Bus cuts undermine council's plan, says TD

A THREE-YEAR workplace travel plan – to encourage staff and visitors to Dublin’s City Council’s civic offices complex at Wood Quay, to leave their cars at home – will have to contend with fewer buses and services in the city.

That is the view of Labour Party TD Tommy Broughan, who said cuts in public transport funding were “pulling the rug” out of such workplace transport plans.

Under an initiative supported by the Department of Transport, employers are being encouraged to bring in sustainable workplace travel plans, in a bid to reduce congestion and carbon emissions in the city centre and promote a healthier lifestyle. The city council said it was using its civic offices workplace plan to encourage staff and visitors to reduce car use and choose environmentally-friendly commuting.

The plan, which is specific to workers in the civic offices, shows what commuting methods are currently being used and sets targets for improvements.

The three-year plan of activities will include transport promotions, information services and public events.

But while Mr Broughan, a member of the Oireachtas Committee on Transport, praised the efforts of the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Labour Councillor Eibhlin Byrne, and the council’s director of traffic, Michael Phillips, he said staff and bus cuts at Dublin Bus would undermine their efforts.

“We have been arguing for additional buses for a long time and it is incongruous that when we try to reduce the number of vehicles coming in between the canals – by getting people out of their cars – transport cuts come hand in hand.”

Mr Broughan accused the Green Party of “surrender” on the issue, saying it had failed to get its green travel policies, which involved the expansion of public transport, through Cabinet. “It is a complete Green surrender,” he said.

But Ms Byrne said the discussion should be wider than simply a choice between cars or buses. Ms Byrne, who launched the council’s workplace travel plan, said “broader thinking” on issues such as the need for people to be in the city or travel at congested times, was required.