Most drivers favour public transport investment

ALMOST seven-in-ten motorists are strongly in favour of increased Government investment in public transport, a report reveals.

A survey of more than 4,000 motorists by AA Car Insurance found that in excess of 65% strongly support improving Ireland’s public transit resources, and almost 70% of people are at least partly supportive of an increased Government investment in the construction and improvement of cycle facilities across the country. The findings come a week after the Ireland 2040 plan was unveiled with a €3billion metro for the capital as its centrepiece.

‘When you look across Irish society as a whole, we have been overly reliant on the private car for far too long as a direct result of underinvestment in public transport alternatives by government, with this being particularly true for cities such as Galway and Cork, and for rural Ireland,’ said Conor Faughnan, AA Director of Consumer Affairs.

‘Even Dublin which has more public transport options than other Irish cities has seen itself fall foul of poor public transport planning in recent years, as evidenced by the ongoing delays at College Green.’

‘If we are to move away from being a car dependent nation, then largescale investment in alternative forms of transport is needed,’ Mr Faughnan added.

‘Simply put, if you provide people with better alternatives than their car then we know that motorists will use them,’ he said.

‘But if you fail to do this, then you lost the right to act surprised when you see the massive congestion issues we have across the country,’ Mr Faughnan added.