National Development Plan
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National_Development_Plan_Ireland.jpg
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. 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 in the plan!
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Progress
Road network
As of 2005 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 as far as Dundalk. A bypass of Dundalk is about to be constructed, and following statutory processes in Northern Ireland, a link onwards to Newry will be constructed.
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. Construction should begin in 2005 on a link M7/M8 south of Portlaoise connecting to both the N7 road and N8 road to Cork. A section from Limerick to Nenagh towards Dublin is in planning, but has not yet been given a go-ahead.
The M4 motorway from Dublin towards Galway and the West of Ireland will shortly reach as far as the Midlands. The N11 road/M11 motorway south of Dublin to Wicklow and Wexford is also progressing. The M9 motorway project from Dublin to Waterford is currently in final planning stages and construction has been confirmed to start in the spring of 2007.
Completion of the M50 motorway Dublin inner ringroad is part of the NDP also – this has been held up by legal proceedings over Carrickmines Castle, the foundations of which lie at the planned site of a motorway junction. The upgrade of parts of the M50 is due to be appended to the NDP. The M1 motorway 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.
- See also: Roads in Ireland
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.
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 carriages have also been ordered. 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.
- See also: Rail transport in Ireland
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.
See also
External Links
- Official website - National Development Plan (http://www.ndp.ie/)