Edinburgh Napier University

  This submission is to share insights on the transport policies towards climate change challenge and low-carbon transition in Ireland.

CILT welcomes the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport’s (DTTAS) commissioning of a Review of Ireland’s Sustainable Mobility Policy – the first in 10 years. The sustainable mobility policies focus on active travel (i.e. walking, cycling) and public transport to ensure services that are sustainable into the future and are meeting the needs of a modern economy.

In total nine thematic background papers (Public Transport and Accessibility, Active Travel, Climate Change Challenge, Congestion, Greener Buses: Alternative Fuel Options for the Urban Bus Fleet, Land-Use and Transport Planning, Regulation of Public Transport, Public Transport in Rural Ireland, Statistics and Trends) have been published.

The report, however, focused more on the passenger transport side. CILT would like to raise the importance of the freight transport sector. Sustainable freight transport will make a positive impact on the environmental, social and economic sustainability of the communities they serve. The freight transport sector requires more supportive policies and initiatives to increase the industry awareness and readiness towards sustainable operation and low-carbon transition, especially in light of the post-Brexit impact on trade-patterns and supply chains.