National Development Plan
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National Development Plan (NDP) is the title given by the Irish Government to a scheme of organised large-scale expenditure on (mainly) national infrastructure. The period covered by the seven year plan runs from 2000 to 2006. A second National Development Plan is due to run between 2007 and 2013. The main element to the original plan was the development of a national motorway network between the major cities in the Republic of Ireland. The upgrading of the rail network been a secondary scheme. Many local projects and extra government construction have been appended to the National Development Plan – with large signs being erected at any new government development – regardless as to whether that project was actually in the plan.
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[edit] Progress
[edit] Road network
As of 2006 some progress has been made on the motorway network, though it is likely the network will not be complete until near the end of the decade. The M1 motorway from Dublin towards Belfast has been completed almost as far as the border with Northern Ireland as the Dundalk bypass was officially opened on 26th of September 2005. A motorway/dual carriageway route is being constructed north of this, crossing the border to become an upgraded A1 route as far as Newry. This is the first cross-border road project.
The M7 motorway from Dublin to Limerick is complete to south of Portlaoise, with a bypass of Monasterevan having completed that section in late 2004. As of 2006, construction is expected to begin soon on an M7/M8 project south of Portlaoise connecting to both the Dublin-Limerick N7 road and N8 road to Cork. A dual-carriageway section of the N7 from Limerick to Nenagh towards Dublin is also under construction as of 2006.
The M4/N4 from Dublin towards Sligo (and providing the link to the N6 for Galway) now reaches as far as the Midlands. As of 2006 projects are under construction to bring dual-carriageway sections of the N6 as far as Athlone. The N11 road/M11 motorway south of Dublin to Wicklow and Wexford is also progressing. Parts of the M9 motorway project from Dublin to Waterford are still in final planning stages and construction has begun on some sections.
The M50 motorway Dublin inner ringroad was completed as part of the NDP – this had been held up by legal proceedings over Carrickmines Castle, the foundations of which lay at one of the junctions. The upgrade of parts of the M50 is due to be appended to the NDP. The M50 Dublin port tunnel project is a major scheme involving tunnelling from the M1 north of the city centre, through to the Docklands to the east of the city centre. The tunnel is mostly complete as of 2006, but defects requiring remedial works on leaks and cracks have thus far prevented the opening of it.
- See also: Roads in Ireland
[edit] Rail network
Almost all the operational rail network in the Republic has now been upgraded to continuous welded rail – however, much of this work commenced prior to the NDP as part of the Ontrack rail network upgrade program.
Dublin suburban routes have benefitted from large amounts of new rolling stock, in the form of suburban railcars. These operate north to Drogheda, northwest to Maynooth, southwest to Kildare and south to Arklow. The electrified section of the north-south route through Dublin has had extra EMUs brought into service. Dublin has also seen the opening of a new tram system, Luas.
Major projects undertaken were the upgrade of Heuston Station in Dublin to nine platforms and the new railcar servicing depot in Drogheda. Many other stations, particularly the Dublin suburban stations, have been upgraded and modernised, with elevators for example on new footbridges. Other measures to improve disabled access have been implemented, and park and ride facilities have been developed.
Intercity travel has benefitted from new suburban railcars freeing up intercity rolling stock previously in use. 67 new locomotive-hauled intercity carriages were also introduced. Over 100 "regional railcars" have also been ordered, these will be DMUs for use on peripheral services that are not commuter-only. Services have been increased on routes such as that from Limerick to Ennis.
Planned developments include enhancing suburban rail in Cork, with a section of rail due to be reopened to Midleton, east of the city. Other projects under discussion, some or all of which are likely to be undertaken at some stage, include:
- A railway line from Dublin to Navan.
- Developing a rail link to Dublin Airport (possibly as an underground Metro link).
- Opening a new city centre railway terminus for Sligo and western commuter services at Spencer Dock.
- Creating an underground "Interconnector" south from Spencer Dock to Pearse Station and west to Heuston Station.
- Reopening a Western Railway Corridor from Limerick to Sligo. As of 2006, preliminary work has begun on reopening the Ennis to Athenry, and Athenry to Tuam sections, as well as preserving right of way north of Tuam.
- See also: Rail transport in Ireland
[edit] Other developments
The national bus operator Bus Éireann's fleet has been significantly invested in, with most of the fleet now five years old or less. The company is now pursuing a policy similar to that of some car owners, retiring buses at a much younger age while still holding some value, and keeping front-end services modern.
This is a particularly visible aspect of the NDP, many buses were up to 20 years old previously.
