Sir, – Waiting for the bus this morning counting the cars, nine out of 10 driven by healthy working-age people into central Dublin, and all fuelled by the blood-oil of Russian, Venezuelan and Saudi tyrants. Allowing 1.5-tonne vehicles designed for speeds of up to 200km to move a 60kg person in a 50km/h zone is absurd. To combat Putin we need immediate emergency Covid-like restrictions on unnecessary oil use.
Tomorrow we should: Close all public sector car parks. Ban all single-occupancy private car use within the M50 in Dublin and every major town in Ireland. Ban school drop-offs within 1km of an urban school. Ban the sale of SUVs. Remove all on-street parking. Offer a car scrappage scheme offering €1,000 a year to those willing to give up the private car each year for five years. Offer cycling lessons to every child and adult, and a grant scheme for electric bikes and micro scooters. Introduce emergency bus services along routes with no or little service using private minibuses.
Tomorrow we can stop funding the murder of Ukrainians and Yemenis.
– Yours, etc,
PAT BARRY,
North Circular Road,
Dublin 7.