Commuters paying the price for Government inaction on transport
Commuters paying the price for Government inaction on transport - The Labour Party
- New Trinity study exposes severe social, economic and wellbeing impacts of congestion on M50 users
Labour’s Mark Wall TD has called for urgent Government action to tackle Ireland’s growing congestion crisis following the publication of a major new study by the Centre for Transport Research at Trinity College Dublin. The survey of almost 2,000 M50 users found congestion is having severe social, economic and wellbeing impacts, while respondents overwhelmingly identified improved public transport as the key solution. Deputy Wall said the findings must serve as a wake-up call for Government and called for immediate investment in transport infrastructure, a legal right to flexible and remote work, and a comprehensive plan to reduce congestion across the country.
Deputy Wall said:
“This study tells us what commuters already know from lived experience. Every morning and every evening, workers across Ireland are losing hours of their lives stuck in traffic, standing on overcrowded platforms or waiting for buses that never arrive. This is not a minor inconvenience. It is a failure of Government policy that is damaging family life, harming mental health, increasing pollution and making it harder for workers to achieve any meaningful work-life balance.
“Dublin is now ranked among the most congested cities in the world. Gridlock has become a daily reality not only on the M50 but on major routes across the country including the M1, M4, M7 and M11, as well as roads serving Cork and Galway. Transport Infrastructure Ireland has already admitted that the M50 is operating at capacity. Yet Government continues to delay decisions while congestion grows worse.
“The consequences go far beyond frustration. Traffic congestion worsens air pollution, damages public health and increases emissions at a time when Ireland is already failing to meet climate targets. At the same time, more employers are forcing staff back into offices despite the fact that many jobs can be carried out remotely. Workers still have no legal right to flexible or remote work, only a weak right to request it.
“We need urgent action. Labour is calling for a real legal right to flexible and remote work where it is reasonably practicable, with the public service leading by example. We are demanding a new Operation Free Flow to tackle congestion on major routes, including rapid response teams, stronger roads policing, improved driver behaviour measures and real-time traffic information people can trust. We need more frequent train services, additional capacity, fast-tracked park and ride facilities, proper bus lane enforcement, accessible services and reliable public transport that people can depend on. Government must reverse delays to major DART and LUAS projects, accelerate BusConnects and Local Link, and rapidly roll out safe cycle infrastructure. Commuters cannot wait any longer. The time for excuses has passed and the time for action is now.”