National Development Plan Sectoral Investment for Transport: 2026-2030

Does anybody have more details on these projects?

How many trains are they buying!!!!!???

An 8-coach train is maybe 20m to buy?

Yes, every station should have two platforms and two tracks.

Where are the remaining level crossings on the Dublin-Cork line?

Some reports coming through today from Dublin Green Party about where the funding cuts are expected to hit.

Dart+ SW, Dart+ Maynooth, Luas Finglas, Cork Luas.
I have no published detail but have been told Cork Pathfinder (City to Dunkettle) greenway is not being funded. Apparently all pathfinder projects are in similar jeopardy because they had Eamon Ryan championing them, so that's maybe 25 ish projects, depending on their states of progress.

Not sure yet what else has been defunded, we'll find out in time I guess.

It's a shame, I feel it didn't really need to be this way. The approved roads projects shouldn't have been interfered with last time, and the approved sustainable projects shouldn't be interfered with this time.

It is beyond a joke if that's what happens with Dart SW or Dart North.

Re WRC, we shouldn't underestimate the game changer Oranmore passing loop will be. Current "maximum" capacity is 1 train every 40 minutes per direction. In practice, it's one train per hour per direction on average, with a gap of 1hr 20mins leaving Galway in the morning. That will improve to one train every 20-25 minutes with the passing loop.

There’s no evidence of defunding actually. The spending on public transport is going up 5x-6x per annum. The sums are huge. The original NDP allocated €2bn to fleet plus the lines out to 2027, it didn’t guarantee all funding for them. The range here is €2bn-€3.1bn, maybe more if D+ W increases beyond the tender price. Additionally money has already been spent on both the fleet and the planning stages from that original €2bn.

The D+ cost base is 6 to 7 years ago so it’s clear they’re hedging here to a degree.

That’s not evidence of a cut in funding when the facts are laid out.

The 2021 iteration of the NDP earmarked €2 billion in funds across the line upgrades and the fleet over 10 years. It never specifically funded all of the lines and the fleet, just to advance them. The estimated cost was €2.6 billion less VAT based on the 2019 PBC. Choices would always need to be made and full costing were made.

Since then an additional €100m has been spent on the planning and design process for the lines along with the near €400m committed on the fleet. I’m not sure how much or the letter has actually been spent. Effectively some of the original €2 billion has been spent but we can assume a lot of it is pushed into these 5 years.Now they’ve put in an effective €2bn to €3.1bn range for these projects over 5 years. The fact of the matter is that the D+ estimates are years old now, it doesn’t have near the level of scrutiny over it cost wise as MetroLink. I think we should pay close attention to what D+ West comes out to as part of the Tender process and that will give us a clue if D+ SW can commence earlier. Even if you look at the document it suggests €1 billion plus for D+ West. They clearly don’t know yet. The old costings were €2.6 billion for fleet and the lines less VAT, now this could be even more than €4.1 billion.

In reality it was always nonsense to think all these projects would start within 5 years. Both from constraints on labour and also cost. The overall funding for Public Transport was €12 billion over 10 years, the new effective amount is nearly €500 million more, except over 5 years.

To me getting the supposedly “cut” lines all done within a decade would be doing very well.

I’d also remind you that elements of D+ SW fall within MetroLink like Cross Guns station and Spencer Dock.

Not true. Read the NDP. DART W, N and S have potential commencements in that time.

Maybe read the report before stating things with such confidence?!

What are you on about? There is a real world things called constraints. You were WRONG on the defunding pointing and don’t seem to get this. My point is that the funding has increased, but there is absolutely a lack of clarity on the final pricing for D+ W (see the €1 billion plus tag). When we see the tender we might be surprised on the actual price is and what might he moved forward in advance. At the moment they quite clearly have bolted on some more inflation to that project.

In terms of what I mentioned, those two stations can handle D+ SW trains. So my point is that it’s not like this project will have a standing start. It’s not like AtkinsRéalis and others won’t be doing nothing as one of the already appointed teams on the project either.

The ending on “our reputation” - snore, you didn’t even read the report and are here acting all high and mighty?! Get off the stage.