Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 December 2014
610. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will extend car-free zones to cities across Ireland on Sunday mornings to promote cycling, walking and casual trading; his views on this year's European mobility week; his Department's expenditure on the week; his views on reverse tolling practices during the week as in Norway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46359/14]
View answerThe responsibility of extending car-free zones is a matter for the individual local authorities in collaboration with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government.
My Department has no involvement in the organisation of events related to this year's European Mobility Week (EMW). The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government is the lead Department in relation to this issue.
However, my Department administers a number of schemes that are closely aligned to the theme of European Mobility week. Examples of these schemes are:
- Nine active travel town projects currently under development by Local Authorities with the aim of achieving an increase in modal shift from the car to cycling and walking;
- Smarter travel demonstration projects in Limerick, Dungarvan and Westport and the outcomes with these projects will inform the Department’s policy going forward in the whole area of smarter travel:
- Green Schools Programme which is run by the National Transport Authority (NTA). There is a similar programme also run by the NTA and funded by this Department to get Workplace and College campuses to modify their modes of transport away from using the car to public transport, cycling and walking;
- The Department also ran a very successful Bike Week in June with participation by local communities across the country, facilitated through the Local Authorities;
- Galway City launched the Coke Zero bike scheme on 24 November and Limerick and Cork cities are to follow shortly;
- The NTA, an agency of the Department, also runs smarter travel projects in Dublin and the Greater Dublin Area and in the regional cities.
My Department has no knowledge of reverse tolling practices during EMW in Norway.
