Smarter Travel – A Sustainable Transport Future: A New Transport Policy for Ireland 2009-2020
This document reflects the government’s vision and required measures to have a sustainable transport system by 2020. It sets out below five goals:
• To reduce overall travel demand
• To maximize the efficiency of the transport network
• To reduce reliance on fossil fuels
• To reduce transport emissions
• To improve accessibility to transport
In order to achieve these goals and ultimately ensure that sustainable travel and transport is in place by 2020, the following key targets are proposed:
• Future population and employment growth will take place predominantly in sustainable compact forms, which would reduce the need to travel for employment and services
• 500,000 more people will make alternative means to commute and total share of car commuting will drop from 65% to 45%
• Support and provide alternative methods such as walking, cycling and public transport, to rise the share to 55% of total commuter journeys to work
• Total kilometres travelled by the car fleets in 2020 will not increase significantly from current levels
• Reduction of GHG emission from transport sector will be achieved compared to the 2005 level
Following these objectives and targets, following key actions are proposed:
• Reduce distance travelled by private cars and encourage smarter travel (e.g. encourage people to live close to workplaces, use pricing mechanisms or fiscal measures to encourage behavioural changes)
• Ensure alternatives to the car are more widely available, mainly through radically improved public transport service and through investment in cycling and walking.
• Improve the fuel efficiency of motorised transport through improved fleet structure, energy efficient driving and alternative technologies.
• Strengthen institutional arrangements to deliver the targets.
