Sir, – I agree with Paul Finlay (Letters, August 1st,) that the scope of what is considered a sustainable vehicle for budgetary purposes must include electric bikes. Furthermore, there must be an increased effort by the Government to improve the equity of taking up sustainable supports and options.
A recent Irish study, Measuring the equity impacts of government subsidies for electric vehicles (Caulfield et al, 2022), using data supplied by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland and others, found that “current grants for electric vehicles privilege high-income people”. Affluent areas in Ireland and places already well served with public transport (Dublin, especially) are the ones most benefiting. The reality is that EVs, and e-bikes, are in the category of luxury goods for many people in Ireland. That should not be the case. – Yours, etc,
ULTAN Ó BROIN,
Blackrock,
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Co Dublin.
