The National Development Plan 2007-2013

mike65

Some light reading.

Taoiseach s' Speech

PDF summary of plan

PDF complete text

Mike.

MLM

Just had a quick look. One thing I noticed is that the Dublin to Cork road will now be upgraded to full motorway standard. This makes more sense than having it half motorway/ half HQDC. One major item which does not seem to have political backing is the regeneration of the cork docklands. Other gateways have a mention of docklands regeneration/ port relocation but not Cork. This is a huge issue as the re-development of the Cork docklands area is a key component of the Cork Area Strategic Plan. What is holding up the docklands redevelopment at the moment is the fact port activities have not yet been relocated to Ringaskiddy. I can't see a reference to port relocation. If this is not on the agenda then it will be a major setback to the effective development of Cork as a gateway.

Victor

MLM wrote:

One thing I noticed is that the Dublin to Cork road will now be upgraded to full motorway standard.

Where does it say this?

MLM

It's in the PDF summary of the plan on page 28.

road_high

Can I just say what a load of rubbish I think the new NDP is. Read it, it's simply a combination of the previous (undelivered) NDP, the National Spatial Stategy, Strategic Rail Review and Transport 21 all rolled out once more.

There's nothing new in the NDP. Where are radical plans like making some of the single rail lines double track, like the Waterford Kildare line for instance?
They should finish and achieve whats set out in the afore mentioned plans before bringing a new one...

OfflerCrocGod

mfitzy wrote:

They should finish and achieve whats set out in the afore mentioned plans before bringing a new one...

That would take effort and hard work while on the other hand announcing new plans takes nothing at all.

mike65

Some points raised in Finfacts article

Up to €4.6bn of the €18.5bn of taxpayers' money that will be spent on new main roads over the next decade will go into the pockets of landowners. Fred Barry, chief executive of the National Roads Authority is reported as saying that the increases in the cost of land for major roads projects as "disturbing".

Land acquisition accounts for 23% of the cost of roads projects in Ireland, but just 12% in England, 10% in Denmark, 9.4% in Greece. A further 2% of the €18.5bn provided in the Government's Transport 21 for road building over the next decade will go to archaeologists.

ESRI Ex-ante Evaluation

On the matter of costs and efficent spending, this from the summary

Value for Money (VFM)

The bulk of capital projects are now being delivered on or below budget and, in some instances, ahead of schedule. Building on this performance, all expenditure under the NDP 2007-2013 will be subject, as appropriate, to a robust Value for Money framework.

Key elements of this framework include:

All projects will subject to project appraisal to ensure that NDP programme objectives and Value for Money are being achieved;

All capital projects over €30 million will require a full cost benefit analysis in line with the Department of Finance guidelines of February 2005;

New procurement arrangements which will deliver greater cost certainty for public capital projects;

NDP Programme Evaluations and Value for Money and Policy Reviews will be published and submitted to the relevant Select Committees of the Oireachtas; and

As provided for under the Budget and Estimates Reform proposals set out in Budget 2006, all Ministers will submit an Annual Output Statement with their Annual Estimates to the relevant Oireachtas Committee. This will detail target outputs for the Estimates and the following years’ Statement will set out achievements against target. This process will encompass Exchequer funded NDP spending.

This robust and transparent process will be augmented by the new requirement for the submission of an Annual Report on NDP progress to the Oireachtas where it will be subject to debate. Other factors such as the Strategic Infrastructure Act 2006 and extra judicial resources will also impact positively on Value for Money, delivery and implementation.

I wonder can we hold them to the above?

Mike.

Stark

MLM wrote:

One thing I noticed is that the Dublin to Cork road will now be upgraded to full motorway standard. This makes more sense than having it half motorway/ half HQDC.

HQDC is motorway standard without motorway restrictions. The PDF refers to the road as the M8/N8 so it won't be all motorway.

Celtic Warrior

The NRA are planning to allow speed limits of 120 kms along alot of the HQDC's that are been built on normal DC's this is not possible.

Also there is a chance that the NRA will eventually upgrade all HQDC's to motorway as these are quiet similar anyway.

Victor

Celtic Warrior wrote:

The NRA are planning to allow speed limits of 120 kms along alot of the HQDC's that are been built on normal DC's this is not possible.

What does this mean?