COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

south dublin county council crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, September 08, 2008

QUESTION NO. 6

QUESTION: Councillor D. Keating

To ask the Manager to provide a detailed and up-to-date report on South Dublin County Council's School Bus Transportation System as a Pilot Project? Would the Manager outline in detail what reasons are there for the delays in implementing this Pilot Project, including the results of the Council's latest contacts and discussions with the Department of Transport, and details of the revised schedule as to when it is expected that this much anticipated and long awaited service will be available to the local communities in South Dublin?

REPLY:

Following release of the paper, 2020 Vision - Sustainable Travel and Transport, Public Consultation Document, South Dublin, in conjunction with the other Dublin Authorities, submitted a detailed response to the issues raised, including our proposed pilot project and longer term proposals, should the pilot project prove successful. Following which, SDCC officials attended a meeting with officers of both the Dept. of Transport and the Dept. of Education, in an effort to progress the proposals further. We were informed that it was unlikely that funding for local schemes, of this nature, would be forthcoming and that we should await the deliberations of the Minister on the above Consultation Document. To date, these have not been published.

This issue was discussed at the May 08 Meeting of the Transportation SPC at which the following Motion was passed and subsequently agreed at the May 08 County Council Meeting;-

“That this Committee requests the Manager to write to the Minister for Transport to express the disappointment of South Dublin County Council that funding has not yet been made available for our School Bus Transportation Pilot Scheme.”

In this regard a letter issued to the Minister for Transport on the 23rd May 08 expressing the Council’s concern and seeking favourable consideration of the Council’s proposal.  The Ministers response is awaited.