unit as little as 16 per cent of HGV emissions; and

•

Avoiding the requirement for 140,000 HGV journeys on our roads annually, as well as helping the supply chain which is facing a shortage of HGV drivers.

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Project

National network

well as the European Union’s Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy and EU Green Deal, and supports the national decarbonisation goal of a 51 per cent reduction in emissions by 2030.

Iarnród Éireann is also port authority for Rosslare Europort, and its status as Ireland’s gateway to Europe has been confirmed with 30 services operating directly between the port and Europe each week.

Up to €350 million is set to be invested in the Port and its environs, which comprises: •

Rail Freight 2040 aligns with Project Ireland 2040, the Climate Action Plan, as •

€150 million in a series of existing projects, including: o

Rosslare Europort Masterplan, including port digitalisation, to include new freight and passenger facilities, storage, export and import facilities, berth extension;

o

Office of Public Works Project T7, to develop a permanent border control post within the port; and

o

New TII N25 Rosslare Europort Access Road.

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An ambitious €200 million plan to become Ireland’s offshore renewable energy hub, with the port uniquely placed to support the development of the industry in the Celtic and Irish Seas.

The direction of travel, and acceleration of momentum, is clear. Our journey to our sustainable future is to a destination which will benefit our country, our environment, our communities, and our society as a whole, and everyone is welcome on board.

W: www.irishrail.ie E: IENews@irishrail.ie 63

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RSA enforcement of commercial and passenger transport sector engagement with the Department of Transport, particularly in relation to developing the new Transport Strategy which is due to be launched later this year, the European Commission, and other enforcement agencies in the State and in other jurisdictions. In addition, RSA engages with national and European agencies concerning legal and policy developments in respect of road transport matters coming within the scope of the RSA’s remit.

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The RSA Enforcement team comprises transport officers and vehicle inspectors.

Transport officers enforce the driving and resting time rules, and regulations dealing with operator licensing, cabotage (national haulage for hire and reward by out of state operators) and driver Certificate of Professional Competency (CPC). Vehicle inspectors inspect vehicles for adherence to minimum roadworthiness standards.

The enforcement team in the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has responsibility for enforcing and promoting compliance with commercial vehicle, driver, and operator specific road transport laws.

Both transport officers and vehicle inspectors carry out their functions via mix of roadside and premises inspections.

These laws relate to:

RSA officers use a risk rating tool to help decide which vehicles should be inspected, which minimises disruption to compliant operators. This tool takes account of the operator’s compliance history with the RSA over the previous three years based on the results of any roadside/premises encounters, results of CVRT tests, prosecution history (where appliable) and the obligation to submit an annual self-declaration to the RSA. Operators are assessed separately for roadworthiness and tachograph and licensing compliance with a red/amber/green rating assigned to each.

•

driving and resting time, and tachograph regulations;

•

operator licensing including cabotage;

•

driver Certificate of Professional Competence (Driver CPC); and

•

commercial vehicle roadworthiness.

They work in partnership with An Garda Síochána as their key enforcement partner to maximise compliance which includes putting in place annual 64

commercial vehicle enforcement plans to ensure at a minimum Ireland meets its obligations derived from European law in respect of minimum inspection thresholds as set out in actions 152 and 154 of the Road Safety Strategy (RSS) Phase 1 Action Plan.

They also partner with industry and vehicle operators via a commercial vehicle operator advisory panel to review and address enforcement and compliance issues as set out in action 181 of the RSS Phase 1 Action Plan.

This partnership approach also includes

Roadside inspections are carried out in partnership with An Garda Síochána who stop vehicles for inspection on their behalf. Checkpoint locations are chosen having regard to commercial vehicle traffic volumes, proximity to transport hubs, seasonal factors as well as health and safety considerations.

Inspections take place anytime including outside core business hours and weekends. In 2021, for example, the RSA team participated in approximately 1,700 checkpoints in collaboration with An Garda Síochána countrywide, 20 per cent of which took place outside core business hours.

transport report

When carrying out premises inspections, RSA officers do not rely on An Garda Síochána. Operators can randomly be selected for inspection, or targeted when investigating/following on complaints received, or in following up on a roadside encounter.

Where non-compliance is detected, RSA officers have a range of options available to them to secure compliance.

They can be applied both at the roadside or when on private property.

They include offering advice and education, to enforcement action which could involve issuing direction notices, prohibitions, giving oral/written warnings, directing vehicles to authorised tachograph workshops/CVRT centres for repair, including undertaking follow-up premises inspections and/or as a last resort initiating court prosecutions.

Where required, RSA transport officers initiate their own prosecutions for breaches of the drivers’ hours, tachograph, operator licensing or driver CPC Regulations, whereas RSA vehicle inspectors act in an advisory capacity to An Garda Síochána in respect of roadworthiness matters found during roadside checks. Prosecutions for roadworthiness related offences arising from roadside encounters are initiated

by An Garda Síochána.

Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030

During this same period the RSA vehicle inspector team recorded a 50 per cent roadworthiness compliance rate which quates to one in every two vehicles inspected having some form of a defect present. The main defects encountered include damaged or excessively worn tyres, followed by lighting, steering, and braking related defects.

Ireland’s fifth government Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030 aims to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries on Irish roads by 50 per cent over the next 10 years. This means reducing deaths on Ireland’s roads annually from 144 to 72 or lower and reducing serious injuries from 1,259 to 630 or lower by 2030.

With minor defects excluded, roadworthiness compliance improves to approximately only one in every three

The strategy is the first step in achieving the 2020 Programme for Government commitment of bringing Ireland to Vision

Zero, the elimination of all road deaths and serious injuries on Irish roads by the year 2050.

One of the core pillars of the strategy relates to safe work-related road use.

Actions relating to this area in the 20212024 action plan aim to improve partnerships and enhance data sharing amongst key stakeholders not only regarding fatal and serious injury collisions, but also in relation to compliance and enforcement matters, and adherence to statutory responsibilities for safe work-related road use. They will also promote the use of safe work-related road use policies across government and key stakeholder agencies, and the use of vehicle safety standards for public procurement for public and commercial transport.

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In terms of compliance, rates are relatively stable year on year. During the period from 2019 to 2021, the RSA Transport Officer team recorded a 65 per cent compliance rate at the roadside in respect of the inspection they carried out. The main infringements detected include not taking adequate breaks, drivers not using their driver’s card correctly or attempting to use somebody else’s card, and exceeding daily driving time limits.

vehicles inspected having a defects or defects present, and whilst minor defects may not have a significant impact on the safety of the vehicle, they should be spotted if drivers are carrying out effective daily walk around checks before setting out on their journeys.

Theses checks are essential in preventing potentially dangerous vehicles from causing serious or possibly fatal collisions on our roads.

T: 096 25000 E: info@rsa.ie W: www.rsa.ie

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A pathway to one million EVs by 2030 The Department for Transport is to establish an office for low or zero emission vehicles to coordinate efforts to have one million EVs on Irish roads by 2030.

Plans to establish Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland (ZEVI), within the Department, were announced as part of the Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Strategy 2022-2025 consultation, which closed at the end of May 2022.

The new office will oversee the delivery of the four categories of charging infrastructure outlined in the pathway, aimed at serving different user needs, including: •

home/apartment charging;

•

residential neighbourhood charging;

•

destination charging; and

•

motorway/en-route charging.

The Climate Action Plan sets out an ambition to have almost one million EVs on Irish roads by 2030 (€100 million allocated to 2025) and the strategy has been

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developed to ensure that EV charge point infrastructure provision remains ahead of demand.

At present, around 80 per cent of EV charging in Ireland is done at home and while the Department expects this to continue, the Strategy recognises “a significant gap” in relation to the provision of publicly accessible charging infrastructure and the need to meet growing demand.

This growing demand is already evident. In 2021, over 15 per cent of new vehicle registrations in Ireland were EVs and in the first two months of 2022, Central Statistics Office figures show that this figure had risen to 25 per cent for the first two months of 2022.

Three broad areas have been identified for action to drive delivery and stimulate EV infrastructure availability. Alongside public sector actions such as EV penetration of the public fleet and cross-government co-ordination of charging infrastructure and

Car Private Charging

2040

2039

2038

2037

2036

2035

2034

2033

2032

2031

2030

2029

2028

2027

2026

2025

2024

2023

2022

Car Public Charging

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120,000 100,000 80,000 60,000 40,000 20,000 2021

MWh per Week

Demand for electricity for EV charging

Goods

Source: Department of Transport, Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Strategy 2022-25

stakeholder engagement to integrate industry, the Strategy says that government funding supports will be required to “stimulate targeted EV charge point roll-out, address gaps in EV provision and ensure a comprehensive network for all as the EV market develops”.

Although looking out to 2030 and beyond, the Strategy is targeted at delivery and actions between now and 2025, and review intervals have been built in. The first review will take place in 2025 and will deliver a detailed plan for continuing EV charging infrastructure delivery from 2026 to 2030.

Ireland’s current network of around 2,400 publicly accessible charge points operated by several service providers is less than half the current average EU level of provision. Although home charging is considered the most cost effective and convenient way of charging EVs in Ireland, around a quarter of the car owner population have no access to private off-street parking. As EV uptake accelerates, home charging is expected to remain the most common form of charging the majority of vehicles, but the Strategy recognises the need to provide the same benefits of home charging to those who cannot.

Residential on-street charge points; cocharging; destination charge points; enroute charge points; fast taxi charging hubs; and publicly accessible heavyduty vehicle charge points are solutions

identified for national and local government to facilitate.

EV Infrastructure Energy Group,

The Department says that the new ZEVI office will be responsible for the strategic coordination of EV policy, regulation and taxation; management of EV grants and incentives, and the Delivery Plan for the EV Infrastructure Strategy. Initially, the office will bring together the range of grants currently being administered by a range of organisations but, with expectation of grants being phased out as a result of EVs achieving price parity with traditional cars, “it is expected that the delivery of charging infrastructure will be the main focus of ZEVI for the second half of the coming decade”.

and energy sector stakeholders and

It is intended that ZEVI will establish an

expected in Q4.

bringing together government, agency convene an interdepartmental and interagency EV Infrastructure Delivery Group. Finally, it is intended that ZEVI will establish a new multistakeholder task force, to enable a public-private partnership approach to EV infrastructure delivery. All of these groups are expected to be in place by Q3 2022.

ZEVI is expected to be established within the Department by summer 2022, with the final EV Infrastructure Strategy published in Q3 of the same year. An implementation plan is

Timeline of Strategy

Launch Funding Schemes

strategy

Establish ZEVI

194,000 EVs on the roads

Infrastructure Delivery

Revise and Update Strategy

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transport report

The next decade will challenge our thinking and behaviour on transport infrastructure and, as a result, on quality of life. Congestion, long commutes, and increased vehicle emissions are symptoms of these problems.

We speak often, as a city and as a society, about sustainability, but Dublin’s current path is not sustainable. It is clear that, without new thinking and new behaviour, the fruits of the success we have worked so hard to grow risk becoming the causes of failure.

Buses are vital to sustain urban growth

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Dublin is a vibrant city with many natural advantages as a location which make it attractive for people to visit, live in, work in, and build their lives around. I know this only too well myself because 26 years ago, I moved from Romania to start a new life and career in Dublin, writes Sorin Costica, Head of Operations for Dublin Bus. We have vibrant communities, a robust economy and a unique spirit and sense of humour in our city. This is a source of tremendous pride for us all in the capital, especially for Romanian Dubs!

The results are plain to see. We have bounced back from the ravages of a global pandemic. We now have busy shopping streets, buzzing restaurants and bars where record numbers of visitors receive a world‐renowned welcome from the locals.

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We have newly constructed office buildings designed by award‐winning architects and they are slowly filling with people who have travelled from dozens of different countries to live and work here, often following significant investment by global businesses eager to invest in a progressive and competitive city.

Dublin’s success, however, has placed significant pressure on services and

Buses represent one of the best forms of transport to meet Dublin’s needs into the future. They are flexible to demand, relatively low‐cost and the most adaptable to a city with a low‐density sprawl such as Dublin. Buses can be deployed quickly and can increase the overall capacity of the system more rapidly than any other modes of transport. Designing the city to the benefit of public transport users will provide benefits for all. It will ease congestion, reduce pollution and emissions and lead to much greater consistency and predictability of journey times.

As the city develops, it is of critical importance that bus infrastructure is ready as new housing is delivered. All our experience shows that pre‐planning bus services engenders good transport habits when people move into an area.

This means we will have to persistently increase the capacity of the system as the city grows.

This is what the National Transport Authority’s (NTA) BusConnects network project is designed to do. Dublin Bus has played a leading role in delivering three phases of the Network Redesign project and will in the coming months deliver phases four and five. I’m proud of our role in assisting the NTA with BusConnects but elements of this project can be implemented more

quickly. High quality 24/7 bus services are needed to deliver a truly all-day and all-night city. The broader economic and social needs of the city justify accelerating the introduction of 24/7 services on Routes such as 46a, 155 and others. This will allow operators and customers to build on the success of 24/7 Routes 15, 39a, 41, C5, and C6.

Investment is only one part of the puzzle. Dublin’s population is due to increase by more than 400,000 before 2040. The competition for public space will grow more intense. Residential space, business space, road space for pedestrians, bus users, Luas users and private cars will be at a premium. The rate of growth of the city is going to create the dynamic where we will have to make difficult choices. In that context, the city’s relationship with the private car, especially those with internal combustion engines and diesels, will have to change. The status quo can’t continue. It is impossible to resolve our congestion issues unless we embrace new concepts such as active demand management of accessing the city. Now is the time to generate a consensus around this issue.

Demand management involves taking active steps to either restrict or apply some form of charge to private car movements. It can take the form of congestion charges, outright bans on cars for certain places, parking levies or restricting access to city corridors based on air quality or carbon emission grounds. Measures like this will be necessary in the coming years. This is not out of any desire to punish car drivers but because there is a growing realisation that without drastic action, the

“Buses represent one of the best forms of transport to meet Dublin’s needs into the future.” city will become unmanageable, and both the economy and environment will suffer.

What is certain is that any efforts to introduce this must be well‐planned and those affected given alternative options, but it is time to start that conversation and to try to build a social consensus around the right approach. We can all accept the status quo is not working, but as a city, we also need to take the time now to drive a consensus behind what can be, and is, workable for the city. As custodians of the city’s public transport needs, we want Dublin and its people to thrive.

Merging technology and transport As someone who grew up in a village served by only one bus an hour, punctuality and reliability were must haves, or the bus was gone. Over the past 30 years Dublin Bus has consistently adopted technology like RTPI to ensure that reliability, frequency, and punctuality are core elements of the customer experience. Going forward the ability to easily pay for and use public transport will be essential if we are to attract people towards public transport and away from private car.

provided to customers, which in turn is also enabling changes to the business models of traditional service providers like Dublin Bus. The availability of unlimited data and the widespread use of mobile phones enables us to deliver a greatly enhanced customer experience. Harnessing this technology and using it to develop new, innovative services is a key part of the company’s vision to become the delivery partner of choice for state and private partners. The benefits include enhanced urban living opportunities, reduced congestion, improved air quality and reduced noise pollution. A better Dublin and a better public transport system.

That’s the prize for us all.

W: www.dublinbus.ie Twitter: dublinbusnews

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Demand management

transport report

We are doing this to help the city now and to ensure its sustainable growth into the future. One obvious initiative which can deliver tangible benefits in both the short term and longer term is to engender sustainable mobility habits in young people. Encouraging public transport use as the default option will result in better carbon management habits by 2030. Policymakers could and should embrace the concept of making public transport free to all users under the age of 18. This would represent a short‐term financial cost but should be considered an investment that will deliver a handsome return to society. It would provide a terrific incentive for a new generation of environmentally conscious consumers.

Similar to other sectors, technology is changing the way transport services are 69

transport report

Hydrogen and transport The potential of hydrogen in fuelling transport is well known, but widespread uptake of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles is still a decade away.

Transport emissions make up 27 per cent of total greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union and accounted for 17.9 per cent in 2020 in Ireland, although this figure was impacted by Covid-19 and was recorded at 20.4 per cent in 2019.

Moreover, in 2018, the sector accounted for 40 per cent of energy related CO2 emitted.

The European Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, signed into European law by the European Commission in December 2020, aims to decarbonise the transport sector, with the first aim of having 30 million zero-emission vehicles on European roads by 2030. Full carbon neutrality is aimed at for 2050. Hydrogen is set to play a key role in this transition, with the communication from the Commission on the strategy stating: “Manufacturers are also investing into hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, particularly for use in commercial fleets, buses and heavy duty transport. These promising options are supported under the EU energy system integration and hydrogen strategies as well as the strategic action plan on batteries… Rail transport will also need to be further electrified; wherever this is not viable, the use of hydrogen should be increased.”

Hydrogen is used to power fuel cells, the most common of which used in vehicles is the polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell. The membrane is used to separate oxygen and hydrogen within the fuel cell, with the oxygen collected by the positively charged cathode and the hydrogen collected by the negatively charged anode.

Hydrogen molecules break into protons and electrons via an electrochemical reaction, with the positively charged protons traveling to the cathode and the negatively charged electrons to an external circuit, providing power to the battery and propelling a battery-powered vehicle. This method produces no exhaust emissions.

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HGVs are much less suited to electrification due to the weight of the loads carried, which would require larger batteries; given that HGVs are weightrestricted, this would mean that for every extra tonne of battery, a tonne less of cargo could be carried, and batteries have been estimated to weigh as much as 15 tonnes in this case as compared to 550kg for passenger vehicles. Hyundai shipped 10 of the world’s first hydrogen powered lorries to Europe in summer 2020, operating on mileages of 248 miles.

Such pilot schemes have also been occurring in Ireland, with the National Transport Authority unveiling three new hydrogen fuel cell double-decker buses to be used for commuter services in the Greater Dublin Area in July 2021. The buses are built in Ballymena, County Antrim, where 20 hydrogen buses were unveiled as part of a zero emissions fleet by the northern public transport operator, Translink, in March 2022.

Both the Climate Action Plan 2019 and its 2021 update acknowledge the importance of hydrogen, but the 2021 version notes that the electrolysis

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Hydrogen fuel cells are capable of powering all modes of road transport, from personal cars to HGVs, trains, ships and airplanes. Hydrogen fuel cells have been found to be more efficient than typical petrol or diesel combustion engines, with 60 per cent efficiency topping 25 per cent for the latter; however, both are bested by the 80 per cent efficiency of pure electric vehicles.

This efficiency, as well as the status of hydrogen as a premium and thus costly fuel, means that fuel cells are unlikely to drive Ireland’s push towards the decarbonisation of its public transport, with electrification expected to be the solution for at least 70 per cent of the transition in that sector. It is expected that hydrogen will still play an important role in this area, offering flexibility in both fuel reliance and long-distance travel and frequency.

technologies needed for the production of green hydrogen are still in development and that costs of production and supply of hydrogen remains high. Hydrogen is thus relegated to “further measures” within the Plan rather than “core measures” and is identified as having a negative business case. Given this status, and the focus of the Government on existing technologies such as windfarms and electric vehicles, industry had called for a government hydrogen strategy, which resulted in the publication of the Green Hydrogen Strategy Bill in February 2022.

The Strategy earmarks hydrogen for use in both the gas network and transport, but the inefficiency of using hydrogen to heat homes has been highlighted by industry, with district heating, heat pumps, and electrification thought to be better answers for anything below 300oC. In its report, A Hydrogen Roadmap for Irish Transport, 2020-2030, Hydrogen Mobility Ireland acknowledge that hydrogen rollout is a long-term goal but stress the necessity to begin work as soon as possible in order for it to be ready for widespread use for 2030.

While hydrogen remains a premium fuel for the time being, and thus unsuitable for widespread rollout as is, projections for both hydrogen supply and vehicles suggest that the total cost of hydrogen vehicles will match conventional vehicles by the late 2020s should fuel cell vehicles receive the same policy incentives as standard electric vehicles.

In order for hydrogen to be economically viable, it must be rolled out at scale, and thus Hydrogen Mobility Ireland has stated that it is necessary to roll out a smaller number of larger stations.

With questions still surrounding the storage of the technology once it is possible to produce it at large scale in Ireland, the message from industry is clear: it is past time to begin planning in earnest.

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Ireland and Emovis: Delivering ground-breaking mobility solutions

One of the impacts of the Celtic Tiger was a surge in car ownership. By 2008, there were 2.5 million cars on Ireland’s roads and most of them used the M50, Ireland’s busiest road and the hub of the motorway network. It became apparent to TII that Advertorial

the traditional tolling infrastructure on the M50 was not fit for purpose.

They turned to Emovis to deliver and operate an innovative barrier-free tolling system – the first in Europe – to eliminate the queues, saving time and reducing emissions. The new barrierfree tolling system fitted seamlessly into Ireland’s interoperability management service provider (IMSP). This system, allowing motorists to pay any toll charge 72

on Ireland’s 11 toll roads through one account, has also been operated by Emovis since 2013.

Having launched its cutting-edge technology free flow solutions in Ireland, Emovis has brought the benefits of freeflow tolling around the world with operations established in the UK and

new projects starting in the US and Qatar.

The Emovis-operated IMSP system quickly became a ground-breaking success story in free flow mobility and a welcomed solution to millions of motorists travelling on Ireland’s roads.

By 2019, the system had over 60 million tag transactions annually, and a 30 per cent increase in total number of transactions. IMSP has also been crucial in improving the environmental impact of Ireland’s road network as tag owners travel on the Irish motorway network without having to stop or queue at a barrier considerably cutting CO2 emissions. Also, customers have single tag accounts with all the records of their transactions greatly reducing the number of physical receipts being issued.

Emovis: among the top 100 companies in Ireland Emovis, currently operating different mobility solutions in 10 countries across the world, has been the preferred partner of many local authorities because of its long-standing expertise and reputation in implementing highlevel engineering solutions, using the latest and most efficient technology.

The company offers solutions that focus on future mobility-related challenges.

This includes the implementation of a low emissions zone (LEZ) and congestion charging. LEZ is a tariff based on the pollution of the vehicle in an urban area, while congestion charging is a tariff based on the use of the space in a certain period in an urban area. Both solutions help address important environmental challenges.

Emovis’s work also focuses on road

user charging (RUC). To capture fuel tax loss from electric and hybrid vehicles, agencies typically implement one-time registration fees. RUC programmes as an alternative to these registrations. In the United States, Emovis is currently operating RUC programmes in the states of Utah and Oregon with a third programme in Virginia to launch in July 2022.

“There are some social trends and scarce resources that require existing mobility solutions to evolve, impacting tolling,” says Stephen McCarthy, CEO of Emovis Ireland. “Since day one at Emovis, we’ve strived to challenge the status quo and change what’s possible.

There is no ‘one size fits all’ solution.

Knowing this has allowed us to broaden our horizons, look at problems from multiple angles and constantly challenge the status quo in collaboration with our clients.”

eflow customers was to help increase unregistered customers make one off toll payments, pre-pay toll passages and sign up to receive reminders. The success of the app helped Emovis develop a similar solution for motorists in the UK. The company is deploying enforcement capabilities to manage onstreet parking for local authorities.

Projects such the Mersey Gateway Crossing or IMSP have also been critical to developing the company’s unrivalled enforcement capabilities. The company has developed a series of enforcement products and services ensuring maximum scheme compliance and revenue collection, crucial to maintaining and improving road infrastructure.

Building from this expertise, Emovis is currently developing a solution to manage on-street parking, which it hopes to deploy with local authorities in Ireland and the UK.

Importantly, the work of Emovis helps to create jobs. In the United Kingdom, Emovis has been working with the Halton Borough Council and the Mersey Gateway Crossings Board since 2017 for its tolling services in the Mersey Gateway and the Silver Jubilee Bridges between Runcorn and Widnes near Liverpool. Earlier this year, it was announced that this partnership would be extended to 2029, securing the jobs of over 100 people in the region.

Emovis’s presence in Ireland has been beneficial to both local authorities and to the company, as the country has become a pioneer in mobility solutions and Emovis has been able to test and implement the latest technology and most efficient solutions. The successful partnership has been recognised by organisations including the reputed Business and Finance Top 100 Companies Index which included Emovis in its 2022 edition.

The success of this project was partially possible thanks to the experience gained from Emovis’s work in Ireland. In 2017, Emovis launched eflow, one of the first tolling mobility apps in the country.

The objective for creating an app for

Stephen McCarthy, CEO Emovis Ireland T: +353 87 299 7256 E: Stephen.mccarthy@emovis.ie

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With over 700 employees across 10 countries, Emovis operates some of the largest electronic tolling infrastructures in countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Puerto Rico, Canada, and Qatar.

“Since day one at Emovis, we’ve strived to challenge the status quo and change what’s possible.

There is no ‘one size fits all’ solution.”

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The desire to provide an excellent customer experience to all toll users in Ireland was an important factor that led Ireland’s TII to partner with Emovis, a well-known and established company in electronic tolling and smart mobility solutions, to operate the IMSP. Emovis provides services centred around customer, i.e., the driver, experience, which is impacted most by different systems and technology solutions.

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Speakers: Stephen Prendiville, EY Ireland; Jessica Dunne, Fridays For Future; Kevin O’Sullivan, The Irish Times; Magdalena Sedlmayr, Fridays For Future; Peter Thorne, Maynooth University and Irish Climate Analysis and Research UnitS Group (ICARUS) and Cormac Murphy, European Investment Bank.

Irish Climate Summit 2022 The annual Irish Climate Summit took place recently in the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel, Dublin on Wednesday 26th May. Delegates heard from a number of local and visiting speakers including Ossian Smyth, TD, Minister of State for the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Public Procurement, eGovernment with special responsibility for Communications and Circular Economy; R. Andreas Kraemer, Ecologic Institute; Hannah Daly, University College Cork and Pete Lunn, ESRI. The summit brought together key stakeholders from across the sector as they discussed the latest ambitions, challenges and opportunities of Ireland’s response to the climate crisis.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank our summit sponsor, EY Ireland, all speakers, delegates and exhibitors who joined us and made the summit a huge success.

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Brian Murphy, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with Catherine Joyce O’Caollai, Indaver Ireland.

Dorothy Maguire and Bailey Talkington, EY Ireland.

Hannah Daly, University College Cork with Paul Price, Dublin City University.

Mark Emmerson, Queen’s University Belfast and AllIsland Climate and Biodiversity Research Network, with Ger Breen, Bord na Móna Plc.

Keith Magee, Global Action Plan speaks with an attendee at the Global Action Plan exhibition stand.

R. Andreas Kraemer, Ecologic Institute, Minister Ossian Smyth TD and Cara Augustenborg, Ireland’s Climate Change Advisory Council.