Government Banks On "Sustainable Travel"

Minister for Transport, Noel Dempsey, T.D., accompanied by the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Mr Eamon Ryan, T.D. launched 'Smarter Travel - A Sustainable Transport Future,' the Government's action plan to "free Irish towns and cities from choking traffic congestion, slash CO2 emissions and help car based commuters to leave their cars at home." 

Speaking at the launch Minister Dempsey said; "Travel trends in Ireland are unsustainable. We can't keep pouring cars onto our streets.

"Cities are grinding to a halt with choking traffic congestion and that can't continue. This action plan that I am publishing today shows a different way and sets out how to get there. 

"This is not simply a series of transport initiatives. It represents a radical transformation in transport policy that puts people, rather than vehicles, first. It has the potential to fundamentally change how we all travel." 

Eamon Ryan said, "Today's announcement is the beginning of a major change.

"It represents a fundamental reform of our transport systems," he said. "It is the first step in changing how we move and how we live. Our current transport patterns are unsustainable and make travel costly time consuming and stressful. "

'Smarter Travel - A Sustainable Transport Future' sets out measures that are intended to see thousands more people walking, cycling, using public transport and leaving their cars at home by 2020.

With this action plan Government aims to change the transport mix in Ireland so that by 2020 car share of total commutes drop from the current 65% to 45%.

According to the Ministers this will involve new ways of approaching many aspects of policy making in Ireland. 

The plan will affects schools and school curricula, influencewhere residential areas and centres of employment are developed in the future, "open up social and employment opportunities for people who experience reduced mobility" and "return urban spaces to people rather than cars."

The 49 measures in 'Smarter Travel - A Sustainable Transport Future' can be grouped under four key headings:

• Actions to reduce distance travelled by private car and encourage smarter travel, including focusing population and employment growth predominantly in larger urban areas;
• Actions aimed at ensuring that alternatives to the car are more widely available, mainly through a radically improved and more accessible public transport service and through investment in cycling and walking;
• Actions aimed at improving the fuel efficiency of motorised transport through improved fleet structure, energy efficient driving, and alternative technologies, and
• Actions aimed at strengthening institutional arrangements to deliver the targets.

"This new policy framework approved by the Government will have long-term positive benefits for all our citizens. 

"While changing travel behaviour will take time these benefits, particularly the health, environmental and quality of life dividends, will accrue not only during the implementation phase of the proposals but also beyond 2020.

"We are today setting out our clear policy decision to put people not cars at the centre of our transport planning and delivery in future," concluded Minister Dempsey.