Dempsey's vision of city's future

Slice

By Tim O'Brien in today's IT

A new vision for Dublin in which the city competes with New York, Beijing, Hong Kong and Bangalore - "not Cork, Galway or Limerick" - was outlined by Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey last night.

Addressing a Dublin Chamber dinner which was attended by US governor of Maryland, Martin O'Malley, Mr Dempsey painted a picture of a "vibrant, car-free, culture-rich capital city".

He outlined a vision of the future in which the ambitious projects planned under Transport 21 have been delivered "on time and in budget", and city centre businesses have seen a "consequential spike in business". Some 100 million passenger journeys were being made into Dublin each year on "hassle-free" public transport, while every five minutes in rush hour a Luas traversed a newly pedestrianised College Green."Metro West is taking 20 million people from Tallaght to Dublin airport and back. In its first year Metro West took 10 million cars off the roads and gave M50 motorists an alternative . . . "

Staying with his vision of the future, he added: "Speaking of the M50 - it's bigger, it's better and has long since lost its car-park tag. "Dart is three times as frequent at peak and off-peak times and its popularity with shoppers, workers and tourists has exploded . . . bus stops have real time information . . . on-line route planners are easily available. . . to [show how to] cross the city using public transport . . . we all have one, integrated travel ticket . . . " the Minister enthused.

Warming to his theme, the Minister added, "cycle paths are everywhere", stores open late by appointment with public transport providers, Government departments have no parking facilities, "planners and public transport experts from around the world are now visiting Dublin to understand how we did it".

This is laughable. I wonder how far Dempsey's tongue was burried in his cheek when giving this speech. Ever changing timeframes and vague budgeting will always result in "on time and in budget" projects...

markpb

What a load of guff.

Stark

He forgot to mention the helicopters that would pick you up if your bus was late.

paulm17781

It's a wonderful speech / vision. Did he mention which minister for transport and what government would be responsible for it?

strassenwolf

What is this fascination with bringing people from Tallaght to the airport? I notice he does at least say that he intends to bring them back, so at least he's not trying to offload the people of Tallaght. I just don't get why this is seen as a real transport priority. Can anyone explain it?

markf909

Presumably his civil servants have not briefed him on this situation either.

dmeehan

this bit is the funniest of them all:

Government departments have no parking facilities

bazzer

So, the country's transport policies are in the hands of this 'visionary', who is doing little more than firing the first salvo in Fianna Fail's election manifesto for the year 2050. God help us.

Transport21 Fan

"Dublin in which the city competes with New York, Beijing, Hong Kong and Bangalore - "not Cork, Galway or Limerick"

I can already hear them tuning the bagpipes in Claremorris, Ennis and Tuam.

Metrobest

Scoff though you may, the things that Dempsey has outlined are a reality in many other cities. Did they come about by osmosis? No. People actually planned them, politicians approved them, voters voted for them, media campaigned for them.

Chris_533976

"hassle-free" public transport

HA

spacetweek

It's very easy to make speeches like that but since he's the one that's supposed to be making all that happen, he'd want to get a move on!

strassenwolf wrote: »

What is this fascination with bringing people from Tallaght to the airport?

His speech was wrong because MW will not bring people to the airport, it terminates where it intersects MN and you'll have to change trains.

murphaph

Dempsey thinks a tram headway of 5 mins through the central north-south axis is good? :rolleyes:

cyclopath2001

Warming to his theme, the Minister added, "cycle paths are everywhere"

Unbelievable.

murphaph

cyclopath2001 wrote: »

Unbelievable.

Not really, they're all over the place already!

cyclopath2001

Hmm, yes: by re-classifying existing roads as 'shared cycle/car/truck/juggernaut/bus/motorcycle' lanes.