Dempsey reveals plan for 'green' driving test

PLANS FOR a new “green driving test” which would examine candidates on driving styles that contribute to reducing carbon emissions and to fuel efficiency were announced yesterday.

Under a review of the driving test syllabus it is proposed to include sections on eco-driving, with instruction on travelling at the appropriate speed, acceleration, braking, gear usage and tyre pressure.

The aim is to reduce emissions and optimise mileage per litre of fuel. It is likely candidates will face questions on eco-driving in the theory element of the driving test, as well as an assessment of their eco-driving during the road test.

Announcing the proposals, Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey said some of the instruction he had wanted to see included was already part of the public service vehicle test syllabus. He wished to see this test extended to private car users as it had the potential to cut emissions and increase fuel efficiency by up to 10 per cent.

Mr Dempsey said the measure was part of his “smarter travel agenda”.

Road Safety Authority chief executive Noel Brett confirmed the plans were being considered in the review of the driving test and said the ambition was that eco-driving would be included in the test syllabus as early as next year.

Mr Dempsey was speaking at an Ibec transport conference in Dublin where he also announced that he was planning to introduce pilot sustainable transport and travel schemes in a number of towns – “possibly with a North-South dimension”.

Towns will be selected on the basis of proposals for “smarter travel” such as walking and cycling routes and access to public transport. Mr Dempsey said he was “passionately committed to the new approach to transport and travel” and he revealed he was “astounded at the positivity” of the public response to the department’s consultation on sustainable transport.

“People are looking for smarter ways of doing things,” he said, adding that he himself was in training to take part in the forthcoming national bike week.

Mr Dempsey also said he would be meeting Dublin Bus management today to discuss the reform of the capital’s bus network.

Pointing out that the current network had been based on former tram routes, he said he did not believe the network was serving new areas of population to the best advantage.

“The buses are not going to where people are living . . . is just not efficient and not effective,” he said.

He said a likely outcome of the Deloitte report on the State’s bus services would be a reorganisation of the Dublin network.

He said it was very likely the current routes had something to do with the large number of people who still drove short distances to work.

Mr Dempsey said the proposed Dublin Transport Authority was to be set up on an interim basis in the near future, and while he did not want to be “overly optimistic”, advertisements had already been placed for a chief executive and this person was expected to be in place by September.

Mr Dempsey also said he planned to set up a national freight transport forum to establish the potential for rail freight in the future.

He said he had been told there was no future for rail freight in Ireland, but he wanted to ascertain if this was in fact the case.