Mr. Fergus Sharpe:

Gridlock in Dublin is raised consistently by our members as a serious issue. It is worth pointing out also that it has a measurable cost to the economy. The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport has estimated the annual cost to the economy of gridlock and traffic congestion in the greater Dublin area at approximately €350 million. That is due to rise to €2 billion per annum by 2031. When we take into consideration the impact of future carbon fines, the amount will be even higher. We have a range of proposals regarding the infrastructure projects we believe should be prioritised. Those are outlined in the infrastructure section of our submission.

We are also working with local authorities to try to promote investment in cycling as a means of addressing that.