Government criticised for ‘disappointing’ support of European Car Free Day

ENVIRONMENTALISTS have criticised the lack of support by the Government and local authorities for European Car Free Day which is being marked today in almost 1,300 cities across the continent.

Ireland is the only country of the 25 EU member states which has no city or town operating a ban on private cars as part of European Mobility Week.

By contrast, 12 towns in one of the EU’s smallest states, Luxembourg, are taking part in European Car Free Day.

Only one Irish city — Dublin — is listed as officially participating in the EU-wide campaign to raise awareness of sustainable mobility and the need to move away from the use of private cars.

Friends of the Earth said this week’s decision by the State of California to sue five large car manufacturers highlighted the contrast in approach between the US and Irish authorities.

“There is a real lack of serious policy by the Irish Government in terms of reducing car emissions,” said Friends of the Earth spokesman Oisín Coughlan. “Its approach to European Car Free Day is to do the bare minimum.”

He claimed the Government had abandoned previous attempts to restrict car access to Dublin city centre because it had made no difference to the capital’s traffic problems.

“They don’t like seeing their failure to tackle transport issues being exposed,” said Mr Coughlan.

However, environment minister Dick Roche said the Government’s support for European Car Free Day had moved away from the idea of blocking off the streets of some cities to vehicular traffic because it lacked the desired effect.

Instead, Mr Roche said the Government had decided this year to launch an intensive public advertising campaign highlighting how people could effect climate change by not using cars.

“It’s just a different emphasis,” said Mr Roche. He pointed out that his department’s budget for the initiative had increased to €130,000 this year compared to €40,000 in 2005.

But Green Party environment spokesman Ciaran Cuffe, said he was “utterly disappointed” at Ireland’s official response to the annual EU initiative.

“There is a total lack of commitment at both Government and local level to tackling this problem.”

The TD said European Car Free Day was an important event because of its symbolic effect in showing how cities could be improved by increasing the use of public transport and pedestrian areas.

Dublin City Council has been handing out high visibility jacket to cyclists at different location in the city throughout the week as well as organising a range of events including walking and cycling tours.

Although the event will not be marked officially in Cork, a free park-and-ride facility has been operating all week at the Black Ash site on the Kinsale Road in lieu of the normal €5 charge.

A Department of Environment spokesperson said a staff car park at the Customs House in Dublin will also be closed today to mark European Car Free Day.