From city-wide cycle lanes, to free public transportation, and even the hedonistic notion of a railway line to the city’s airport , Europe’s urban centres are leaving Dublin behind in a trail of eco-friendly dust.
All well and good, however the Minister for Transport’s comments regarding “a fundamental change in how we travel” appear to not have extended to Dublin’s public transport system. With the cost of living crisis spiralling, a movement was born across social media which sought to introduce free public transport across Dublin, with many noting its successful trialling in places such as Luxembourg and Estonia, or even Germany’s monthly rail pass with unlimited access for the miserly fee of €49.
The introduction of free transport is backed by the argument that it would aid in the removal of financial barriers, create more equal access to transport, lower rates of harmful emissions and incentivise the use of the services to the fullest extent. Eamon Ryan believes that the way of the future is to “walk or cycle instead of using public transportation”, but for those of us who don’t fancy a 12km round hike from Terenure to Stephens Green and back, how will the public transport situation improve?
Dublin Bus are also currently in the process of undertaking a sweeping recruitment drive, as the organisation seeks to mitigate the effects which pandemic-induced staff shortages have had on the rates of absenteeism and delays.
As false as you will get -
You call this green 😡pissing down our necks and telling us it’s raining 😡