One of my Department's objectives is to expand the capacity and enhance the quality of public transport in Ireland so as to increase the patronage of public transport and effect, where possible, a shift away from sedentary modes of travel such as private cars. While buses, trams and trains include a seated part of the trip, all public transport trips involve the trip maker in a walk to and from the transport corridor. In this regard, I regard my Department's public transport promotion of a modal shift to public transport as a key element in encouraging healthier forms of transport.
With regard to IBEC's concerns, I share the concerns associated with rising levels of obesity and associated health matters, and support the Department of Health and Children decision to set up a task force on obesity. The Dublin Transportation Office has confirmed that it and IBEC have agreed to set up workshops on mobility management plans for employers, including walking and cycling promotion measures; they are expected to be held in mid-2004. Incorporating cycle lanes as part of the city's quality bus network has been hugely instrumental in providing a safer environment for cyclists to get from one point to another and is at the very core of the success achieved to date in cycle promotion.
The downward trend in walking and cycling to school is certainly of concern, especially as many of those travelling to school by car are making short trips that should not require motorised transport. However, trip length is not the only factor at play, and parental choices are key.
One of the aims of the safer routes to school programme, currently being promoted by the Dublin Transportation Office, is to encourage concerted action between parents, schools and traffic agencies to walk or cycle to school and to actively manage school travel. An increase in the number of school children and accompanying adults walking and cycling to school can lead to safer journeys, healthier and fitter children, reduced congestion and a more pupil centred front-of-school environment.
I understand from the Dublin Transportation Office that eight pilot school projects are currently under way, some since 2002, and are due to finish with the end of this summer term. The pilots are as follows:
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School
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Area
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St. Patrick Boys School
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Donabate, County Dublin
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Girls National School
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Donabate, County Dublin
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Malahide Community School
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Malahide, County Dublin
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St. Cronin’s National School
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Bray, County Wicklow
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St. Vincent de Paul Senior School
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Griffith Avenue, Dublin
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St. Vincent de Paul Junior School
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Griffith Avenue, Dublin
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Ard Scoil Rís
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Griffith Avenue, Dublin
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Scoil Mhuire School
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Griffith Avenue, Dublin
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Preliminary results in the two schools in Donabate show a reduction in car use by 22% and an increase in walking by 11%. The results from Bray show a reduction in car use by 20% and a significant shift to cycling.
A sum of €888,649 was allocated towards the pilot schemes in 2003, and €480,000 is being made available this year per the programme.
Following the end of the pilot phase, the next steps will be: the DTO will publish national guidelines and a resource kit for the safer routes to school implementation later this year, followed by workshops; a further round of school safer routes to schools projects will be funded in the period 2004-06 based on the DTO survey.
