The Government's National Development plan launched yesterday described by ministers as “gigantic” promises 165 billion euro in funding for a range of projects over a 10-year period.
There's a 35 billion euro investment in the transport system, which promises to transform how the country travels and halve its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
Public Transport
Public transport will get 12 billion euro in funding, with road projects receiving six billion euro and walking and cycling routes receiving four billion euro.
Local Authorities will share in a yearly allocation of €360 million a year to support new and improved walking and cycling infrastructure by 2025, as well as additional investment in greenways – the largest ever investment in active travel infrastructure.
Green Party TD for Waterford, Marc Ó Cathasaigh says it will improve our quality of life:
“In Waterford, we will see Bus Connects rolled out in the city, bringing with it immediate benefits to the city and surrounding areas. It will make public transport easier to access and more attractive to use. The Sustainable Transport Bridge and new Plunkett Station (both of which have already been committed to) will be at the centre of reliable rail service in the south east as a result of increased investment in the inter-urban and regional rail network.
"It is expected that the Western Rail Corridor will begin in Waterford and this will enhance connectivity within the region. It will open up the South East for commuters, students and tourists alike with improvements in journey times, enhanced frequency and reliability and maintenance across the system.”
“This is a National Development Plan for a cleaner, greener, better-connected Ireland. It puts us firmly on the path to cutting emissions in half by 2030. Every project in this NDP has been climate assessed and aims to meet our climate targets and to deliver a carbon neutral Ireland by 2050. These investments will make it easier for us to meet our climate targets as we invest heavily in walking, cycling and public transport, to give people cheaper, healthier and safer options for going about their daily lives.”
In Waterford, work has commenced on the development of the Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy for the city, which, as with all the cities, will provide the strategic backdrop to the increased levels of investment, planned in the coming years.
Housing/Health
This National Development Plan (NDP) places a focus on many key areas such as housing, healthcare, jobs, transport and climate across all regions.
Four billion euro in State funding will be available for housing projects nationally from 2021 to 2025.
As part of this 58 new social housing units in Slievekeale in Waterford city have been included among the short-term projects financed under the plan.
Under 'Major Projects', two Waterford building projects are listed, the development of the Dunmore wing of University Hospital Waterford which has been completed and the development of WIT's new engineering, CIT and teaching building. The much talked about WIT building will increase the capacity of the institution by 1,037 students and the project is due to commence in 2022 and be completed by 2024.
pic: Wayne Brown
Regeneration
The NDP lists the regeneration of Waterford's North Quays and Tramore town centre among the projects already to have received funding under the Urban Regeneration Fund. While projects with provisional funding support from URDF include the regeneration of Waterford city centre at a cost of €27,661,564.
The Rural Regeneration Fund has the renewal of Cappoquin Town listed at a cost of €1,207,500
Roads
Among the road projects listed in the NDP is the N24 between Waterford and Limerick. Appraisal and planning on sections of the route have already begun, with the potential options of the route between Cahir and Limerick Junction available to be viewed on the project website. The NDP has listed the N24 improvement as 'subject to further approvals' as well as a section of the N25 between Waterford and Glenmore.
Senator John Cummins says the N24 route which will be a vital piece of infrastructure for both the South East and Mid-West regions:
"A core priority under the National Planning Framework is the essential requirement to enhance and upgrade accessibility between urban centres of population and their regions, in parallel with the initiation of compact growth of urban centres. This will have a crucial role to play in maximising the growth potential of the regional urban centres and the economy as a whole.
“It would have been nonsensical to remove such a strategic roads project from the National Development plan, particularly as it can double up as an alternative route to Cork, utilising the existing M8 motorway.
Addressing Minister Ryan in the Seanad earlier this year Senator Cummins said it was one of the worst national primary routes in the country:
" The consultation documents for the Cahir to Limerick route, which closed last week, stated that the average speed of cars on the route currently stood at a pathetic 60 km/h to 65 km/h. Data show collisions on the route are higher than average. As the Minister knows, the target in the national planning framework is that inter-urban travel speed should be at least 90 km/h. We have a long way to go to get this route is up to the required standards."
It is expected that the N24 between Cahir and Waterford will have their route options available for public consultation in November.
The full plan is available here
