The GDA Transport Strategy needs to be more ambitions, urgent, have clear steps on how to get there with timelines. The Climate Act sets a target of 51% reduction in emissions but this strategy needs to aim for higher reductions because its such a huge part of our everyday lives and any reduction in these emissions in transport has a direct health benefit to us and therefore on our Health system.
We need a joint approach to planning for future sustainable transport with different stakeholders so that we are inclusive from the beginning. We need to plan to correct past lack of sustainable transport and we need to do this urgently. Every year we delay putting in safe infastructure for cycling means we deprive our young people being independant by getting themselves to school, it also deprives them of other benefits of cycling such as improved physicial and mental health.
We also need to plan to travel less, so having what we need on a daily basis to be close by, to also have sustainable transport that links in with lesiure activities.
The bulk of funding should go on making walking safe and enjoyable because we all walk for all or some of our journeys. They need to be designed so it is a pleasure with increase biodiversity, more trees where SUDS are incorporated in order to reduce the amount of rain entering our storm drains due to increase paths and widths. Greening our bus stop roofs for similar reasons and to add interest and biodiversity and reduce noise. There needs to be an emphasis on safety through lighting and passive surveillance for people walking on their own.
Connecting existing bike lanes is vital. Designing new bike lanes should include biodiversity where possible. Providing bike schemes that include our older generation is a must. Increasing the safe school routes to secondary schools is urgently needed, these students will continue to cycle into adulthood is they have the opportunity to do it at this age. Junctions need to be safer for cyclists and the need to dismount reduced. Safer, covered bike parking is an absolute need, the rise in bike theft has and will continue to have a negative impact on this important mode of transport. A high number of people who have their bike robbed will not replace their bike.
Finglas Luas needs to be completed urgently, it does not make sense that a very short line is not completed quickly, this would be a great example of how light rail improves the lives of the residents, being able to get to work, school, college or lesiure activities on a dependable mode of transport with the traffic congestion is life changing.
Metro Link going to Swords will be a game changer for the Northside local communities, Northside communities have been left behind when it comes to these modes of transport. These will improve air quality, noise reduction, emissions through the reduction of private cars.
Reduced speed limits especially in built up areas, this will increase quality of life for communities through safe streets, reduced noise and air pollution, reduced emissions. Increase Zebra crossings especially where you get natural crossings by locals.