Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

No, I certainly would not suggest that, but the thrust of policy needs to be towards more efficient, smaller and lighter vehicles, and I know the Minister will agree the priority should be to reduce the need for journeys and to shift to public transport.

On the public transport challenge, this relates to the climate modelling we carry out. As far as I know, when we model, we do not model for parking in bus lanes or cycle lanes and breaking red lights. All of this is endemic and has to have an effect on our active travel and public transport systems, but I do not think the modelling accounts for these endemic issues, although the Minister might correct me if I am wrong. In any case, there seems to be a missing aspect with respect to enforcement. Currently, at every change of lights at virtually every junction in the country, one, two or three cars will speed through. When there is a culture of non-enforcement, that makes it easier to drive around our cities, which has a knock-on impact on active travel and public transport.