Green MEP for Dublin Ciarán Cuffe has recommended an emphasis on active travel in Dublin city. In his submission to the public consultation on the Greater Dublin Area Transport Strategy, he said:It is not enough to swap cars that run on fossil fuels with cars that run on batteries. The State must adopt strategies that dramatically bring about a modal shift towards walking, cycling and public transport.Walking and cycling cannot and should not be seen as an ‘add-on’ to the Bus Connects plans. They must be looked at as modes that deserves the bulk of spending in the short-to medium term.Cuffe called for Dublin to go on a “road diet”, in which narrower roads, pedestrian crossings, safer lighting, and other measures are used to prioritise the needs of pedestrians. These pedestrianisation measures should take precedence over large scale public transport projects, he argued.Historically too much emphasis has been placed on the roll-out of new infrastructure. It is now time to ‘sweat the assets’ by managing the existing infrastructure better. In some cases, this means widening footpaths and providing segregated cycle lanes. In others it will mean prioritising local active travel over through traffic by car.Emphasising the need for a strategy which is in line with Ireland’s Climate Action Plan, Cuffe expressed frustration with the long timelines of sustainable transport infrastructure developments.Inordinate delays in delivering the Liffey Cycle Route, Sutton to Sandycove cycle route, College Green Plaza, and the provision of a new bridge across ‘The Gut’ at the mouth of the Dodder between Sir John Rodgerson’s Quay and Ringsend are testimony to the project delivery challenges that need to be addressed within the Strategy.Speaking about the submission, Cuffe argued for a broader reorientation in our approach to the public realm. “Sustainability requires us to recognise limits, but it also can give us the opportunity to re-evaluate how we want to live. Do we want a city built around the needs of the private car, or do we want a public realm that works for all? These are the questions the NTA should be asking as it implements this transport strategy.“For far too long the car was king in our transport planning. We now recognise that it was a pretender to the throne. It is time for a more sustainable approach to transport that can help produce a liveable city.”NOTE: Link to Ciarán Cuffe’s submission https://t.co/tKw3s3OzfP