Waterford City and County Council acknowledges findings of NTA Transport Shuttle Feasibility Report
The National Transport Authority today (February 12th) issued its Waterford Bridge Transport Shuttle Feasibility Report to Waterford City and County Council.
The report was prepared in order to ascertain the feasibility of the provision of a public bus service connecting the North Quays to the South Quay Plaza via the sustainable transport bridge. The study examines the operational, regulatory, infrastructural and financial implications of the introduction of a publicly funded bus connection.
The report notes that, while there is an understandable desire to secure a bus connection via the sustainable transport bridge, the concept was introduced in the original SDZ Planning Scheme plans to be privately funded.
However, the report states that, “the scale and nature of the development of the North Quays is very different from the earlier retail-led scheme.”
The report continues, “In addition, the proposal predates the development of the current BusConnects plans.”
The report also identified substantial costs, in the region of €1.85m – €2.16m per annum, to subsidise the operation. In addition, operational constraints, vehicle considerations, and pedestrian safety concerns were also highlighted within the report.
Waterford City and County Council acknowledged the findings of the NTA report, which is extremely thorough and makes its recommendations based on a myriad of critical factors.
While the report raises concerns regarding the viability of a publicly funded shuttle bus, the Council welcomes the fact that BusConnects will deliver a doubling of bus services to the city centre from the relocated transport hub to the South Quays via Rice Bridge. This will not only significantly increase passenger capacity, but it will offer journey times broadly comparable to those of a shuttle bus operating at 10k/ph.
The technological and regulatory conditions for autonomous transport continues to evolve and the Council welcomes the NTA’s offer that it would be happy to continue engaging constructively as a stakeholder should Waterford City and County Council wish to explore an alternatively funded bus service in future or consider an innovation-focused autonomous vehicle trial.
For further information on the NTA Feasibility Report visit https://waterfordnorthquays.ie/news/
