Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 17 November 2021

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport

National Development Plan 2021-2030: Discussion

Photo of Eamon RyanEamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for those questions. I would agree with him that our ambition on active travel should not be limited to what that modelling in the greater Dublin area transport strategy indicates may be delivered. That 11% figure is a projection based on a variety of different assumptions. The Deputy referred to the fact that I spoke about this yesterday. If we provide safe infrastructure, it might show those assumptions underestimate the public appetite for a healthier, quicker, cleaner, cheaper and better form of transport. That is based on having the experience of seeing that when we create safe spaces, be it when we have provided greenways or high quality active travel urban transport infrastructure, the numbers have jumped by more than 11%. If we can create such safer infrastructure, we will see a much higher modal share. There is a pent-up demand for that among the Irish public that will be released. Central to that , is creating safe routes to schools. That has a double benefit. It will help us address some of the morning peak traffic gridlock, of which 33% is accounted for by children being driven to school.

It will also make for safer infrastructure for a range of other uses throughout the day. To deliver that, political decision-making at local level will be required. The funding will be allocated centrally to help local authorities. The legislation will be shaped in whatever way we can to give support, but it comes down to local government making decisions. It is at local government level that the responsibility and best democratic decision-making lie.

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