Malcolm Noonan (Green Party)

My first question is for the NTA. One of the key strategic objectives in terms of trying to reduce our emissions from transport is the need to reduce the level of car use. We spoke to the Love 30 campaign last week about default speed limits, which are an issue for local authorities. Default speed limits of 30 km/h in urban areas and a proper definition of what urban areas are, because they are expanding significantly, would be key enablers to giving families the confidence to get out of cars and allowing children to have safe routes to cycle to school. Do the witnesses have a view on this?

On rural public transport, we have seen a huge surge in the uptake on various the routes. I am thinking of the 891 in my neck of the woods in Kilkenny, which runs to Piltown. The uptake has been phenomenal. These are the significant enablers of getting people out of their cars. Many people are now making the choice not to drive to work or to appointments. The services provided on the routes are fantastic.

Similarly, we have concluded the review of the Lingaun Valley loop, which is a free transport service on a tourist route in part of Kilkenny. It has been successful. Schemes of this type could be moved out of pilot status and made mainstream. I am thinking of places such as the Burren and other parts of the country where we could have this option, both from a tourism perspective and from the point of view of local public transport. What are the views of the witnesses on that?

Much of the uptake is linked to price. We have seen a reduction in price in recent years, and free transport for children aged under nine and under 12. This has had a positive impact. I would like a view from the witnesses on what they think of this general approach. For me, it has been absolutely transformative. Scaling it up into the mainstream would seem to be the way forward.