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Impact of Covid on Irish Mega Projects (BusConnects, Metrolink, DART+)

  • 28-09-2020 10:46am
    #1
    CatInABox
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 10,225 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    Ugh. Public transport needs €460m to keep running, Eamon Ryan warned.

    The article includes info such as:
    The briefing note has also warned the Government does not know how much the State’s three planned “mega-projects” will cost, despite the fact work is already under way.

    The National Development Plan, published in early 2018, put aside €8.6 billion over 10 years for a number of projects and programmes including BusConnects, the Dart expansion and MetroLink.

    However the initial financial estimates were “based on very early-stage, conceptual-level estimations and were not underpinned by robust cost-estimation processes”, Mr Ryan has been warned.

    The briefing says that “it is to be expected that costs estimated in the robust manner envisaged for these mega-projects will differ considerably from high-level, conceptual-level costings.

    “Since publication of the National Development Plan, work has continued on all three of the mega-projects; however, the department has not yet received the preliminary business case in respect of any of the three mega-projects with BusConnects Dublin being the first of the projects expected to reach that stage later in the year.”


    Disappointed to see this come up now. I can't think of a better way to improve the chances of an economic rebound than these projects, so hopefully he's bringing this up to prepare others for the sticker shock. Even if they are expensive, they are still very much needed. Covid isn't going to be around forever (not even medium term in my opinion), so we'll still need a better way of transporting people around Dublin


Comments

  • #2
    roadmaster
    Registered Users Posts: 3,575 ✭✭✭roadmaster


    CatInABox wrote: »
    Ugh. Public transport needs €460m to keep running, Eamon Ryan warned.

    The article includes info such as:




    Disappointed to see this come up now. I can't think of a better way to improve the chances of an economic rebound than these projects, so hopefully he's bringing this up to prepare others for the sticker shock. Even if they are expensive, they are still very much needed. Covid isn't going to be around forever (not even medium term in my opinion), so we'll still need a better way of transporting people around Dublin

    I nearly forgot Eamon was in government he has being so quiet


  • #3
    marno21
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 14,341 Mod ✭✭✭✭marno21


    Nothing surprising in that really. Detailed design hasn't been completed on any of the 3 projects, so exact costings aren't available yet.

    In saying that, if Metrolink doesn't go ahead under a Green transport minister, will it ever?


  • #4
    Pete_Cavan
    Registered Users Posts: 6,693 ✭✭✭Pete_Cavan


    Yet only a couple of days ago Ryan was waffling on about the rail line from Mayo to Foynes which would cost a couple of hundred million for the sake of a freight train or two each day. If he was any use, Ryan would be reiterating how important these projects are (economically, socially, sustainability, etc) to ensure that the other parties in the government of which he is part don't look at them as easy targets for cuts. He should be doubling down on these projects which are reaching a critical point now, not flying kites about projects which are a decade (or more likely several) away.


  • #5
    Zebra3
    Registered Users Posts: 13,846 ✭✭✭✭Zebra3


    https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/national-development-plan-set-for-review-and-new-10-year-timeframe-1.4392732

    Not looking good.


  • #6
    CatInABox
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 10,225 Mod ✭✭✭✭CatInABox


    Zebra3 wrote: »
    https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/national-development-plan-set-for-review-and-new-10-year-timeframe-1.4392732

    Not looking good.

    No way of knowing until it's all done and dusted, but from all the talk out of government circles, it's actually looking ok. This is a standard review that was set down ages ago, and they seem to believe that the NDP is going to be part of the Covid stimulus package.

    If it was any other kind of recession, I'd be worried, but I'm pretty confident that almost everything in the NDP will be funded, and in fact I wouldn't be surprised to see projects moved forward/more added in.


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  • #7
    marno21
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 14,341 Mod ✭✭✭✭marno21


    Zebra3 wrote: »
    https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/national-development-plan-set-for-review-and-new-10-year-timeframe-1.4392732

    Not looking good.

    Not remotely negative.

    The existing NDP was published in February 2018 using 2017 data. A lot has changed since then and it needs refreshing

    1. Projects that were more conceptual at the time are now in detailed design and their funding profiles have changed (Metrolink, BusConnects, DART Expansion)
    2. The construction timelines have changed and the year to year funding requirements are now known.
    3. Beyond the short term, some projects are now more advanced and previous commitments to fund planning and design only now require construction funding.

    The original NDP only set our detailed budgets out to 2022 so some kind of refresh was needed anyway.

    From a public transport perspective, here’s what I see happening

    1. Detailed year to year funding profiles for the implementation of MetroLink, DART Expansion and BusConnects infrastructure
    2. Funding for the construction of Luas Finglas
    3. Increased funding for the Cork and Limerick public transport projects
    4. Increased funding for the cycling elements of the GDA transport strategy and the Cork/Limerick ones.


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