Car congestion in Dublin is as chronic as it was four years ago, despite an €800 million investment in transport in the greater Dublin area under the National Development Plan.
An Government-commissioned report reveals that an increase in public transport capacity in the capital has not succeeded in reducing the number of cars on the streets. The report warns that further investment is needed to expand the Dublin Bus fleet.
Titled Evaluation of Public Transport Policy - prepared by Indecon International Economics Consultants and published in August 2002 - the report shows that 72 per cent of trips in Dublin in 1997 were taken by car. But this only decreased to 71.9 per cent last year.
"This suggests that the increase in public transport capacity and higher passenger numbers in selected areas has not yet reduced car dependency and the car's modal share," the report, which has been seen by The Irish Times, says."In this respect the impact of the programming is disappointing."
The report says a reduction in peak-time car trips into Dublin should be the focus of the National Development Plan transport policy mid-term review next year.
"The current level of congestion and the projected growth in the greater Dublin area transport demand suggests that reducing congestion is a considerable challenge.
"Reducing the car's share of trips will require significant further increases in suburban rail and bus capacity, along with improvements in services in order to provide alternatives to the car."
The report, carried out by Indecon economic consultants, says non-infrastructural initiatives, such as integrated ticketing, should be looked at as a means of reducing the number of cars. Since 2000, more than €800 million has been spent on transport policy under the National Development Plan.
The report states that the average daily passenger numbers for Dublin Bus showed only a marginal change last year compared to 1998, especially in morning peak time passengers.
"Given the growth in population, this is an issue which requires on-going monitoring as part of the review of the public transport investments," it says.
The report reveals that progress in financial investment in relation to the Dublin Bus programme has been behind schedule for the last two years.
Last year only 69 per cent of the investment forecast was forthcoming, mainly due to delays in garage construction projects due to planning problems. The report calls for the expansion of the Quality Bus Corridor network to be a "key priority" and says the newly-established QBC unit should bring forward plans quickly. Additional funding should also be made available for increasing the QBC network. Investment in the bus network and QBCs represents value for money in combating congestion, the report added.
"All the relevant bodies should address the factors that hinder further expansion in the fleet and the extension and improvement of the QBC. This may offer the most effective and best value-for-money short-term response to alleviating congestion."
The report warns that the increased Dublin Bus fleet has resulted in high costs not being covered "by current revenues". The expansion of the fleet could be affected unless funding improves.