The BusConnects Cork programme, included in Ireland’s National Development Plan 2021-2023 and promoted by the National Transport Authority (NTA), in which TYPSA has been involved since June 2023, is designed to be the catalyst for the transformation of the bus network in the city and its surroundings, prioritising efficiency, sustainability and safe mobility. This initiative will not only optimise public transport, but will also drive the urban development of Cork, in alignment with projections of it becoming the fastest growing Irish city over the next two decades.
Specific objectives of the BusConnects Cork programme include:
- Investment in eleven Sustainable Transport Corridors (STC) to prioritise buses, eliminating delays and improving service efficiency.
- Implementation of exclusive bus lanes and other such measures to ensure punctuality and efficiency of the service.
- Construction of segregated two-way cycle lanes, promoting transport safety and sustainability.
- Improvement of interchange services between Intercity stations, suburban railways, light rail stations and the Park and Ride network.
In May 2023, the consortium made up of TYPSA and the local business Roughan O´Donavan (ROD), started preliminary design work for the BusConnects Cork – Project B, leveraging the sinergies generated and lessons learned during the collaboration period between both companies in the BusConnects Dublin Project D, which had previously commenced in May 2019 and is now approaching its final stage.
TYPSA’s services in this new programme in Cork, which will run until the end of 2026, include:
- Completion of the Preferred Route for Sustainable Transport Corridors (STC):
- STC E: Ballincollig to City (11 km)
- STC F: Bishopstown to City (5.3 km)
- STC G: Togher to City (1.7 km)
- Preliminary design and legal administrative process for the approval of each of these three corridors (STC).
- Preparation of the Specimen Design based on the preliminary design, to generate the bidding documents for the corresponding design-build tender competitions of each of the corridors.
The work of the ROD-TYPSA design team during these first months has focused on the development of the preferred routes for the three corridors (STC E, F and G), with the participation of the Roads and Urban Development divisions and the Linear Designs department. The routes were submitted to public consultation in November 2023 and received great acceptance by the community and other affected parties.
The preliminary design work will also include the redesign of existing structures, development of the drainage network and design of lighting, as well as the preparation of the specifications and surveys necessary for the geotechnical campaign to be carried out during the execution of the project.
TYPSA continues to rely on a working model in which teams from Ireland, UK and Spain work in a synchronised and integrated way, ensuring an optimal contribution to the project by experts, and management and production teams. This strategy has been reinforced by the recent opening of TYPSA’s new offices in Dublin, consolidating our position in the Irish market.
With regard to the work associated with BusConnects Dublin Project D, this is now entering into its final stage. The team is waiting for the preliminary design developed over the last few years to obtain legal approval from the public planning entity (An Bord Pleanala), and meanwhile has already begun to draft the tender documents that will serve as the basis for the tender of the detailed design and construction.
With these projects, TYPSA continues to consolidate its decisive role in the transformation of Irish infrastructure and quality of life, enabling a more sustainable transport model.
