Ireland will be facing fines from the EU commission for failure to reduce carbon emissions – which accrue mainly to transport – and agriculture.
Ireland’s transport is exceptionally carbon intensive and has so far failed to follow European counterparts (Denmark, The Netherlands, Germany and France) who have made significant progress in unwinding car dependency – and in improving the liveability of their cities.
€10 billion is ear-marked for transport investment over the next six years, as per the government’s Capital Spending Plan 2016-2021 , but only €100 million is allocated for ‘active travel’ – which encompasses both walking and cycling
This means the national target of “10% of all trips to be taken by bike by 2020” will not be reached – without significant intervention …
Below is a sample letter to Transport Minster Shane Ross
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Dear Minister Ross,
The Infrastructure and Capital Investment Programme for 2016-2021, published last September, proposes just €100M for Smarter Travel (which includes cycling) out of a proposed €10billion transport budget. This represents a mere 1% of overall transport expenditure.
I am calling on you as the newly appoint Minister of Transport to
Allocate at least 10% of transport funding to cycling, in order deliver everyday cycling for all ages and abilities by –
- Implementing the National Cycle Policy Framework (2009) in full
- Reducing dependency on fossil fuels, especially for the short urban trips
- Achieving at least 10% of all journeys by bike nationally by 2020
- Appointing a National Cycling Officer in the Dept of Transport
- Making 30km/h the default urban speed limit
- Introducing a legally enforced 1.5-metre gap for overtaking cyclists
- Providing for contra-flow cycling on one-way streets
- Retrofitting the top 50 most dangerous junctions in Ireland
- Funding high quality cycle infrastructure
- Upskilling An Garda Síochána to understand cycling and address dangerous driving
- Providing cycle training in all primary and secondary schools
I look forward to seeing action taken on this matter in the immediate future.
Yours sincerely,
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See also Dublin Cycling and Dublin Live