What are each party’s positions on transport and what commitments have they made leading up to the general election writes Geraldine Herbert
Fine Gael
- EV Grants: Review grants for areas with limited public transport and customs duties on second-hand EVs.
- EV Infrastructure: Quadruple public EV charging points to 10,000 and explore scrappage schemes for polluting vehicles.
- Major Projects: Prioritize BusConnects, MetroLink, DART+, and Cork’s commuter rail.
- Solar Storage Batteries: Offer grants to EV owners for optimal charging times.
- Student Bike Scheme: Introduce a bike initiative for college campuses.
Fianna Fáil
- Active Travel: Expand Safe Routes to School and empower local authorities for greenways and urban trails.
- EV Expansion: Increase grants for EVs based on income and expand EV chargers across towns.
- Green Fuels: Support decarbonization of freight and coaches using hydrogen, HVO, and biomethane.
Green Party
- Climate Ticket: Introduce savings on public transport fares and expand 24/7 rural bus services.
- Public Transport Transformation: Invest €10bn to kickstart projects like MetroLink, DART+, and LUAS.
- Regional Focus: Develop light rail for Cork, reopen Waterford-Wexford rail, and enhance Galway’s bus corridors.
- Sustainability: Reopen the Western Rail Corridor and explore new Shannon-area rail links.
Independent Ireland
- Climate Targets: Support clean air and water initiatives, reduce VAT on HVO, and ensure low-income earners aren’t disproportionately impacted by climate policies.
- Fuel Taxes: Freeze and review fuel excise taxes for affordability and economic stability.
- Net-Zero Review: Reevaluate net-zero goals, focusing on a balanced approach that safeguards both economy and environment.
- Rural Focus: Rural-proof all climate-related policies for equitable outcomes.
Labour Party
- Affordable Travel: Trial €9 climate tickets and provide free travel for under-26s.
- LUAS Expansion: Extend LUAS in all five major cities and launch a rail investment program.
- Public Transport Focus: Commit to a 5:1 spending ratio favoring public transport over roads.
- Road Safety: Establish a new agency to enforce road safety and address dangerous driving.
People Before Profit
- Cycling and Active Travel: Invest in cycling and active travel infrastructure, including step-free crossings and extended pedestrian crossing times.
- Free Public Transport: Abolish fares on all public transportation services, including publicly contracted commercial routes.
- Free School Transport: Provide free school transport for all who need it.
- Inclusive Planning: Consult with disabled people’s organizations and disability rights advocates at all planning stages.
- Increased Investment: Double capital investment in public transport infrastructure with €500 million allocated for bus service expansion.
- MetroLink Extension: Conduct a feasibility study to extend MetroLink to South West Dublin.
- No Tolls or Charges: Abolish charges at Park & Ride facilities and remove M50 and East Link tolls.
- Rail Expansion: Fast-track rail projects, double investment in light rail projects in Dublin, and allocate Future Ireland Fund for LUAS expansion in Cork, Limerick, and Galway.
Sinn Féin
- Driver Services: Add NCT and NDLS testers to reduce delays and reverse recent excise duty hikes on petrol and diesel for 12 months.
- Infrastructure Upgrades: Commit to A5/N2 upgrade, N17 improvement, and N20 bypass.
- Increased Transport Funding: Add €136m current and €422m capital to existing transport funding.
- Local Bus Schemes: Expand Connecting Ireland (Local Link) bus services and reduce public transport fares.
- Rail Projects: Progress the Western Rail Corridor, Navan Rail Line, and MetroLink project.
- Road Maintenance: Allocate €200m for local/regional road upgrades and prioritize safety.
- Toll Relief: Offset 2025 toll cost increases and explore renegotiating toll contracts.
Social Democrats
- 24/7 Services: Establish round-the-clock public transport and double rural transport funding.
- Active Travel: Dedicate 15% of the transport budget to walking/cycling infrastructure.
- Fare Reductions: Introduce €1 off-peak fares and free transport for under-18s.
- Major Projects: Develop MetroLink, DART, LUAS, Cork Commuter Rail, and BusConnects.
- Public Transport Investment: Shift funding from roads to public transport and active travel.
- Safety & Accessibility: Create a National Transport Policing Unit, enhance infrastructure for disabled users, and mandate consultations with disability organizations.
