New EU infrastructure policy - Ten-T

Scofflaw

Not sure if this has come up, but future EU transport infrastructure planning document came out today:

In the most radical overhaul of EU infrastructure policy since its inception in the 1980s, the Commission has today published new maps showing the nine major corridors which will act as a backbone for transportation in Europe's single market and revolutionise East–West connections. To match this level of ambition, EU financing for transport infrastructure will triple for the period 2014–2020 to €26 billion.

We're on the North Sea - Mediterranean route:



More information here: http://ec.europa.eu/transport/themes/infrastructure/news/ten-t-corridors_en.htm

I presume this means that EU transport infrastructure funding will be aimed primarily at the Belfast-Dublin-Cork axis.

cordially,
Scofflaw

Kumsheen

Looking at that map, Germany seems to have the lions share of routes. Look at France compared to Germany for example.

Scofflaw

Kumsheen wrote: »

Looking at that map, Germany seems to have the lions share of routes. Look at France compared to Germany for example.

Sure, it's a crossroads. If you want to go from Scandinavia to anywhere south, you go through Germany. Holland/UK/Ireland/Belgium to anywhere east, you go through Germany. North-East Europe to North-West Europe, the same.

Plus, population density - excuse the crudity of the map overlay:



cordially,
Scofflaw

murphaph

Kumsheen wrote: »

Looking at that map, Germany seems to have the lions share of routes. Look at France compared to Germany for example.

It's because it's in the middle like

murphaph

I wonder is there anything in the bag for the inter-connector. It sits right on the Cork-Belfast axis.

purplepanda

So according to the EU Western & South West England, all of Wales and South Eastern Ireland are not important enough to justify decent connections and transport links?

Might as well close all ferry links & railways in those regions then? :pac:

dowlingm

Decent != EU top level priority. If the densities common to the areas mentioned had to be crayoned in the map would be nothing but crayon.

cgcsb

Kumsheen wrote: »

Looking at that map, Germany seems to have the lions share of routes. Look at France compared to Germany for example.

Germany has double the population density of France and it's population is far more evenly spread where as France's population is extremely centralised in Paris and to a lesser extent Lyon.

Also as another poster pointed out Germany is the geographic cross roads of the EU. The densely populated Belgium and Netherlands also have their pick of routes.

cgcsb

purplepanda wrote: »

So according to the EU Western & South West England, all of Wales and South Eastern Ireland are not important enough to justify decent connections and transport links?

Might as well close all ferry links & railways in those regions then? :pac:

The EU Ten-T links set priorities for route improvements and investment, it doesn't mean that other routes are not important.

dowlingm

Up north Danny Kennedy is moaning that Derry didn't get included. For feck sake if it wasn't that there had to be something for everyone there's a chance Belfast-Cork mightn't have been either.

cgcsb

dowlingm wrote: »

Up north Danny Kennedy is moaning that Derry didn't get included. For feck sake if it wasn't that there had to be something for everyone there's a chance Belfast-Cork mightn't have been either.

That's a bit silly really. Nowhere in Denmark other than Copenhagen got a look in, same with Norway and Finland etc. and we're more geographically isolated than any of those places. Ireland relies entirely on air and sea for international travel.

I'm surprised Cyprus got a mention actually, the only country more physically isolated than us.

dowlingm

cgcsb wrote: »

I'm surprised Cyprus got a mention actually, the only country more physically isolated than us.

Even Malta did - like I said - something for everyone!

_Kaiser_

So what does this mean for Ireland in practical terms then seeing as we already have rail and motorway links between Cork, Dublin and Belfast?

Can't see them upgrading the M8 as it's underutilised anyway, the M7 could do with some work between Dublin and Portlaoise alright, and I haven't been to Belfast in ages but isn't that direct now too?

Rail - again, hasn't there been work on improving journey times between Dublin and Cork in recent times too? The expense of it is what puts most people off I'd imagine and unless the money is to subsidise tickets I can't see that changing considering you can drive Dublin-Cork in 2 hours.

How's the link between here and the UK to be managed? More ferries or something?

cgcsb

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

So what does this mean for Ireland in practical terms then seeing as we already have rail and motorway links between Cork, Dublin and Belfast?

Can't see them upgrading the M8 as it's underutilised anyway, the M7 could do with some work between Dublin and Portlaoise alright, and I haven't been to Belfast in ages but isn't that direct now too?

Rail - again, hasn't there been work on improving journey times between Dublin and Cork in recent times too? The expense of it is what puts most people off I'd imagine and unless the money is to subsidise tickets I can't see that changing considering you can drive Dublin-Cork in 2 hours.

How's the link between here and the UK to be managed? More ferries or something?

As far as I'm aware it's simply setting out which routes are targeted for investment.

As you say this could equal an upgrade of the N/M7. The A1 between Newry and Lisburn is not motorway standard so this may be improved.

As regards rail, I'd imagine the EU will be contributing towards DART underground and electrification of the Cork and Belfast lines. They won't be subsidising tickets.

You can't drive between Dublin and Cork in 2 hours legally.

The cost of a Dublin Cork ticket is less than/competitive with virtually any similar journey in the EU. If you book ahead you can get a great deal. I would say investment will intiallly be targeted at improving journey times.

omicron

Improving the section of the N/M7 from the M50 to the M9 junction will surely get a look in? Specifically the section that is 2 lane.

Aard

I wonder if infrastructure relating to Dublin Port and Dublin Airport is covered too, considering they're the only way to use the dotted line to Liverpool.

Copyerselveson

We have seen that TEN-T funding partially paid for the Dart Interconnector plans so if that is being considered as part of the Belfast-Dublin-Cork route then this makes me more optimistic that the Interconnector will be built.