NTA outlines greener transport plans and bus expansion

The National Transport Authority plans approximately 140 new or enhanced bus routes for 2027 as it works to expand public transport and reduce emissions, chief executive Anne Shaw has told an Oireachtas committee.

In opening remarks to the Joint Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy, Shaw said increased Public Service Obligation (PSO) funding in Budget 2027, together with additional revenue from recent fare changes, would support network expansion. Further details of the routes are due to be announced in the coming weeks.

Shaw appeared alongside Hugh Creegan, the NTA’s deputy chief executive and director of transport planning and investment, to discuss the authority’s compliance with Section 15 of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015, as amended.

The provision requires public bodies, as far as practicable, to carry out their functions consistently with the national climate objective, the latest Climate Action Plan and other relevant national climate plans and strategies.

The NTA is a statutory, non-commercial State body under the Department of Transport. Its responsibilities include planning, developing and funding public transport, walking and cycling infrastructure, as well as major programmes such as BusConnects, DART+ and MetroLink.

Shaw said climate considerations were incorporated into the authority’s corporate strategy, investment appraisal and environmental assessments. Its Statement of Strategy 2026–2030, Sustainability Strategy 2024–2030 and Climate Action Roadmap provide the overall framework. The roadmap is approved by the NTA board, reviewed annually and supported by reporting through the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland’s monitoring system.

For capital projects, the Government’s Transport Appraisal Framework incorporates the National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland, which identifies decarbonisation as one of four investment priorities. Appraisals consider greenhouse gas emissions and climate adaptation, while major projects also undergo statutory environmental assessment where applicable.

Shaw said the aim was to make alternatives to private cars more practical while cutting emissions from public transport itself.

More than 363 million passenger journeys were made on subsidised public transport in 2025, the highest number on record and around 69 million more than in 2019. The NTA attributed the growth to additional services and capacity through BusConnects, Connecting Ireland and improvements to light and heavy rail.

By the end of 2025, the authority had added 364 battery-electric buses to the urban fleet. Athlone’s town bus service has been zero-emission since January 2023, while Limerick’s city network is operated entirely by 61 battery-electric buses following a €54 million investment in vehicles and charging infrastructure.

A further 226 hybrid buses are operating in Dublin, Galway and Cork. The NTA aims to convert the PSO urban bus fleet to zero-emission vehicles by 2035, supported by new depots, electrification of existing depots and further electric bus purchases.

Rail electrification also forms part of the plan. DART+ is intended to expand electrified services and capacity across the Greater Dublin Area, reaching communities on the lines to Maynooth, M3 Parkway, Hazelhatch and Celbridge, and Drogheda. New stations and services are also planned for Cork commuter rail.

The NTA said more than €300 million was allocated to its Active Travel Programme in 2026. More than 1,000 kilometres of pedestrian and cycling infrastructure have been delivered nationwide since 2020. In Dublin, the share of adults cycling at least five days a week rose from 8% in 2023 to 12% in 2025.

Shaw described compliance with Section 15 as an ongoing obligation. She said the NTA’s approach would evolve alongside national climate policy, appraisal methods and understanding of transport emissions, with annual roadmap reviews and improvements to emissions measurement and reporting.