The Government appears to be planning a softly-softly approach to getting motorists to use their cars less, in pursuit of a key climate goal of cutting transport emissions. In a memo brought to Cabinet this week by Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan it was outlined that the first phase of the programme would involve moves to explain the strategy to people, including planned improvements in public transport provision. Beyond that, efforts would be made to get people to gradually reduce their car use, starting with one less journey per week. Those driving in cities, where there are better public transport options, would be targeted first, recognising the lack of alternatives for many rural motorists.
The goal of explaining the strategy to the public and getting by-in is laudable. But the Government risks moving too slowly, failing to communicate to motorists what will be involved in the years ahead if the State is to get anywhere close to its climate targets. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said that there will be no congestion charge for motorists in the lifetime of this Government.
This may be sensible in itself – such a charge would take significant time to plan. But there is a clear case to start setting in place plans to introduce additional charges, giving people a year or two to adjust before they come into force. And a congestion charge, as well as cutting harmful emissions, can also, as its name suggests, reduce costly traffic jams.
The required reduction in transport emissions is bound to involve some stick as well as some carrot. The increased uptake of electric cars is encouraging – and better charging infrastructure across the State can help to reinforce this. The investment in cycling infrastructure is paying dividends, albeit slowly. But reducing car journeys will inevitably be required, too, if Ireland is to get anywhere close to its target of halving transport emissions by 2030. And while one journey less per household per week will help, what is really required is a more significant change in lifestyles.
‘Is that your wife? You should be ashamed’: a charity collector’s anti-immigrant hate in south Dublin
Local history: From William Orr and the not-so-united Irishmen to a box of underwear labelled ‘ass sizes’
Owen Doyle: Ireland must ensure Scott Barrett’s claim about Joe McCarthy is not swept under the carpet
Booker Prize 2024: who do you think will win?
The National Transport Authority, in its latest transport strategy for the Greater Dublin Area, points out that as well as more investment in public transport and walking and cycling facilities, demand management measures are essential if legally-binding climate targets are to be met. This, it says, means the need for measures such as additional charges for parking and road use, in some form, fewer parking spaces in city centres and further electrification of vehicles.
The challenge for the Government is to find what might be called a middle road to communicating all this, being up-front with the public while also bringing them along with the requirement for change. Pretending that it will all be easily achieved through minor changes in behaviour will not be enough.