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This
Bill is a worthy step in the right direction. After 20 years of
involvement with transportation issues in Dublin, I am glad to see
legislation in this area which I think will bring coherence, and some
clout in terms of enforcement, to the pressing issue of resolving
transport problems in the greater Dublin area. We have had a series of
constructive meetings with all sides on this issue, and the Bill has
benefited from a few thoughts that we brought to the table. I am glad
to see that proper planning is at the heart of this Bill. It is crucial
that we consider transportation and land use together. The Bill
contains a strong requirement, in section 12(6), for the Authority not
only to have regard for but to be consistent with the relevant regional
planning guidelines for the greater Dublin area. This is a welcome step
forward.
I do
have some concerns about the Bill. There is a fear that the National
Roads Authority is perhaps not reined in to the extent it might be.
However, I have no doubt the Minister will listen carefully to the
issues on all sides of the debate. It is important that we consider all
aspects of transportation together: public and private transport, the
slow modes of cycling and walking, and - increasingly in recent years -
the "no-modes" under which people do not travel but instead communicate
by telephone, fax, e-mail or text message. Any modern transport
strategy should concentrate on reducing the need to travel and
facilitating recent innovations in the area of communication. This can
reduce the amount of traffic on our roads and hence the level of
congestion.
I
see this as a new dawn in transportation, as I saw the Dublin transport
Initiative of the early 1990s, which took a step forward in addressing
transport issues in the capital. The outcome of that was a light rail
transport system for Dublin and a series of quality bus corridors around
the city. However, much remains to be done, although the study was
carried out 14 years ago. There was an emphasis on a network of QBCs
around the city. We have QBCs but they are not quite a network. There
was also an emphasis on real-time information and integrated ticketing.
As I said previously in the House, all transport agencies must have
their heads knocked together to ensure they develop a ticket that can be
used on all modes of transport in the city and county, and in the
surrounding counties, because so many people commute from quite long
distances.
I
would like to make a couple of pleas in certain areas. I am a regular
cyclist and I often cycle with my children. Much needs to be done to
provide a good system of cycle routes throughout the city which are safe
for both adults and children and, more important, are maintained and
kept free of traffic. I am sick to the back teeth of cycling along the
red patch on a road and encountering fellas who have pulled in to buy
their breakfast rolls and cappuccinos, Garda cars with their flashers on
while the lads are out getting their coffee, security vans delivering
money and lorries being loaded. I have seen all of this and I can show
the photographs to anyone. I am sick and tired of cyclists being seen
as second-class citizens. There is a lot more to be done in this area.
This
Bill represents a sea change and is a good step forward. We should
recognise the great work carried out by the Railway Procurement Agency
and the Dublin Transportation Office. I ask only that we ensure the NRA
pays sufficient attention to the DTA and that we pay particular
attention to the slow modes of cycling and walking. Local authorities
and the Garda Síochána have much work to do in this area. |
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