Drivers urged to ditch the car

MOTORISTS were yesterday urged to make one small step towards taking 200,000 car journeys off the road.

Car users in Dublin and surrounding counties have been challenged not to use their vehicles for at least one trip a week.

Dublin Transportation Office (DTO) claims One Small Step will get drivers to walk, cycle or use public transport in a bid to cut congestion, pollution and enhance the quality of life.

Did you need your car today? will encourage people to examine their driving habits and think about other ways of getting around.

“If everyone left their car behind for just one trip each week, there would be 200,000 fewer car trips every day in the Greater Dublin area,” said John Henry DTO director and chief executive.

A study on drivers in the Leinster region found more than half (52%) said the car was their most often used way of getting around, with 40% never considering any travel options other than the car.

Almost half (47%) take their car on short journeys of a mile or less, with only 3% of these saying they were very likely to consider walking instead.

Transport Minister Noel Dempsey said through the multi-billion euro Transport 21 scheme he wants to see a world-class public transportation system in place in Dublin so people have a real choice when it comes to moving around our capital city.

However, he was first to admit he wasn’t an avid user of the capital’s bus network.

“I haven’t [taken the bus] for quite a number of years now, they tell me for security reasons, but I have taken Luas on a number of occasions,” he said.

“In my new role as Minister for Transport I do intend to take the bus, take, the train, a little bit more than normal.

“I want the option of leaving our cars at home for at least some journeys each week to be an attractive possibility for all Dubliners.”

Meanwhile, the AA’s Conor Faughnan said the public transport system was the source of the city’s gridlocked streets — not the number of cars in the capital.

“We have a major public transport deficit in this city and that is the source of our traffic problems.

“It’s too easy to say we have too many cars in Dublin, but the reality is we have no more cars than any other city.

“We have a major public transport deficit and that’s where I think resources have to be concentrated on.”