COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, March 10, 2008

QUESTION NO. 11

QUESTION: Councillor E. Tuffy

To ask the Manager if following the recent meeting of the Transportation SPC the Council has pursued with the request to the Department of Transport for financial and other support for the Council's proposed Pilot School Bus Project and if he will make a statement on the matter?

REPLY:

The County Development Plan 2004-2010 sets the framework for physical and infrastructural development, and seeks to develop and improve, in a sustainable manner, the social, economic, cultural and environmental assets of our county. The April 2005 DTO pilot study report, “Safer routes to School, The Next Steps”, addressed the growing trend in the use of the car for school journeys, particularly in urban areas. Within this context, a School Transport System is seen as one possible way of significantly reducing the number of car journeys to and from primary schools within the South Dublin area.

In light of this, South Dublin County Council appointed a consultant to undertake a Feasibility Study for a School Transport System in order to determine the type of scheme which could be introduced, likely student uptake,and the method of implementation.

The study has looked at various methods of implementation, and has recommended providing bus services to nine schools in the locality. The proposed service will be provided by tendering out to a private operator, and, assuming parental contributions of €2/day/child, will require an annual subsidy of €178,000. Depending on take-up, it has been calculated that it could remove up to 900 car journeys /day in the locality, which, as you can appreciate, would be of immense benefit, from both a commuter and an environmental perspective.

In order to initiate the pilot service, it would be necessary to retain the consultant, who carried out the initial feasibility study to obtain solid estimates from operators, determine interest from parents, finalise routes etc. The estimated cost of retaining the consultant to start up the scheme is €12,100 including VAT.

Following consideration by the Transportation Strategic Policy Committee, a written request followed by an exploratory meeting was made with the Department seeking funding for this project.  In view of recent proposals by the Minister, it was decided to defer any further action on the SDCC proposals until the consultation process on the Minister's document on sustainable transportation which was recently launched is complete.