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The Green Party expressed concern
about the Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey's promotion of a new
orbital motorway running from Drogheda to Naas.
Reacting to comments made by the
Minister on RTE news last week, the Green Party's transport
spokesperson Ciarán Cuffe TD said: "The Greens have
serious reservations about the prioritisation of a new motorway
ahead of the delivery of public transport improvements. I will be
discussing this issue with my Party colleagues in the coming days,
but at this stage I am very concerned that the Transport Minister's
priorities are focused in this direction.
"The Programme for Government
agreed by Fianna Fail and the Green Party includes a commitment to
'prepare for the delivery' of the Leinster outer orbital route, but
it commits also to reducing congestion and protecting the
environment. The M50 is a clear example that building a new motorway
without also delivering public transport options and applying
rigorous planning control, will lead to greater urban sprawl,
congestion and carbon emissions.
"Between 1990 and 2004
transport-related greenhouse gas emissions in Ireland grew by 140
per cent; this puts us second from bottom in a European league
table. Most people now realise that Ireland cannot drive its way out
of the emissions crisis which it now faces. I hope the Transport
Minister catches up with this reality sooner rather than later.
"I would seriously question Minister Dempsey's claims that the
orbital route is justified from an environmental point of view. If
any infrastructure projects should be fast-tracked for economic or
environmental reasons they should be projects focused on public
transport, not additional motorways. We must redress years of under
funding in public transport infrastructure in order to give
commuters a viable alternative to private car journeys.
"The M50 is now a miserable part of
the Dublin commuting experience, rather than the ring road it was
designed to be. By the time the extra lanes open, demand – caused by
short-sighted planning decisions, a lack of public transport and
unchecked growth in car sales – will have the road bogged down in
gridlock again.
"Exactly the same thing will happen
to the orbital route unless rail projects, such as the Navan rail
link are first completed and the Dublin Interconnector is
prioritised" concluded Deputy Cuffe. |
