2/10/03 Ireland to take part in European Car Free Day again as number of participating Irish towns and cities increases to nineteen
Media Information 13th August 2003
Ireland to take part in European Car Free Day again as number of participating Irish towns and cities increases to nineteen
Nineteen cities and towns in Ireland will participate in European Car Free Day this year, reaffirming Ireland’s commitment to the initiative and to the development of a cleaner, healthier urban environment. That is according to Martin Cullen TD, Minister for the Environment, Heritage & Local Government, who announced details of European Car Free Day 2003 which will take place on Monday 22nd September.
Almost 1500 cities across Europe and beyond participated in the event in 2002, and 2003 is expected to be even larger. The date for Car Free Day is fixed for the 22 September annually, and the initiative will take place simultaneously throughout all participating European countries.
In Ireland, each participating local authority is developing its plans for Car Free Day, with the support of Sustainable Energy Ireland, the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the Department of Transport. The development of plans in each participating town and city will also involve representatives from the wider local community including businesses, trade associations, community groups and schools and the Garda Siochana.
The nineteen Irish cities and towns confirmed to take part this year are: Athlone, Balbriggan, Clonakilty, Cork, Drogheda, Dublin, Galway, Greystones, Tralee, Listowel, Killarney, Kilkenny, Limerick, Newcastlewest, Monaghan, Sligo, Waterford, Westport and Wicklow. Ten cities and towns took part in 2002.
As Car Free Day is on a Monday this year, the focus will be on the commuter and the promotion of alternative worker mobility initiatives such as car sharing, cycling, walking to work and public transport. There will also be an emphasis on promoting the trial of sustainable transport plans for school children including car pooling, walking, cycling and public / private bus transport. For example, one alternative mode of transport for schoolchildren is the Walking Schoolbus. Each walking bus has an adult ‘driver’ at the front and an adult ‘conductor’ at the back, and the children walk to school in a group along a set route.
Commenting on Ireland’s participation for a fourth year in European Car Free Day, Minister Cullen said, “The fact that the number of towns and cities taking part in Car Free Day has increased from ten to nineteen shows that the momentum of the initiative is building, and that urban mobility is of concern to people throughout Ireland. I am delighted with the support and effort such a large number of individual local authorities are putting into making this event a success this year and it has now firmly established itself as an exciting annual event. With Car Free Day we are not suggesting that there is no place for cars in a modern city, but rather that there needs to be a better balance that recognises the strengths and weaknesses of different transport modes in forming a complete urban mobility system. The event highlights the range of choices that exist and which people will hopefully think about not only on 22 September but every day".
Also commenting, David Taylor, Chief Executive, Sustainable Energy Ireland said: “Driving to and from work is one of the key areas of car usage in Ireland. As Car Free Day is on a Monday this year, it provides a perfect opportunity to focus on the commuter and worker mobility. In particular, I would encourage businesses to get involved and to trial different aspects of employee mobility. A number of large companies and business parks in Ireland have already moved towards introducing a mobility plan for their employees. These plans are based around encouraging employees to adopt alternative methods of getting to and from work such as cycling, walking, car-pooling and public/private bus transport".
He concluded, "Car Free Day is about stimulating debate on urban transport options - viable options that allow us to go about our every day lives in ease. It is widely recognised that excessive dependence on cars in cities and towns brings many disadvantages to all. If, through Car Free Day, we can plant a seed in the minds of people that there are viable alternatives to the motor car we will have achieved something positive".
Independent research on attitudes towards European Car Free Day in Ireland in 2002, found that 82% of residents in participating Irish cities and towns would be in favour of the initiative being repeated again. The research was commissioned by Sustainable Energy Ireland and carried out by Lansdowne Market Research. Key findings of the research also included:
- 90% of residents in participating towns and cities think the current patterns of car use in towns are a problem.
- 83% of residents surveyed said that car use must be limited to improve the freedom of movement in cities and towns.
As part of European Car Free Day 2003, Dublin Bus, Bus Eireann, DART and the Rail Procurement Agency (RPA) are all supporting the initiative.
Sustainable Energy Ireland was established on May 1st, 2002, as a statutory authority charged with promoting and assisting the development of sustainable energy and is funded by the Irish Government under the National Development Plan 2000-2006 with programmes part financed by the European Union.
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For further information please contact:
Diarmuid O’Neill
Edelman Public Relations
01-6789333 / 087-6699933
