Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I want to follow up on Dr. Aldred's comment, which goes back to BusConnects. Our future strategy for urban transport focuses on buses while, despite being included in the bus plan, cycle lanes are subordinated. This feeds into Dr. Aldred's point about trip-chaining because the bus plan is very much about central arteries and ignores alternative connectivity within communities. As public representatives and policymakers, should we review BusConnects with a view to making it a plan for transport generally so that cycling can be given equal status as an alternative, while also improving bus transport? Cycling would not be subordinated in such a plan and that connectivity and the trip-chaining Dr. Aldred has mentioned could be facilitated. That is my main comment. I am interested in how we could improve future cycling capacity through our public transport plan. BusConnects does not do that. It is all about central arteries and ignores capital investment in communities away from the central bus lanes which are to be developed.