Road closures, musical events, street performers and free public transport will characterise this Sunday's European Car-free Day. The campaign will run in ten urban locations throughout the Republic, including all cities and the towns of Greystones, Co Wicklow, Newcastle West, Co Limerick, Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin, and Portlaoise, Co Laois.
Critics of the measures being taken in Dublin said yesterday that the limited road closures in the city amounted to only a token effort by the authorities.
Dublin Bus will provide free afternoon transport on all services and a pre-paid bus ticket will provide a range of discounts at Dublin Zoo, meals at Leisureplex, TGI Fridays, McDonald's and Wagamamma. The city council will be promoting Dublin as "a walking city" linking pedestrianised areas. There will be two main areas for events, St Stephen's Green and Parliament Street.
St Stephen's Green events will include a timed walk in the park and a treasure hunt with prizes including bicycles. Discover Dublin walking tours will begin from St Stephen's Green and last an hour. At Parliament Street there will be music and information displays on air quality and cycling. At the new Wolf Tone Park there will be street performers and balloons for children.
Bus Éireann is offering free travel during specified periods on city services in Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford. In Dún Laoghaire a family day will include music from local bands, balloons, clowns, street theatre and face-painting. In Galway there will be free bicycle repairs and subsidised hire, guided walking tours, competitions and various entertainments.
Irish participation in the car-free day has been dismissed as a sham by a cyclists' pressure group which claimed organisers in Dublin have failed to comply with basic stipulations. The Dublin Cycling Campaign's spokesman, Mr David Maher, said EU guidelines stipulate that sections of participating cities must be declared car-free, that the event should be larger than previous years, and that it should form part of wider sustainable transport measures.
He said Dublin failed on all three counts and accused the city council of paying lip service to the initiative.