Lynn Ruane (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their presentations. I must admit this is not a topic I discuss or have engaged in much so I am very much in a listening role here today. What comes to mind for me is whether fixed penalty fines and ticketing curb behaviour in the long term. I know witnesses mentioned educational campaigns and I think of the road traffic campaigns which I would imagine have a big impact on people. I remember first learning many years ago about how I was blocking a wheelchair user in on a path. I could not believe that I actually doing that in such a self-centred, selfish way without ever thinking about how my parking was impacting other users of the path or of the road. Thankfully that awareness gave me the wherewithal to think twice about where and how I was parking. I am wondering about the impact of educational campaigns on a national scale versus enforcement of fines. I am sure there has to be a two-pronged approach in some way, but is there research that shows that penalties work? Human behaviour will often measure risk in a moment so there would have to be someone policing that all day long in a community. We have heard about one estate but if we multiply that all over the country how do we enforce that? I would also be apprehensive about the technology piece, even if that could be the answer. I am wondering what is needed as regards an educational campaign to begin to curb people's actual behaviour. I know there will still be some people that will break the law regardless of having that awareness and that is where penalties will probably come in for those type of users but how do we get to a point where people's behaviour changes, as with seat belts, drink driving, all of those things? I am sure that people's awareness probably impacts those more so than penalties. It is a vague comment really but I am just trying to understand what will curb behaviour.

City planning representatives are not here today in terms of outlining the responsibility they must have in making roads safe for everyone. When I go abroad I generally rent a bike. I spent the summer in Portland and I was in a new city that I had never been in before yet I cycled around it at ease, without fear. I also spent time in Washington. The bike lanes are in the middle of the roads so nobody can ever park on them and there are kerbs blocking any cars being able to come into them. It seemed so much safer than my own city, where I will not cycle. If I can go to a foreign country that I have never visited before and feel fine about it and be happy on the roads, a conversation is obviously needed about responsibility for road safety and safe environments rather than those where a road user thinks "I will take the risk of parking my car here while I run in to collect the kids from school because I have no other option". What is the other option for those parents? They can be fined all we want but where do we push the problem to in terms of who is responsible for ensuring schools and shop fronts and couriers and delivery drivers have somewhere safe to pull in, in the first place? It is probably not a direct question but if I could have comments from Ms Hilman and then potentially from Mr. Buckley, Dr. Lyes or Mr. Ferrie.