The Green Party has welcomed the publication by the National Transport Authority of the Core Bus Corridors Project Report for the BusConnects initiative, but has warned that improvements for pedestrians and cyclists must be integral to the process. Ciarán Cuffe the Green party's Transport Spokesperson said:"For far too long pedestrians and cyclists have been the poor relation in transport planning. Walking and Cycling must be seen as an integral part of the BusConnects Project. We saw with the Luas Cross City project how cyclists were diverted and sidelined from main routes and this is in danger of happening again. A visible and well-resourced walking and cycling unit must be at the heart of the BusConnects project."The proposed work on upgrading bus routes will involve the purchase of lands for carriageway widening. It is crucial that both transport users and land-owners are given an opportunity to have their views inform the planning process. In some instances improvements in bus services can be achieved by diverting or restricting cars at peak times, rather than by road widening. Road widening can be devastating for householders and businesses, and will have to be carefully assessed to determine if it is the right solution from a social or economic point of view."It is also crucial that congestion on the M50 is tackled and that a reliable bus alternative is provided. This requires high quality orbital bus routes sooner rather than later in the process. Although they are identified in the Core Bus Corridors Project Report there appears to be no clear timetable for their construction. There is also a strong case for orbital bus routes on the M50 itself. ENDSIssued and updated 11th June 2018