Driven for you. Transport report. Sponsored by

Transcription

1 Transport report Sponsored by

2 Dublin Bus The number of customers on buses in Dublin tracks the employment levels in the city very closely. Over the last 18 months there has been a significant improvement in customer numbers on Dublin Bus services. Growth in customer numbers will be 5 per cent this year on top of 3 per cent growth last year, we haven t seen figures like that for almost a decade, observes Ray Coyne, Chief Executive of Dublin Bus. Last year we carried 122 million customers which is two thirds of all public transport users in Ireland and we have an ambitious target of 25 per cent growth in customer numbers over the next five year period, he adds. The company s business includes both public service routes and commercial services. On the public service side of the business the key elements for customers are safety, reliability, frequency of service and the issues of fares and information. When you get these five things right you are on track to attract larger numbers of customers, says Coyne. Advertorial 54 Dublin Bus Chief Executive Ray Coyne talks to eolas about the growth in customer numbers over the past 18 months and the importance of the bus in attracting people to use public transport. In addition to delivering on these core elements, Dublin Bus looks to innovate its services. It redesigned its network a number of years ago, which was then the biggest network change in any city in Europe and took two years to implement, between 2010 and We redesigned the whole network to meet customers needs and demand. In terms of innovation it really shook up our business. We went from a radial network with buses departing from the city centre and going out to the suburbs to a crosscity network whereby buses go from suburb to suburb via the city centre, comments Coyne. Growth A key element of the company s objectives to grow the business is attracting new customers to their services through initiatives such as improving priority for buses, which will in turn reduce journey times. The drive towards modal shift is focused on attracting people from the suburbs, particularly at peak travel times, and getting them into the city centre. We are looking to introduce initiatives to

3 significantly improve journey times making the bus a viable alternative to the car. There is a place for the car in the city but with the limited road space available, you have to maximise that space for the most amount of people. We plan to introduce new express services this year that will significantly reduce journey times for customers, he continues. The other part of the plan for growth is focused on the company s commercial services division, where it is the market leader in what is a highly competitive environment. The commercial services division is primarily made up of the city open-top tour business that has been buoyed up by increasing numbers of tourists visiting the city. It has been a great achievement that we have stayed at the front of that business for 29 years. As in any business, market leaders get imitated and you then have to innovate to keep ahead of the competition. That creates an exciting environment to work in and it also challenges us, says Coyne. The latest addition to our tours is the introduction of a new 1916 tour which is doing exceptionally well. Dublin Bus has partnered with award winning Production Company, Anu, to provide customers with a theatrical experience on the tour bus, which Coyne describes as theatre on wheels. The commercial services business also includes the Airlink 747 service which connects Dublin Airport to the city centre. Since January services on the route have increased by 15 per cent and there are now 200 trips per day. The popularity of the service is due to the fact that it is the cheapest and also the quickest bus service into Dublin City Centre, we are offering a high quality service at a low price. In addition to Airlink 747 there are a number of public services operating at Dublin Airport. There are a range of services operating from Dublin Airport. There is a normal public service route (Route 16) that takes one hour into the city centre and costs 2.60 with Leap Card, and for those wanting to get there quicker there is the Airlink 747 with a 10 return ticket and that takes 25 minutes, explains Coyne. This summer will see the introduction of a new Airlink route that will operate from the airport via the Port Tunnel to the Camden Street area in the south of the city, with a 30 minute journey time. With both these services there will be a bus leaving Dublin Airport for the city centre every six minutes. Last year we carried 122 million customers which is two thirds of all public transport users in Ireland Encouraging public transport use There are a number of strategic elements to modal shift which is a key element of both Dublin City Council s vision for the city and The National Transport Authority s (NTA) National Transport Strategy 2016 to The bus has led the way within Dublin with 122 million journeys last year making Dublin Bus the largest provider of public transport in Ireland. One of the advantages the bus has is that it is very adaptable. The bus can adapt very quickly to changes in demand; We saw this with the growth over the last 18 months, where we have added additional resources very quickly, says Coyne. The bus can also work around infrastructure projects or major events, which have become a feature of any modern city. The bus, being flexible, allows you to service customers with major infrastructure projects such as the LUAS Cross City project or the 1916 centenary commemorations which saw significant changes to bus routes in the city. Over the four days of events we worked with a range of stakeholders and chaired the transport council for all the 1916 events. We were able to facilitate large numbers of people coming into the city, says Coyne. The flexibility of the bus has always been useful in extreme weather conditions such as flooding and snow, the bus can adjust its route and still get people to and from work. With government looking to invest in public transport, Coyne points out that bus investment is the least capital intensive of public transport modes, you can get a lot more value for money and can yield results relatively quickly Advertorial

4 Advertorial 56 Another benefit he highlights is the fact that you can invest in bus transport to gauge demand before investing in other modes of public transport. While the introduction of Quality Bus Corridors (QBC) has been very successful, in order to ensure that all road users are accommodated on our roads new initiatives have to be introduced to deal with the current congestion levels in the city. QBCs have traffic light priority, with technology on the bus changing the traffic signals on approach. This has led to a waiting time reduction of up to 41 per cent at particular junctions. When operating a route that is 10 to 12 km you can get significant time savings. In addition to a faster journey you get a consistent journey time that doesn t vary day to day and people can really rely on the bus, adds Coyne. Dublin Bus plays a key role in encouraging people away from private car use and on to public transport but other modes of transport have their part to play also. Cycling has a role as part of the overall transport strategy and has also health benefits for users. There is also a role for car sharing and car pooling and Coyne sees these as very much complementing public transport. It is unlikely that roads in the city centre will be widened and therefore traffic management plans must find the best way for all road users to be accommodated in the best way possible. Dublin Bus has worked closely with Dublin City Council and the NTA on At the core of modal shift you have to make public transport a real alternative to private car transport making the most of that space to achieve significant improvements, with schemes such as the contra-flow bus lanes on the Quays which have improved travel times through the city centre. There is also the need for greater multiple public transport offerings to get a bigger modal shift in the future. Customer engagement Customer engagement is also a key part of Dublin Bus s growth strategy over the next five years. The company has introduced a very successful smartphone app which has had over 1.5 million downloads. The provision of quick and user friendly information is an important part of the customer experience, says Coyne. The company has also invested in its fleet over recent years and it now has a modern fleet that is fully accessible. In 2000 we started to introduce low floor vehicles and then introduced audio announcements to the fleet. We now have a wheelchair and buggy space on each bus. Dublin Bus has partnered with disability agencies and NGOs such as Age Action Ireland to further improve services for people with disabilities. This includes the introduction of the Travel Assistance scheme, the only such scheme in Ireland. The service is suitable for people with a disability or a mental health issue who may be wary of using public transport. Under the scheme a trained employee comes to the home of the person and helps them re-engage with public transport and it is free for users. We get great feedback on the scheme with the amount of users taking advantage of the scheme increasing every year adds Coyne. b DublinBusNews

5 Date for your diary! Infrastructure Ireland Delivering the next generation of infrastructure Tuesday 27th September 2016 Radisson Blu, Golden Lane, Dublin The Infrastructure Ireland conference will examine the key elements required to successfully deliver the next generation of infrastructure. In the short term, investment will bolster employment and in the longer term, investing in strategic infrastructure projects will be key to ensuring Ireland s ability to compete globally, enhance our connectivity and give us the potential to sustain the recent economic recovery. In September 2015 the Government announced its capital spending plan Building for Recovery worth an estimated 27 billion in direct investment over the next six years, and expected to create around 45,000 jobs during the construction phase. In addition, the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund, established just over 16 months ago to invest the 7.5 billion remaining in the National Pension Reserve Fund is in advanced discussions with, or has committed to, 53 different investment opportunities with a combined value of 2.4 billion. However, ensuring that Ireland s infrastructural needs are met is not without its challenges, with many feeling that current and planned spending is still too low. After years of reduced government investment, there are a number of critical infrastructure gaps that need to be addressed sooner rather than later. Key issues examined Sponsorship opportunities Priorities for investment: Addressing Ireland s infrastructure needs Supporting the delivery of major infrastructure projects Funding options and overcoming the challenges of delivery Future outlook for the PPP market Effective procurement to improve the delivery of projects Infrastructure investment for sustainable economic growth Sectoral updates: health, education, energy, housing and transport Future outlook and delivering the next generation of infrastructure There are a limited number of opportunities for interested organisations to become involved with this conference as sponsors. This is an excellent way for organisations to raise their profile with a key audience of senior decision-makers from across Ireland s public, private and voluntary sectors. For further information on packages available and speaking opportunities at the event call Lynda Millar on Full programme to be announced soon...

6 Shaping Ireland s land transport network The Head of the Public Transport Investment Division, Ethna Brogan explains how the Capital Investment Plan will impact upon public transport and road network investment. Published last September, the Capital Investment Plan sets out the state s investment plans over the next six years. However, recognising the significant lead in times for many transport projects, the transport element of the plan covers the next seven years. Of the 10 billion allocated to the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, 9.6 billion has been allocated for transport investment. Of this 9.6 billion, roads will receive 6 billion of investment with public transport receiving 3.6 billion. As the Head of the Public Transport Investment Division, Ethna Brogan is confident this funding will deliver the main objectives of the transport investment programme. The main objectives of this programme are to develop and maintain transport networks to the required standard to ensure the safe and efficient movement of people and freight, to add appropriate capacity to the network to meet growth in demand and to encourage modal shift to ensure transport makes a contribution to Ireland s climate mitigation targets. Evidence based targets While Brogan acknowledges that these targets may sound aspirational she is adamant they have a sound evidence base, framed by the department s Strategic Framework for Investment in Land Transport (SFILT). The framework was developed following the financial crisis when capital transport funding fell to historically low levels of 0.5 per cent of GDP. In this context, the SFILT set out to determine the appropriate levels of investment and define the priorities and principles to guide allocation of future 58

7 The cost of repairing areas is ultimately higher than the cost of steady state investment. investment. The results were published last summer. The first of the framework s recommendations was to restore investment levels to 1.15 per cent of GDP. The primary focus of this framework is on achieving steady state maintenance of the strategically important elements of the existing land transport networks in an effort to keep the system in an adequate position and condition for the efficient transport of people and goods. The second priority is to address urban congestion and the third is to maximise the contribution of land transport networks through targeted investments aimed at improving connectivity and increasing the attractiveness of public transport. Having completed the SFILT was important for the department as it entered into negotiations with DPER on the new capital plan, said Brogan. It provided an evidence based estimate of the annual funding requirements for the land transport network to maintain infrastructure at steady state levels which was an important starting point for the department in those negotiations when there are so many competing demands for funding. Investment Of the 6 billion allocated for investment in the road network over the period of the plan, 4.4 billion is required for steady state maintenance of existing national, regional and local roads. This steady state investment is important, states Brogan. The implications of failing to maintain the network is evident in the current degradation of parts of the network and the cost of repairing these areas is ultimately higher than the cost of steady state investment. A significant amount of the fund ( 600 million) has also been allocated to the development of PPP road projects including the N17/18 Gort to Tuam scheme and the N25 New Ross By-Pass. A further 860 million will fund priority projects targeting the removal of bottlenecks such as the M7 Naas- Newbridge road widening scheme and the N59 Moycullen By-Pass. Similarly, a number of schemes are targeted at facilitating industry and employment such as the improvement of the road network at Grange Castle Business Park. Turning her attention to public transport investment, Brogan notes how the programme upholds the principles of the government s smarter transport policy and how the department worked closely with the NTA when revising the investment plan. As a result, 2.6 billion of the 3.6 billion to be invested in public transport will be spent on maintenance and asset renewal while the other 1 billion will be spent addressing congestion and bottlenecks. Towards the end of the seven year plan we will have scope to start some major new projects, states Brogan. But in the earlier years we are looking at completing the projects already underway and maintaining steady state levels. With regards to the rail network, the infrastructure management contract of the heavy rail network is managed by Irish Rail. The investment required to maintain a steady state accounts for almost 20 per cent of total steady state costs for the entire inland transport network and while admitting the network is not being maintained to this standard at present, Brogan is adamant that this level of investment will be reached over the next seven years. With increasing passenger numbers, the bus is the workhorse of the public transport system. The bus is, and will remain the key public transport mode in the greater Dublin area and across the state, notes Brogan. Investment has been targeted at fleet replacement and capacity enhancement, infrastructure development and upgrading a small number of routes to Bus Rapid Transit but there would be little point in making this investment if buses are going to sit on congested city streets, so investment will also be targeted at improving bus network infrastructure. Reflecting on the overall impact of the Capital Investment Plan on the land transport network, Brogan acknowledges that funding in the immediate future remains constrained but by 2020 the funding will allow steady state levels to be reached across the network. Thankfully the expanded time horizon that the department secured in its negotiations with DPER will enable us to make progress on some new projects to support competitiveness and economic growth, says Brogan Importantly, it will also help us in our efforts to meet our climate change targets and commence construction on some new major projects including Metro North in the final years of the plan. 59

8 Transport Ireland in pictures Peter Walsh, Transport Infrastructure Ireland; Edgar Morgenroth, The Economic and Social Research Institute; Ethna Brogan, Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport; Graham Doyle, Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport; and Daniel FitzPatrick, Gas Networks Ireland. Jack Sheehan, JSA Ltd and Derval Cummins, EY. Bob Laird, Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport with Graham Lightfoot, Clare Accessible Transport. Paul Bennett, IBI Group and Michael O Connor, Scheidt & Bachmann Ireland ltd. Brendan Keating, Port of Cork Company and Kevin Brady, Department of Communications, Climate Change and Natural Resources. John Fingleton, Fingleton White. Brian Caulfield, Trinity College Dublin and David O Keeffe, Arup. Kieran Kelly and Geraldine Fitzpatrick, Transport Infrastructure Ireland. 60 Edgar Morgenroth, The Economic and Social Research Institute; John McGrath, Department for Regional Development, Northern Ireland; Graham Doyle, Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport; Derval Cummins, EY; and Declan Meally, Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland. Tim Gaston, National Transport Authority and Ian Byrne, Systra.

9

10 Going greener: rail transport delivers sustainability The land footprint per passenger is very low, compared to car transport; this leads to less construction work. Rail vehicles are very durable, returning very long service lives for the materials and energy invested in them; Advertorial Railways in Ireland and internationally has always delivered an environmentally sustainable mode of transport. Iarnród Éireann is working to further enhance the green credentials of taking the train. Transport in Ireland particularly commuting sees large numbers of single occupancy cars in use. Congestion, air and noise pollution, health and lifestyle issues and accidents are the result. However, public transport provides a sustainable alternative, and railways are one of the most sustainable forms of transport for many reasons: Trains are a fuel efficient method of transport; fuel usage and emissions per passenger / tonne kilometre are low. electric railways such as the DART represent the cleanest form of powered transport; emissions relate only to the energy source used for generating power. Trains can move large numbers of people in comfort into and out of cities, and between cities; it is fast and generally free from congestion delays. traveller productivity is enabled, as the traveller does not have to drive and can work while travelling. it is not unusual to operate vehicles for 40 years, covering millions of kilometres over their lifetime the original DART fleet from 1984 for example continues to operate safely and reliably every day on our network. Noise emissions from railways are less intrusive than road transport; the noise from road tyres is the most significant noise polluter. It is eminently suited to moving heavy freight loads overland; it is particularly good for large tonnage and long distances. This mode of transport sustainable by design has continued to focus as an industry on reducing emissions further. Progress made by railways in the past decades have resulted in average emissions falling by more than a fifth, significantly above alternative modes. Energy Efficiency in Iarnród Éireann Iarnród Éireann has made huge inroads in the area of Energy Efficiency over the past number of years, to the extent that Iarnród Éireann has already passed the Government s target of 30 per cent improvement to be achieved by Iarnród Éireann is achieving a reduction in total energy consumption of 272 GWh per year, compared to the baseline; this 62

11 equates to 27 Million litres of diesel oil per year saved, which represents a 36 per cent reduction. This is not an achievement which results from a reduction in economic activity as train kilometres operated have marginally increased over this period. This is an exemplar performance, and it continues with further projects to achieve more savings, but even greater savings can be achieved with the electrification of the railway. The DART expansion project is a series of projects which would develop and expand the DART network in the Greater Dublin Area, building on one of Ireland s great public transport success stories, the DART. The programme includes: the DART Underground line, a highcapacity second DART line running underground through the heart of Dublin city; electrification of the northern commuter line from the existing end of the DART network in Malahide on to Drogheda; electrification of the line from Heuston to Hazelhatch and completion of the four-tracking of this line between Inchicore and Park West; electrification of the line from Connolly to Maynooth, together with removal of level crossings and resignalling; expansion of fleet and depot facilities. This will result in a high-capacity integrated rail network across the Greater Dublin area which will meet the transport needs of our communities and our economy, and prevent chronic congestion which would damage both. It has the potential to treble the capacity of the rail network passing through the heart of Dublin, and connect all rail modes DART, Commuter, Intercity, Luas and forthcoming Metro to from a truly integrated network. It would also expand the most sustainable form of land transport electrified rail - from 43 per cent of rail journeys in Ireland to over 70 per cent of rail journeys. The project is currently being reviewed by Iarnród Éireann and the National Transport Authority to provide a lowercost technical solution whilst retaining the essential rail connectivity. Design and planning is being advanced to ensure construction can commence after 2020, as pressure on our urban transport capacity accelerates. Mode Protection of the Environment Environmental sustainability does not just stop at fuel consumption and emissions. Iarnród Éireann is responsible for maintaining the national rail network (in excess of 2,000 km) which traverses a diverse network of natural habitats and landscapes including rivers, coastal areas, peat lands, wetlands, semi natural grasslands and estuaries. The railway network can be an agent of good or harm, as it can provide vital corridors for wildlife within urban and agricultural landscapes but can also act as a vector for the expansion of invasive species infestations. Iarnród Éireann is a participant in several programmes designed to improve the environment, or at a minimum, ensure that there is no deterioration in the environment. Iarnród Éireann is an active participant in several areas: the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan initiated by the National Biodiversity Centre; level crossing sites are particularly suitable for bees; Emissions (gco 2 /passenger km) Percentage change since 1995 / 1996 Passenger rail, diesel Passenger rail, electric Passenger rail, overall Car / Taxi Domestic air services Source: ATOC UK Report Quantity baseline 2006 Quantity 2015 Change % Energy used 769 G W hr 497 G W hr -35 Train kilometres 18.2 M km 18.4 M km 1 Energy per Train kilometre Passenger kilometres Energy per Passenger kilometre Emissions by transport type Improving efficiency 4.14 MWh per 100 Train kilometres 2.7 MWh per 100 Train kilometres an ongoing programme for the identification and treatment of invasive species of plant life and animal life; an ongoing programme for the safe use of necessary pesticides and weed killers. Great care is taken in planning works, particularly in Special Areas of Conservation, to ensure that Biodiversity is sustained, and improved, if such improvement makes sense in the overall context of the works in hand. In operations and in the way we interact with our surroundings, sustainability cannot be taken for granted. Initiatives in our national rail service will ensure that customers for passenger and freight rail services will continue to go greener than ever before. For more information on Iarnród Éireann visit ,872 M km 1,917 M km MWh per 10,000 Passenger kilometres 2.59 MWh per 10,000 Passenger kilometres -36 Advertorial 63

12 Assessing the impact of infrastructure the sectoral benefits of transport infrastructure investment varies widely. The agricultural sector benefits least from transport investment while the service sector tends to benefit most from investment in broadband infrastructure. The effect of such investment is nonlinear and Morgenroth s research shows that at some point, as the transport network develops, further investment doesn t add any further benefit. If you already have one developed motorway, you don t need a second one, states Morgenroth who also notes the importance of the interrelationships between investment and the fiscal system. The best benefits are achieved when the tax rates are lowered and the reason for this is that taxes take money out of the private sector and put it somewhere that is not necessarily productive. There is also an argument to suggest that investment is even better if it is funded by fiscal transfers. The ESRI s Associate Research Professor Edgar Morgenroth assesses the impact of transport infrastructure on regional development. For policy makers in peripheral regions one of their biggest desires is the development of transport infrastructure to help their regions overcome their peripherality. There is also a perception that in terms of infrastructure investment, Dublin receives preferential treatment. However as the ESRI s Associate Research Professor Edgar Morgenroth s research suggests, neither of these arguments are supported by fact or logic. Benefits of investment While it might be easy to assume investment in a region s infrastructure will lead to benefits, Morgenroth contends that this isn t a guarantee. Not every piece of infrastructure has the same impact though the evidence from the international literature suggests that investment in roads has the biggest benefit. However, this impact varies across regions and is dependent on their respective development levels. Similarly, There is also a link between accessibility and population growth with more accessible areas experiencing faster population growth. However Morgenroth notes this quickly leads to an increase in congestion and the need for further transport investment. Focusing on what further investment in Ireland s road infrastructure could practically achieve, Morgenroth uses the example of Co Donegal and the A5/N2 project. The distance between Dublin and Letterkenny is 240 km and the average drive time is currently 190 minutes if an average speed of 75.8 km/hr is maintained. Morgenroth notes that any potential investor will only consider investing in the development of road infrastructure if a drive time of less than two hours can be achieved. To reach this target between Letterkenny and Dublin would require a driver to maintain an average speed of 120km/hr, something Morgenroth states is not feasible. Letterkenny to Belfast is a much shorter distance and would require an average speed of 75km/hr to make it in two 64

13 hours, states Morgenroth. A small improvement in road infrastructure would achieve a journey time of less than two hours so if I was in Donegal I would want a motorway from Derry to Belfast. This motorway would provide residents of the county with access to two international airports and an international port. Morgenroth was also keen to note that improving the drive time between point X and point Y also improves the drive time at all intermediate points along the route and this may have a negative impact on the starting location. To improve the drive time from Letterkenny to Dublin would also improve the drive time from Monaghan to Dublin and the drive time from Monaghan to Dublin will always be less then Letterkenny and that will never be overcome, states Morgenroth. It is also worth considering the negative impact transport infrastructure will have on remote locations. Transport infrastructure works in two ways and examples from around the world show that if you build a bigger road, local businesses that were previously protected and served local markets face competition they can t compete with as a result of the reduction in transport costs. Current transport infrastructure Addressing the second point of contention that suggest Dublin receives preferential treatment with regards to infrastructure investment, Morgenroth notes that in terms of capital expenditure per capita, there is no evidence to suggest that Dublin is favoured. Looking at investment in road infrastructure, Dublin is at the bottom of the list and the midlands region is at the top. Morgenroth credits this to the creation of motorways across the country. The motorway network has been created this century and there are gaps in it but it does provide accessibility to a large amount of the country. However, there is still a distinct remoteness in the northwest and the south-west, he notes. Similarly, the rail network offers good coverage although the level of service varies widely. Using the example of boarding a train in Dundalk, Morgenroth shows how accessibility and universal service are not synonymous. At Dundalk a passenger is able to get a train to Dublin 13 times a day, yet if they use the station in Drogheda they would have the option of 35 trains per day to Dublin. However, if Westport was their station of choice their choice of travel time would be reduced drastically. Even though accessibility to the rail network is almost universal, the station s level of service must be taken into account when accurately assessing coverage, states Morgenroth. The same can be said of access to airports and harbours, the west of Ireland has good coverage from these services as does the south-west. However, there is a gap in the middle of the country. While the disparity in regional provision is noticeable, it is worth remembering that the population isn t distributed evenly across the country. With regards to the rail network, the population of Ireland is within two hours of a railway station and almost 85 per cent of the population can drive to a train station within 30 minutes. Similarly, a very significant proportion of the population are in relative proximity to a motorway junction and very few people are far away from one. An increase in motorway infrastructure now will actually benefit fewer people and that is one of the considerations investors have when focusing on new infrastructure, states Morgenroth. While acknowledging that extensive literature details the positive effect of infrastructure, especially transport infrastructure on national and regional economic development, Morgenroth contends that the effect of this investment varies across regions and sectors and is non-linear. He also notes how the impact of the investment is lowered at higher levels of taxation and is at its greatest if paid funded by a fiscal transfer. Infrastructure is not the only thing that matters when driving down transport costs, states Morgenroth. Regulation also has an impact. In France 57 per cent of transport costs reductions between 1978 and 1998 were due to changes in regulations and had nothing to do with transport infrastructure. Ultimately, there has been significant investment in transport infrastructure over the last 40 years but despite this, significant accessibility differences are still present across the country. While investment in infrastructure can make a large difference in terms of accessibility, it cannot overcome peripherality relative to other places. Recognising that investment in transport infrastructure is necessary Morgenroth uses the example of investment in broadband infrastructure to highlight how infrastructure alone is not sufficient to address regional development deficits. To make use of broadband infrastructure you need human capital with a minimum standard of education. Without that, the investment has no effect. Investment in infrastructure is a necessity but it won t solve all regional development woes on its own, he concludes. Percentage of population (2011) by drive time to nearest infrastructure Drive time in minutes Motorway junctions Railway Stations Airports Ports Source: Edgar Morgenroth s calculations and CSO Census 2011 data. 65

14 Protecting the asset This included the provision of routine maintenance, winter service and incident response on these strategic sections of the network. In terms of maintenance, the existing service was mostly reactive (responding to major failures) rather than proactive (planned intervention). Another aspect of the motorway system was the Public Private Partnership (PPP) contracts that exist on parts of the network. These are long term commissions that pass responsibility for maintenance and operation of parts of the network to private operators in return for financing and building that part of the network. The PPP schemes were being maintained to a high standard and disparities were apparent in the visual performance and active management of major incidents on the network. Advertorial Ennis Depot, off M18. Design, engineering and project management consultants Atkins has played a leading role in Transport Infrastructure Ireland s transition from roads builder to manager. With Ireland s significant economic development in the 1990 s and 2000 s came the construction of the Motorway network. In 2000, the network extended to approximately 350 km. This increased to 1,224 km by 2010 when the last of the inter-urban Dual Carriageways (mostly Motorways) linking Dublin and the other major cities was completed. The National Roads Authority (NRA) (now incorporated into Transport Infrastructure Ireland [TII]) oversaw the delivery of a massive road building programme which now provides a first class asset for the country. With this development, TII needed to transform it s role from being road builder to road manager. Atkins, a multidisciplinary design consultancy with offices in Dublin, Cork and Galway, has been central to assisting the TII in making this transformation over the past five years. In 2011, Atkins was awarded the National Roads Network Management Service Contract (NMSC) by TII to develop a strategy for the future maintenance of 744 km of inter-urban motorway network. Atkins has a long history in the road maintenance sector in the UK and their experience of developing road maintenance strategies across several countries is key to their appointment to the commission. Prior to the commission, each local authority maintained the extent of the motorway network within their respective boundary with funding provided by TII. Strategy Multinational research demonstrated that maintenance, in most developed countries, was predominantly carried out by the private sector using various forms of contract. Based on this research and cost-benefit analysis, strategic decisions were made to: centralise maintenance of the motorways, with responsibility being placed with TII. This would provide consistency of performance across each of the 21 local authorities affected; privatise the maintenance function: this had the benefit of utilising the significant knowledge and experience of the road maintenance industry which private contractors had developed, mainly in other countries, but also on the PPP contracts in Ireland; divide the country into three maintenance regions which were large enough to encourage interest from the road maintenance industry; only permit operators to maintain a single region, thereby establishing three contractors and encouraging long-term competition in the marketplace; utilise a medium term contract duration (five years plus client option to extend by a further two years), which would 66

15 encourage investment by the private operators; provide strategically placed maintenance depots around the network. TII owned depots were a strategic requirement of the maintenance contracts. Atkins, as a multidisciplinary design consultancy, developed seven depots to planning stage and undertook detail design and provided construction administration and site supervision of four depots. The services that Atkins provided includes amongst others: civil and structural engineering; mechanical and electrical engineering; environmental assessment; geotechnical engineering; planning services; health and safety compliance; project management; architecture; quantity surveying. The depots have a consistent appearance and were constructed to similar performance specifications which have been designed to last. The depots are an investment and an asset that can be transferred from one generation of maintenance contracts to the next. Implementation In conjunction with TII, Atkins developed the new maintenance contracts, referred to as the Motorway Maintenance and Renewals Contracts (MMaRC). The contracts include the following services: routine and reactive maintenance; incident support the emergency services; winter services (gritting and snow ploughing); asset collection and management; renewal works. Atkins were successful in securing the Motorway Contracts Audit and Administration Services (MCAAS) commission which extends for four years plus the option to extend by two years. The role to date has comprised of the following: administration of the MMaRC contracts; audits of MMaRC and PPP contracts; design; contract supervision; inspection and monitoring; advice; project and programme management; cost consultancy; value engineering. Challenges As with all new contracts, challenges emerged for the operators, TII and Atkins. Some of these challenges included the existing asset condition, the collation of data across a number of data headings (asset data and inventory associated with that asset), incident data and monitoring and reporting on potential insurance claims related to road traffic collisions. There have been many success stories associated with the MMaRC contracts such as the improved conditions achieved on the network over the past few years. In addition, the data collection exercises, have given TII a greater understanding of the asset that they are managing and the need for its maintenance and potential upgrade over the coming years. Micheál McKittrick has been leading this project from the beginning and now manages a team of 15 in delivering the services to TII. Managing an asset and a contract on this scale requires a number of different elements not least the required systems and processes to ensure that all elements are addressed as well as an experienced and dedicated team to understand the issues and react to the demands of the contract, says Atkins Associate Director Micheál McKittrick With these contracts now at the halfway point it is both an appropriate time to review the effectiveness and success of these contracts as well as look forward to see what changes should be made in the future. The general consensus across TII, the local authorities is that the services provided are key to the successful operation of the network and that the contracts have been a success to date. The expertise delivered by the Atkins team on this commission across a range of services and areas of expertise is indicative of the services similarly offered to a wide range of public and private sector clients across all areas of the engineering and architecture spectrum. Clients continue to return to Atkins as they know that they will get a first class service and approach that has the confidence of being backed up by industry experts in their field to ensure successful project delivery. This is the approach that is taken on the MMaRC project and with a number of years remaining on this commission it is hoped to continue this level of service to ensure its continued successful delivery. ATKINS Dublin - Cork - Galway - Belfast info.ie@atkinsglobal.com Web: Advertorial 67

16 Changing behaviour to reduce emissions Trinity College Dublin s Brian Caulfield explains the rationale behind Greening Transport s desire to examine the relationship between public perception and transport emissions. Greening Transport s primary objective is to merge the technical evaluation of the emissions from transport and the improvements in their calculations, with the behavioural changes needed to realise a substantial reduction in emissions. If you ignore behaviour you are ignoring the problem, states the project s director, Brian Caulfield. We need to understand the behaviour and motivation of people and to date this issue has been ignored. This research is different to other projects that look to maintain the status quo in terms of mobility as it seeks to measure how reducing mobility or changing mobility patterns can reduce emissions. It is also seeking to assess how policies of promoting modal shift and sustainable mobility can help reduce emissions. Driving change Focusing on how this change might be achieved, Caulfield discusses the concept of car shedding. Car shedding is the process by which individuals are encouraged to shed a car in their household and move to one or no cars. It is not possible for everybody but this research will attempt to understand how the process would work and how we can get people to give up their cars, says Caulfield. One of the reasons people are less environmentally friendly in terms of their emissions is because they don t fully understand the environmental impact of their car usage. 68

17 At the end of last year the team conducted research assessing the most important features of the public s preferred mode of transport. The research was conducted to gain an appreciation of why the public favoured the car so heavily and how they could be encouraged to give it up. Of the 400 responses the majority of them listed cost and time as key factors, followed by comfort. Environmental friendliness and sustainability are ranked near the bottom in the public s perception of priorities. When asked if they would be willing to sell a car that they own or delay buying a new car in favour of taking public transport or cycling if similar costs and travel time could be guaranteed, over 40 per cent of respondents still stated no. However, 25 per cent said yes and 10 per cent said maybe. With roughly 35 per cent of respondents open to the idea of ditching the car and a further 15 per cent stating they don t drive, Caulfield has hope that people can be convinced to adopt other methods of transport. While acknowledging that the project is still in its infancy, Caulfield is certain behavioural changes are a necessity in order to drive down Ireland s overall transport emissions. This work will shed some light on the means to change how we use transport and challenge our perceptions on how we use our cars, he states. For the research to be successful Caulfield is aware of the need for efficient and effective data to measure transport emissions. Data requirements The data requirements for this project are huge, admits Caulfield. We have done some behavioural work but it is the mobility data that is the key consideration. At present data is poor in Ireland, the best data available is from the National Transport Authority but transport data has a number of gaps and there is a lack of linkage between the available data. A lot more should be done to pool this data so that links can be made that would support new research and policy answers. With the data available little scenario analysis has been completed to determine the impact a walking or cycling strategy would have on reducing emissions. Focused primarily on assessing how to drive a quantifiable change in the use of the car, Caulfield states that better national travel survey data is required with common definitions shared between data sets. At present the data held by the Central Statistics Office and the National Transport Authority have two different definitions and as a consequence the data cannot be merged. The output from this project, which started last March and will run until March 2018, will be in the form of academic papers and publications. It will look at policy recommendations on how to reduce land transport related emissions and also make recommendations on the policies required to reduce land transport emissions. The research has five work packages. The first is concerned with the management of the research, the second is a review of the data models available to the team and a comparison of some other models across Europe. The third package is an examination of smarter travel options and how they can be used to reduce emissions. The fourth package examines the emissions reductions from the changes in the private car fleet and the public transport bus fleet while the fifth package is concerned with measuring the fiscal changes in promoting sustainable care use. With regards to transport models, the research will focus on the NTA model, the UCD model, some models from the UK and others from the Netherlands and Sweden. The emissions model the research will use is COPERT4. This emissions model is an average speed model that calculates emissions for both light and heavy vehicles. It has a different set of emission targets for urban roads, rural roads and highways. However, it does not calculate emissions for new technology vehicles, nor does it calculate non-exhaust particulate matter emissions. Caulfield explains that the team have decided to adopt this model as it calculates emissions of all pollutants from road transport, it covers all vehicle classes and can be used to calculate and project transportation emissions to 2030 as well as providing a user-friendly user interface. The data we have from the NTA will fit into this model and will allow us to predict emissions into the future. We will also be able to look at more than just CO 2 and this is important when working out the benefits that we are trying to estimate, he concludes. 69

18 RSA: Keeping Ireland s road users safe in road fatalities. The RSA s recently published speed report shows that young males are involved in 91 per cent of speed related fatal collisions. The top three factors in collisions on Irish roads are speed, impaired driving and non wearing of seatbelts. 31 per cent of fatal collisions are a result of excessive speed and 15 per cent of fatal crashes involve alcohol. Despite the rise in fatal collisions over the first four months of 2016 Murdock is still hopeful that the overall number will be lower than in 2015, thanks to the planned investment in frontline policing. Regardless of factor, Garda checkpoints are the most effective means of ensuring good behaviour on roads and the RSA welcomes the capital plan s announcement of additional Garda numbers across the country. Advertorial The Road Safety Authority s CEO Moyagh Murdock explains how the state agency has helped improved the safety of Irish roads. Since the Road Safety Authority s inception in 2006 the state agency has transformed significantly. Initially, the RSA was formed as a promotion and awareness organisation but in 2010 it took over responsibility for the driver certificate of professional competence and the regulation of approved driving instructors. Today, the RSA is responsible for the NCT and the CVRT and has an oversight role in the issuing of driving licences. We are always looking at the way we deliver services to the public, says the RSA s CEO Moyagh Murdock. Our primary target for 2020 is to reduce the number of deaths on Irish roads to 124, that is 24 people per million of Ireland s population. This is a big challenge and will require a 6-8 per cent year-on-year reduction in fatal collisions so we must ensure that people are fully aware and appreciative of the risks of driving on the roads at all times. Last year was Ireland s second best performance in relation to the number deaths on the road with 166 fatalities. This means Ireland has the fifth safest roads in the European Union, up three place since However, the first four months of 2016 have not been as good. Murdock links the rise in road deaths in the early stages of 2016 to an improvement in the economy. An improving economy means young people are back in their cars again, states Murdock. Especially young males who are still massively over represented Road Safety Strategy Aside from a reduction in road deaths the RSA also has other targets. It has 144 actionable items in the government s road safety strategy which expires in The RSA is responsible for monitoring and reporting to the Minister of Transport on the progress of the Road Safety Strategy. It is also involved in delivering actions along with other stakeholders including the An Garda Síochána, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, the HSA and local authorities including the full range of government bodies responsible for the upkeep of roads. We meet twice a year for a review and that is chaired jointly by the Minister for Justice and the Minister for Transport it is yet to be held this year but it will take place soon, states Murdock. Later this year the RSA will also conduct a midterm review of the road safety strategy and from this it will look at future innovations such as the linking of driving licences to vehicle registration plates. There will be other technological enhancement as we forward, says Murdock. At present the RSA is ensuring a three-five day turnaround for driving licences. Last year 500,000 licences were produced and 95 per cent of those were delivered in two-three days. We want to keep this performance level 70

19 going, stresses Murdock. We provide an essential service and while making roads safer is the priority, it is important to remember that we also need to make the systems in place convenient for the users. Reflecting on how the RSA ensures its targets are met, Murdock reveals that research plays an important role. Research allows the RSA to formulate provisions and education programmes that can target problem areas. Research can highlight the cause of road deaths and we take that information and use it to formulate campaigns, states Murdock. According to our analysis of Garda Forensic Investigation Files between 2008 and 2012 a total of per cent of vehicles on Irish roads were defective in some manner. Of those, 66 per cent of the vehicles had worn tyres. Analysis of those same files also highlighted the fact that in 322 fatal collisions speed was a factor and from this research we were able to get a profile of the drivers and look for a common denominator. This led to two effective programmes aimed at targeting young men and warning the public about the dangers of worn tyres. Vehicle and driver testing The RSA also has responsibility for vehicle and driver testing and it is the introduction of the National Car Test (NCT) that Murdock credits with saving many lives. When the NCT was introduced in 2000, 5 per cent of vehicles had dangerous defects. If that number was still as high today it would be 60,000 vehicles, she states. An improving economy means young people are back in their cars again Thankfully this number has fallen a lot in 16 years and we can see a big improvement in terms of keeping vehicles road worthy. In terms of failing a NCT the data would suggest it is proportional to the number of miles the car has travelled and is dependent on road quality. Looking further afield we can see a correlation between road quality and safety on roads. Murdock is also aware of the importance of keeping these tests and systems convenient for the end user. It is always about being proactive and ensuring that the public are aware of the benefits, states Murdock. The NCT is 55 and the test takes roughly 20 minutes to complete. It ensures that the quality of our vehicles is improving year on year. Similarly we would recommend that all vehicles are checked for integrity by their drivers at least once a month. At the minimum they should have a service and health check twice a year. Preventive measures will cost a lot less than running vehicles to destruction. With so much responsibility, Murdock admits that the RSA is busier now than ever but it is delighted that its efforts are producing such effective results: I have a great team in the RSA that have really helped deliver results. Ireland is one of the safest countries in Europe for driving on roads and that has substantial benefits from tourism to society in general. Our analysis would indicate that a fatal road crash costs society 2.7 million and we are on the road to zero and I am confident we will get there. For more information visit Advertorial 71

20 The impact of congestion charges KTH Royal Institute of Technology s Ida Kristoffersson assesses the impact of the introduction of Sweden s second congestion charge system in Gothenburg. Sweden has congestion charging systems operating in two of its largest cities, Stockholm and Gothenburg. The system was first introduced in Stockholm in 2006 where a large proportion of commuters now use the fast and reliable subway system. The charge proved a success in Stockholm and in 2013 officials in Gothenburg introduced a similar charging system in their city. Policy makers in Gothenburg wanted to copy the success of Stockholm s system. They initially wanted to implement Stockholm s congestion charge in Gothenburg, but Stockholm, thanks to its layout and topography lends itself to a charging system, Gothenburg is different, KTH Royal Institute of Technology s Ida Kristoffersson states. Stockholm is home to 2.2 million inhabitants and is built on 14 islands, with charge stations established on the bridges that connect the islands. Gothenburg is home to one million inhabitants and is a freight hub with only a few crossings over a river. While the congestion charge points introduced at Stockholm s bridges were an obvious solution Gothenburg had many different options available to it. In an effort to stop commuters using minor roads to avoid the charge, Gothenburg introduced 38 charging points as opposed to Stockholm s 18. Both systems have been planned with the commuter in mind and their only variation is the cost of entry to the charge zone depending on the time of day. When the system was first introduced in Gothenburg it cost eight Swedish Krona (87 cents) to enter the congestion zone at 6am, by 7am this charge had increased to 18 Swedish Krona ( 1.96). In 2015 the charge increased to nine Swedish Krona (98 cents) at 6am and 22 Swedish Krona ( 2.40) by 7am. This increase in price has done little to further decrease congestion. Moving from a zero cost system to one that charges has a much bigger impact than increasing the charge by a couple of Swedish Krona even though the increase 72

21 in price has led to a 22 per cent increase in revenue, states Kristoffersson. Kristoffersson states that the primary motivation of the Gothenburg congestion charge is to increase revenue. However she also highlights the fact that Swedish law dictates that charging zones, if not introduced on a bridge or tunnel, have to be designed to reduce congestion. Impact The statistics gathered by Kristoffersson and her team suggest the congestion charge zone is having a positive impact on Gothenburg. During charge hours, traffic flow within the charge zone has been reduced by 12 per cent. Outside of charge hours there has been no notable change to traffic flow. The introduction of the charge has had little impact on commuter s departure time choice. While commuters may claim they are flexible in regards to their departure time the evidence presented by Kristoffersson would suggest otherwise. When looking at citizen movement it is apparent that for many commuters there are too many restrictions on departure time. From our observations we can see that off-peak trips are more elastic, states Kristoffersson. It is easier to change recreational trips than work trips and the pattern present in Gothenburg is very similar to the one observed in Stockholm. While it is clear commuters have transitioned to public transport thanks to the introduction of this congestion charge, discretionary trips have changed in other ways. Kristoffersson regards this variation in adaption strategies as an advantage of the system as it allows people to come up with their own solutions. The evidence suggests that commuters have transitioned to public transport. However, Kristoffersson is unsure of the overall effect the introduction of the congestion charge has had on the use of public transport. It has been difficult to obtain data on travel habits as citizens of Gothenburg don t have to tap their travel cards to use public transport, says Kristoffersson. We have witnessed ticket sales increase by 7.5 per cent but this has been growing by about 2 per cent per year for many years so we estimate that there has been a 5 per cent increase in the adoption of public transport as a direct consequence of the congestion charge. Gothenburg congestion charge zone. While it appears that many have adapted to the introduction of this charge, public approval of the system is low. While there is political support for the system, Kristoffersson explains that in a consultative vote in 2014, 57 per cent of citizens voted against the system. This vote caused problems for the authorities, states Kristoffersson. They were forced to conduct studies assessing alternative methods to reduce congestion but no other alternative was found and as such, they pressed ahead with the system. Despite this display of discontent Kristoffersson notes that in 2006 there was also notable dissatisfaction in Stockholm with only 53 per cent of the city s citizens in favour of the system. However, a recent survey suggests that 75 per cent of Stockholm citizens now approve of the system. Focusing on other benefits of the system, Kristoffersson highlights a 5 per cent improvement in air quality in the inner city as a direct result of the system and explains that while the socioeconomic benefits of the system are not as great as in Stockholm, they are still present. The size, density and congestion levels in Gothenburg are at the lower limit for charging to be socioeconomically beneficial but while the benefit exists it is worth pursuing, she states. Reflecting on the impact of detours by car users determined to avoid the charges, Kristoffersson acknowledges an increase in the use of minor roads but suggests that as the increase was smaller than expected, the roads have the capacity to cope with the increase in demand. Ultimately, the introduction of congestion charges in Gothenburg have had a substantial effect with commuters transitioning to public transport and discretionary trips adapting in other ways. There have also been notable reductions in air pollution levels, a small decrease in travel time and the cost benefit analysis of the system has highlighted its socio-economic benefits. Even though the systems are different we have witnessed similar adaption patterns in both Stockholm and Gothenburg, says Kristoffersson. There are many benefits to the introduction of congestion charges and while initial public perception may not be favourable, following its introduction the public ultimately accept and appreciate the benefits that the charge system offers. 73

22 Sustaining rural communities The General Manager of Local Link Kerry, Carmel Walsh highlights the importance of community transport in Ireland. Transport is a prerequisite for sustainable rural communities. With an increasingly ageing and rural dwelling population the General Manager of Local Link Kerry is adamant there is a need for a robust network of community transport throughout Ireland. The rural transport programme was developed 14 years ago and was focused on delivering social inclusion, removing the barriers to participation and access to a wide range of community services and facilities, shopping and healthcare. In 2002 Kerry Community Transport [now Local Link Kerry] was established to respond to the unresolved transport needs across the county. It was originally funded by the Department of Public Enterprise as one of seven rural transport initiatives and has grown to provide 125 weekly services, all of which are delivered by contracted private operators. Local Link Kerry (LLK) operates a county-wide call centre responsible for trasnport coordination. LLK works with local communities to develop transport services which respond to unmet needs. In 2015, 131,389 passenger trips were facilitated and over 500,000 km were covered by contracted private operators. It is not just those who avail of the transport that benefit from the programme as in 2015, LLK trained over 150 drivers and passenger assistants in driver, accessibility and minibus evacuation training. The rural transport programme promotes connectivity and access to a wide range of vital community services, GP, shopping, day centre, employment, and education. It encourages social inclusion and interaction. We know that people have a better quality of life if they can continue to live independently in their own home and still have access to vital community services, states Walsh. The development of the rural transport programme is supported by community organisations, who identified huge gaps in provision that existed throughout the county. In the beginning we provided 74

23 routes where there were none, states Walsh. Initially the services were limited in most areas, ran one day a week and even now gaps still exist. In 2015, 50 per cent of services were provided by wheelchair accessible vehicles and 4,057 passenger trips were made by wheelchair users. The service is really appreciated by local residents of all ages and this is highlighted in the diverse age range of our users, states Walsh. Last year, 71 per cent of the services passengers were over the age of 66, 11 per cent were between 26 and 65 and 18 per cent were under 26. National approach Initially financed by the Department of Public Enterprise the rural transport programme was rolled out nationwide in 2007 with the principal aim of providing a quality, community based public transport system that responds to local needs. Following a value for money review in 2011, the rural transport programme was restructured and in 2012 the National Transport Authority (NTA) took control of its management. At present there are 17 Transport Coordination Units (TCUs), 400 operators and 900 drivers across Ireland. The service has proved popular across the country with 1.76 million passenger journeys recorded in Since the NTA took over the management of the programme, frameworks have changed in relation to tendering and procurement and we now have a national brand but the NTA hasn t come in and said this is the right or wrong way to operate, states Walsh. It has supported the development of conventional and unconventional delivery models and is focused on integrating the services with other community provisions. Overall we have found working with the NTA to be very positive in regards to the delivery and management of services in the county. The benefits of having the NTA manage the programme have been numerous. With the NTA now the programme managers, both rural transport providers and their mainstream counterparts are integrated. All contracts are now nationally procured and owned by the NTA, says Walsh. Going forward operators will have five year contracts with the NTA and this creates the opportunity to assess other factors such as accessibility. When we first started this programme, community transport in Ireland was synonymous with the transit van, but really it is just a van with windows. Over the past 14 years operators have come a long way in relation to fleet, now, we can encourage our operators to think differently and think about end user needs. There is an opportunity to look at the fleet in relation to accessibility and energy efficient vehicles. As people get older their mobility can be a challenge. While they may not be confined to a wheelchair, a vehicle equipped with a wheelchair lift could still be beneficial for them and their access to the vehicle. This is why we are now including the TCUs in the journey planner and there is great excitement about what we will be able to deliver in this area. The Transport Coordination Units are responsible for the management of dayto-day requests for and the delivery of public transport services. They are also tasked with reporting on transport services as well as managing voluntary community schemes and local community transport needs in socially disadvantaged areas. The TCUs support the development of community and public transport services and coordinate services on behalf of other organisations, explains Walsh. They have considerable contracts in the management of HSE services and are focused on integrating these into community transport provisions in line with the national integration objectives. The development of a strategic plan for TCUs nationally will enhance their huge potential to co-ordinate the further development and integration of transportation at county level. The TCUs will work with local authorities who have responsibility for the development of county transportation plans. There is currently a huge level of exchequer investment in a range of transport in every county. To support efficiencies and environmental objectives the TCUs are best placed to coordinate integration by joined up thinking and reinvesting savings back into sustaining public transport in rural Ireland. Looking ahead, Walsh notes how the organisation s key priorities are for the retendering of all services, to implement the new IT system in its entirety, to identify further transport needs and to increase the frequency of provision. From this programme s humble beginnings there have been a lot of ups and downs but now it is about building on the service and with the strong support of the local communities and volunteers, the future of local community transport in Ireland looks bright, she concludes. 75

24 Economic revival in the heart of Europe Advertorial Steve Preece, Managing Director, Egis Projects Ireland. With a total of 4.8 million inhabitants unevenly distributed across its 85,000 sq. km of territory, Ireland is one of the least densely-populated countries in Europe. This sparsity and the relatively low level of urbanisation [half of Ireland s population still lives in a rural environment] explains the importance of the road network to the country. Since the turn of the century, Egis has taken to modernising Irish roads through wide-scale activity in the areas of road operation and maintenance. The group is involved in a dozen projects in Ireland, the most iconic among them the operation of the Dublin Tunnel, a contract which was recently extended to include the operation of Cork s Jack Lynch Tunnel. The management of these tunnels comes in addition to the 450 km Matthieu Loussier, Director for Europe and Central Asia, Egis. Following a long spell of harsh economic conditions, Ireland is growing again. Active in the country for around a decade, Egis has continued to lay the foundations for its achievements, primarily resulting from its expertise in the roads sector. of motorway already under Egis management in Ireland. Egis hits the road in Ireland In spite of the economic recession, Egis has gradually forged itself a solid reputation in Ireland, earning the trust of large public sector authorities. The group has displayed its merits in the field of engineering, carrying out preliminary design studies for an eastern bypass motorway around Dublin, as well as several design, engineering and works supervision assignments for the construction of a dual carriageway between Nenagh and Limerick. At the same time, Egis has reinforced its operating activities by acquiring majority shares in three Irish operating companies: Northlink (M1 motorway to Dundalk 56 km), Midlink (M7/M8 motorways to Portlaoise 43 km) and Southlink (the N25 Waterford bypass 23 km). Egis additionally bought 100 per cent of the First Route Management Company, which provides assistance services to the three abovementioned companies and to the Eastlink operator based in Dublin. The Irish motorway network is one of the most recent in Europe and is still expanding, states Steve Preece, managing director at Egis Projects Ireland. Egis very quickly became an essential figure in motorway operations in Ireland, offering services in the management of both motorways and national roads, whose development and maintenance are a strategically important issue for the country. Since 2006, under our brand Easytrip, we have developed electronic tolling, automatic car park access and vehicle fleet management solutions, to make life easier for road users, explains Steve Preece. With more than 195,000 customers today, we enjoy a unique position in the market to the point of becoming the leading supplier of services for the payment of electronic tolls and parking charges using a single customer account. Capitalising on these achievements, Egis has since extended its offering to other types of projects, such as the maintenance of intelligent transport system (ITS) equipment, the Irish national safety camera service and the supervision of resurfacing works in the south of Ireland. A well-established recovery Today, the Irish economy is recovering at a brisk pace, aided by a gradual upturn in foreign and domestic investment. In the transport sector, 850 million is to be 76

25 invested in the upgrading of the motorway and national road network. Considering this encouraging economic trend, Egis is starting to take another look at opportunities for getting involved in the engineering sector in Ireland and also in the UK, in particular in roads and railways, explains Matthieu Loussier, director for Europe and Central Asia at Egis. Public bodies such as Transport Infrastructure Ireland have put forward plans for approval on a 10 billion spend over the next 20 years, covering all aspects of travel from roads to light rail with a projected increase in movement of 25 per cent. In the area of transport, Ireland s new priority is to reduce road congestion via mobility, without infrastructure expansion. Egis naturally possesses all of the necessary expertise to contribute to these plans, adds Matthieu Loussier. At the same time, ports are continuing to grow and the port of Dublin has announced expansion plans which are likely to require the improvement and rationalisation of its entire road network. Similarly, the air travel sector is looking promising, linking in with the emergence of new technologies such as remote towers for air traffic control, or the continuous improvement of management and safety systems. Egis has had its own aviation consultancy business since 2013 (Helios) which for example assisted the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) in drawing up a business case for the modernisation of air traffic management systems, and helped Dublin airport in its work to come into compliance with the new regulatory standards of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). In the longer term, Egis and the IAA are considering working increasingly closely on a range of projects outside Ireland, just as they are currently doing for the review of air traffic management system safety in Thailand. Egis has very quickly become an essential figure in road operation in Ireland Steve Preece, Managing Director, Egis Projects Ireland Egis decided to become involved once again in the engineering sector in Ireland and the UK, in particular in roads and railways Matthieu Loussier, Director for Europe and Central Asia, Egis Headline projects Resurfacing works in the south of Ireland Egis supervised resurfacing works in Ireland, near Cork. The project was part of a contract signed at the end of 2013 by Egis Lagan Services Ltd* together with the Irish National Roads Authority for the operation, maintenance and renewal services on 330 km of motorways in the south of Ireland. The work consisted of resurfacing several kilometres on the 3-lane N40 and its interchange with the N28 at Cork, in the south of the country. Work was carried out during the night with lane closures at midnight and the road was fully reopened every morning to avoid traffic disruption. * Joint venture formed by Egis and the Northern Irish firm Lagan. Egis operates the Irish national speed control service From Dublin Tunnel to the Cork Jack Lynch Tunnel A total of 4.5 km in length, the Dublin Tunnel is a major piece of infrastructure in the Irish road network, connecting the M1 motorway (Belfast- Dublin) to the Port of Dublin without going through the city centre. It is a twin-tube tunnel comprising one-way dual carriageways and is equipped with a control centre. Following an operating and maintenance contract awarded in 2006 for the Dublin Tunnel, Egis recently had the contract extended by Transport Infrastructure Ireland for a minimum period of six years. In addition to the toll collection, traffic and safety management and routine maintenance of the Dublin Tunnel, Egis is also tasked with the operation and maintenance of the 600m long Jack Lynch tunnel in Cork. This contract renewal is further proof of the trust that Egis has earned, consolidating its leadership on the Irish road operation and maintenance market, comments Steve Preece managing director of Egis Projects Ireland. Services for road users Under the Easytrip brand, Egis has, since 2006, continued to market and develop a wide range of services for road users. Contact: Egis Projects Ireland 24 Northwood House Northwood Business Park, Dublin 9 Tel: information@egis.ie Since 2010, Egis has been operating the Irish national safety camera service via its company GoSafe*. It includes all of the services required for van-operated speed detection, from the deployment of vehicles and staff needed for the operation of speed cameras, to the processing of data collected in a central back office. For Egis, this project is a key reference in the field of enforcement which is developing all over the world, on speed control applications or on free flow toll projects. * The shareholders of GoSafe are Egis Projects, Spectra and Redflex. In Ireland, Egis manages the distribution of electronic tolling passes as well as taking care of customer relations for the Dublin Tunnel. The group develops its own electronic payment solutions for car park operators and vehicle fleet control solutions. More recently, the firm designed a free mobile app, the Easytrip SOS App, on which drivers can send out an emergency call on their mobile phone in the event of a breakdown or an accident, allowing them to be immediately located and assisted. Advertorial 77