Do Ministers take the bus?

Sir, – If Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan is serious about getting people out of cars, the only way is to improve public transport. Focusing on cycling will reduce some car use, but for many reasons, not least our weather, it won’t have the same impact that public transport could.

Public transport needs to be available, reliable, affordable and safe. If we’re serious about reducing our car use, public transport has to be a better option than driving.

To that end I suggest that for the month of February, the Minister for Transport and indeed all the Government commit to only using public transport, both for work and socialising. That means no cycling, no taxis, no lifts from family or friends.

Not only would it show a commitment to reducing our reliance on cars, but it would allow the people who have the power to make changes to see how challenging our public transport system is to rely on. – Yours, etc,