Summary of ideas submitted in the Transport category…

• Have free public transport for two years. In parallel, tax those who still use their cars through tolls etc.
• Have green taxi cabs. Eco friendly and driven by certified, security-cleared taxi drivers. Initially expensive to buy but would also create a natural barrier to entry.
• Have large free Park and Ride facilities outside the commuter area of Dublin. Buses could then run a service to the city frequently.
• Have machines like the Luas ones at main bus stops to give the correct change. Also make bus drivers give the change back.
• Implement a more strict enforcement of the NCT, meaning people would spend more money repairing their cars, keeping employment in the industry.
• Implement a new Route Incentive Support Scheme approved by the EU to encourage airlines to develop new routes in and out of Ireland.
• Implement the green car tax idea on second-hand cars. This will drum up sales of second-hand cars that are energy efficient.
• Impose €10 on-the-spot fines for jay walking.
• Improve the Dublin Bus service.
• Improve the state’s infrastructure and allow people to do the rest.
• Improve timetable for buses and provide an indication of arrival of next bus. Also provide free bikes to tourists and the public in Dublin (Give credit card details first).
• In order to get more people on public transport have mini buses available in villages and towns surrounding Dublin. Instead of people driving to the Park and Ride, have the buses driving to them at peak hours.
• In the 1800s the Brits gave us the train system. In the 1900s we Paddies castrated it. It is now time to rebuild it.
• Incentivise all taxi drivers to move to hybrid vehicles by introducing a scrappage type scheme where older and higher carbon emitting cars will be removed from the roads of Ireland.
• Incentivise people to change their cars to LPG etc and encourage roll out of the cheap green fuel, as this will provide more revenue in our economy and jobs than simply buying a new car.
• Increase the number of roads with e tolls.
• Increase the speed limits so that cars travel at a speed matched to their gear train, i.e. they can travel in fourth gear rather than third gear. Have minimum speeds on motorways to keep the traffic flowing.
• Insist on the responsible promotion of motorcycles. Formally allow them to use the bus lanes and promote drivers to use motorcycles instead. Introduce proactive training of Motorcyclists.
• Insist that a full section in every County and Town Development Plan be devoted to public transport and open up the whole debate.
• Instead of a full rail investment why not provide bus/rail connections e.g. a new station on a main line, on a greenfield site out of the city with a dedicated road from the motorway. It may be more cost effective.
• Instead of building a Metro, build a new railway line circling Dublin, roughly following the M50 out to the airport, and on to connect with the Belfast line.
• Instead of the Metro North, close off roads as was done with the Luas, and have buses on them instead, cheaper and still effective for the time being.
• Instruct emergency services when driving between dusk and dawn that they have their blue lights flashing. Will make people more cautious and drive slowly.
• Insurance companies should require by law a certificate number of NCT pass certs before giving insurance, and motor tax should need a similar cert number.
• Integrate the public transport ticketing system. Using a ’smart card’ available for the Luas, Bus and Dart. Should be time based charging.
• Integrate ticketing of public transport: €1 for 90 minutes’ travel on any mode of transport.
• Introduce a city congestion charge, similar to the UK.
• Introduce a discount for people who pay for their motor tax for two years in a lump sum. Offer a 20% discount.
• Introduce a Dublin Rail Interconnector. A Luas spur from Docklands railway station, crossing the Tallaght Line extension to the Point, across the proposed Macken Street Bridge, along Macken Street. This would connect up with Grand Canal Quay station.
• Introduce a free course for the unemployed through FAS, to learn to drive and pass their driving test so that people can apply for jobs that require a full driving licence.
• Introduce a frequency/digital signal from speed limit signs to your cars to automatically drive at the speed limit. People should not be allowed drive faster than the limit.
• Introduce a half-price bus fare campaign on nominated days per month to encourage new users to use this mode of transport.
• Introduce a Metro card to link all transport services in Dublin - Luas, Dart, bBuses - to encourage people to make use of public transport.
• Introduce a postcode system.
• Introduce a property tax for houses over €500,000 and a third PAYE levy. For public service, introduce voluntary redundancy, quarter the sabbatical leave for young people. Create a strong focus on energy efficiency business and cut out red tape for wind farms.