Greater Dublin Area Draft Transport Strategy 2011-2030

13.3 FundingThe unprecedented economic circumstancesprevailing in Ireland at the time of the adoptionof this Strategy, will clearly mean that the level ofavailable funding for investment in transport overthe early years of the Strategy will be significantlyless than anticipated under prior investmentplans and programmes. The Strategy has beendeveloped mindful of these circumstances andconstraints.The 84 measures set out in the Strategy comprisea mix of high cost projects and low cost plus zerocost projects and initiatives. Considered overall,the majority of the Strategy measures are eitherlow cost or, indeed, zero cost proposals, with alimited number of high cost capital projects onlyproposed where, ultimately, the future transportdemands require such investment to deliver thenecessary long-term capacity in the transportsystem. The delivery of many of those high costschemes can, and will, extend over many years –it is not a prerequisite of the Strategy that theyare delivered in the early years of the Strategy.The Strategy is not intended to represent a shorttermsolution to the transport deficiencies inthe Greater Dublin Area. Instead it representsa long-term framework for the developmentof transport in the Greater Dublin Area up to2030. Irrespective of the nature of the currenteconomic difficulties, it is important that thelong term objectives and goals for transport inthe region are appropriately established and thateach investment moves incrementally towardsdelivering the overall outcome.Accordingly it is envisaged that the componentelements of the Strategy will be delivered on aphased basis over the period of the Strategy. Theexact pace of delivery will be dictated by the levelof available funding and will be established in thevarious Implementation Plans over the period ofthe plan.Section 14(5) of the Dublin Transport AuthorityAct (2008), provides that the Minister forTransport, in consultation with the Minister forFinance, will provide guidance on multi-annualfunding arrangements. The Authority will havefull regard to such guidance in preparing theImplementation Plan.While the availability of capital funding is bothnecessary and welcome, there is a continuedneed to support service delivery and to ensurethe appropriate maintenance of the infrastructureassets developed under the Strategy. TheAuthority will seek to achieve effectiveand efficient maintenance and operationalarrangements so that the necessary high-qualitylevels of service are offered to the public. Thiswill be essential to ensure that public transport(as well as cycling and walking) will make theirexpected contribution to the achievement oftransport policy and objectives.13.4 Integrating Transport andLand Use PlanningTransport planning can only be successful if itis integrated with land use planning. Spatialpolicies aimed at reducing both the need totravel and distance travelled by locating futureregional populations closer to their employment,education and shopping opportunities are required.Conversely, provision of high capacity publictransport can only be effective if matched withappropriate development patterns within itscatchment. Accordingly, it is vital that land useplanning and transport planning are fully aligned,both spatially and over time.To this end the Strategy sets out, in Chapter8, various land use planning objectives andrecommendations that are aimed at integratingtransport and land use planning in a coherent andconsistent way.As required under Sections 81-95 of the DublinTransport Authority Act (2008), the Authority willfulfil its role in participating in the preparation ofthe Development Plans of each Planning Authorityin the Greater Dublin Area, and will ensure thatplanning proposals are consistent with, and supportChapter 13: page 2 www.2030vision.ie