Introduction
Purpose of Policy
This National Sustainable Mobility Policy sets outs a framework to 2030 for active travel and public transport to support Ireland’s overall requirement to achieve a 51% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Transport is responsible for around 18% of our greenhouse gas emissions and it is vital that by 2030 we put in place the infrastructure, services and measures that enable and encourage more people to make the switch to more sustainable modes of travel.
changes are forecast over this decade. Ireland has a growing population and an expanding workforce, and we need to cater for this growth in a sustainable manner.
What is Sustainable Mobility?
The Policy forms part of Ireland’s climate action agenda with a number of complementary actions in the Climate Action Plan 2021, including actions focused on decarbonising the public transport fleet and enhancements across active travel and public transport. This Policy is primarily focused on measures to promote and facilitate active travel and public transport for all and, in doing so, encourage less private car usage nationally and particularly to, from, and within our towns and cities. The Climate Action Plan 2021 sets out additional measures to promote other complementary transport mitigation measures such as the switch over to electric car usage and greater use of renewable fuels for transport. The cumulative impact of all these measures will provide for a greener, cleaner transport system in Ireland.
Connecting people and places in a sustainable way by supporting:
MSafe, accessible, comfortable and
affordable journeys to and from home, work, education, shops and leisure.
MTravel by cleaner and greener public
transport.
MA shift away from the private car to
greater use of active travel and public transport.
What is Active Travel?
However, promoting safe, green and more sustainable mobility is not just critical to meeting our climate change commitments, it also provides an opportunity to reorientate communities across the country so that they become more people focused, liveable places. Improved walking, cycling and public transport infrastructure and services can improve citizens’ health and well-being, boost quality of life and enable economic growth. As such, the Policy also aligns closely with wider commitments in relation to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and Public Sector Duty2.
Walking, wheeling, or cycling as a means of transport in order to get to a particular destination such as work, the shops or to visit family or friends. Active travel can be for complete journeys or parts of a journey.
The Policy builds on and replaces existing active travel and public transport policy as set out in the 2009 policy documents - Smarter Travel: A Sustainable Transport Future and the National Cycle Policy Framework. A lot has changed since those policies were published and further
Better integration of transport and housing development can also support the Government’s ambition in the area of housing delivery.
2 www.ihrec.ie/our-work/public-sector-duty/
National Sustainable Mobility Policy | Introduction
Transport-orientated development can unlock the potential of lands for large-scale housing delivery and maximise the value of our existing transport hubs. In addition, the construction of public transport infrastructure either in advance of, or parallel with, significant new housing development has been found to be an important driver of modal shift internationally which supports realisation of our climate change commitments.
It is important to note that improved sustainable mobility is not solely an urban requirement. We need to improve active travel and public transport in rural areas as well, acknowledging the differing features between urban and rural areas and cognisant that tailored solutions are required to deliver the fundamental change required in the nature of transport in Ireland.
Figure 1: Benefits of Sustainable Mobility
Social
Environmental
�Reduces levels of social isolation
�Reduces greenhouse gas emissions
�Supports connected and liveable communities
�Improves air quality
�Enables equitable access to services and amenities
�Reduces noise pollution
Sustainable
Mobility
Economic
Health and Well-Being
�Allows more efficient movement of people
�Increases physical activity levels through active travel
�Provides access to employment opportunities
�Creates safer roads and streets
�Reduces traffic congestion
National Sustainable Mobility Policy | Introduction
Impact of COVID-19 pandemic
The alignment of these remote working hubs with walking and cycling infrastructure has the potential to support the regeneration of towns and the Town Centre First approach.
The COVID-19 pandemic had a major impact on our travel patterns with lifestyles and working practices changing overnight. The introduction of severe travel restrictions and greater remote working in 2020 resulted in significant reductions in private cars on the road, particularly for commuting. Public transport numbers also declined sharply due to capacity restrictions and increased remote working. In parallel, the numbers of people walking and cycling increased as lower traffic on roads and restrictions on longer distance journeys encouraged more people to move around their local area in a different way. These changes in travel patterns are estimated to have resulted in a reduction of just 16%3 in transport emissions for 2020 compared to 2019 levels. This conveys some sense of the scale of the challenge we face in delivering a 51% reduction in transport emissions by 2030.
It is important however that remote working practices support compact growth in line with the objectives of the National Planning Framework (NPF) and does not lead to increased sprawl to areas which may be difficult to serve with effective sustainable mobility links. International research has found that remote working may not result in overall travel reductions, as it can increase non-commuting trips4, and may, in the long-term reduce the need to live close to work. The OECD has highlighted the importance of land use planning when considering remote working policy5. It considers that careful analysis of regulations for new developments can help avoid the expansion of low-density areas, which makes the development of dense and multi-modal transport networks difficult, and increase travel distances and car dependence.
The long-term impacts of the pandemic on travel demand are unknown. However, it is likely that increased levels of remote working will remain, which will impact the traditional commuting patterns and possibly change the nature of future travel demand generally. The National Remote Work Strategy, Making Remote Work, aims to make remote working a permanent option for life after the pandemic and commits to make home and remote working the norm for 20% of public sector employees. Continued remote working practices may lead to a reduction in the daytime population of our cities and large towns as fewer workers commute to the main employment centres. Remote working could also impact on settlement patterns as it can facilitate workers across certain industries and sectors to avail of a greater range of locations to live. Making Remote Work commits to further invest in remote work hubs ensuring they are in locations that suit workers and are close to childcare care facilities.
The growth in online retail and the continuation of some form of online teaching for schools and colleges may also impact on aspects of future travel demand. Of course, there are a range of other daily travel needs, beyond commuting, education and retail, which impact on travel demand and which need to be catered for. Continued investment is required in walking, cycling and public transport projects to support localised travel and/or provide connectivity to citizens wishing to undertake a wide range of daily activities.
Climate change challenge
Climate change is recognised as the world’s foremost challenge. In line with EU ambition, Ireland has committed to achieve a 51% reduction in overall greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 2018 levels. With around 18% of
3 www.epa.ie/publications/monitoring—assessment/climate-change/air-emissions/Irelands-Provisional-Greenhouse-Gas-Emissionsreport-1990-2020_finalv2.pdf
4 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.trpro.2017.07.021
5 www.oecd.org/environment/transport-strategies-for-net-zero-systems-by-design-0a20f779-en.htm
National Sustainable Mobility Policy | Introduction
Irish greenhouse gas emissions attributable to transport6, the sector must play a key role in Ireland’s decarbonisation efforts. Road transport accounted for 94% of transport emissions in 2020 and is directly responsible for a range of air pollutants that negatively impact both human health and the environment. Transport can contribute to increased levels of noise, collisions and congestion which in turn can reduce quality of life, deter active travel, and cost society hundreds of millions of euro per year in unproductive time.
Our policy approach to achieve a more sustainable transport sector is based on the Avoid-Shift-Improve principle and implementing measures to:
MAvoid: Reduce the frequency and distance of
trips.
MShift: Move towards more environmentally
friendly modes of transport, such as walking, cycling or using public transport.
MImprove: Promoting efficient fuel and vehicle
technologies.
Private car use remains the dominant mode of transport, accounting for about 54% of road transport emissions in 2020. Emissions from the transport sector increased by 13% between 2012 and 2019 with emissions from road transport driving this growth. The transport sector tends to grow or reduce in line with economic growth. As the Irish economy has grown in recent years, transport use and emissions have increased as well, and we need to break the link between economic growth and increased car use.
We need to step up this approach if we are to address our climate change challenge and meet our ambitious targets. The challenge is such that only fundamental change in the nature of transport can achieve our 51% target by 2030. Increasing active travel infrastructure provision, expanding public transport capacity and services - including transitioning to low and zero emission fleets, and implementing behavioural change and demand management measures are all required to help meet our challenging target.
Figure 2: Climate statistics and targets
Road Transport18% Transport94%
Total GHG
Total Transport
51% reduction
Emissions
Emissions
by 2030
National Sustainable Mobility Policy | Introduction
Figure 3: Avoid-Shift-Improve Principle
Figure from page 14
Figure from page 14
Improve Avoid Shift
Improve the energy efficiency
Reduce or avoid
Shift to more environmentally
the need for
of vehicle technology
travel
friendly modes
Vehicle efficiency, clean fuels
Public transport, Land-use planning
active travel
Population trends
The population of Ireland is projected to reach 5.7 million by 2040 from an estimated 5 million in 2021, with a projected need for at least 550,000 more homes and an economy supporting around 660,000 additional jobs. The NPF sets out targets to manage this population growth in a more balanced way across our three regions – Eastern and Midland; Northern and Western; and Southern - and our five cities of Cork, Dublin, Galway, Limerick and Waterford.
What is transportorientated development?
7
Transport-orientated development is a form of urban development that seeks to maximise the provision of housing, employment, public services and leisure space in close proximity to frequent, highquality transport services. It is a form of development that is friendlier to public transport users, cyclists and pedestrians, and seeks to convert car trips to public and active transport trips. This in turn improves mobility and environmental conditions, and delivers more efficient and sustainable urban development.
The NPF recognises that significant investment is required in both active travel and public transport if these targets are to be achieved. As well as supporting the future growth of Dublin, the NPF sets ambitious growth targets for the four cities of Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford to ensure that they grow at twice the pace of Dublin. Improved sustainable mobility within the cities can act as a key growth enabler and support a better quality of life for all, as well as supporting the delivery of housing through a transportorientated development approach.
7 www.nesc.ie/work-programme/land-use-land-value-urban-development/transport-oriented-development/
National Sustainable Mobility Policy | Introduction
Outside of the five cities, the NPF targets 50% of sustainable growth in the regional centres (Athlone, Drogheda, Dundalk, Letterkenny, and Sligo), towns, villages and rural areas. Around 37%8 of Ireland’s population live in rural areas which play a key role in defining national identity, in supporting our economy, and our high-quality environment. The Central Statistics Office (CSO) defines a settlement of fewer than 1,500 people as rural. The NPF recognises the positive impact improved and connected sustainable mobility options can have on rural communities, particularly for older people living in more remote areas.
even before the COVID-19 pandemic, commuting to work represented less than 25% of all trips. In the context of our climate challenge, it is clear therefore that we need to focus on how best to meet citizens’ travel needs across the day and for a wide range of reasons. This changed emphasis may in turn require new ways of looking at how, when and where we provide public transport services. It is important to note that the NTS does not include all journeys of the whole student population as the survey only samples persons aged 18 years and over. However, it includes companion journeys which may involve journeys to collect or escort somebody to their place of education.
As well as breaking the link between economic growth and car use, we need to break the link between increased transport emissions and travel demand from our growing population. To meet our climate change targets, we need our transport emissions to reduce at a rate that is higher than the increase in travel demand.
Figure 4: Why we travel
We also have an ageing and diverse population. Along with supporting the NPF growth targets, we must ensure that sustainable mobility options meet the needs of all sectors of our society and are accessible to everyone regardless of ability, age, ethnicity, gender, income and sexuality.
Total Transport
Emissions
Transport trends
There are a number of data sources which identify transport trends such as how, why and when people travel, as well as the distance and duration of trips, and geographic variations. These help inform transport policy and provide a baseline for monitoring modal shift and sustainable mobility use.
n Work 24%
n Entertainment/
leisure/sports 9% n Personal
nEducation 3%
n Shopping 21%
business 5% n Companion/
n To eat or drink 4%
The CSO’s National Travel Survey (NTS)9, which is carried out every three years, looks at all trips taken by people over the age of 18 and provides a rounded view of our travel needs rather than just focusing on commuting trips. It is noteworthy that the NTS demonstrates that,
n Visit family/
escort journey20% nOther 4%
friends 10%
Figures are rounded to the nearest percent
Source: CSO National Travel Survey 2019
8 www.cso.ie/en/census/census2016reports/
9 www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-nts/nationaltravelsurvey2019/
National Sustainable Mobility Policy | Introduction
Private car use remains the most frequent mode of travel accounting for 74% of all journeys compared to 14% of journeys by walking, 2% by cycling and 7% by bus and rail. There are geographic variations to these national figures with pronounced differences in active travel and bus and rail journeys in urban and rural areas. Unsurprisingly, in urban areas private car use is lower and walking, cycling, bus and rail journeys are higher than the national average. Given our dispersed settlement patterns, the use of private car in rural areas is higher than the national average while active travel, bus and rail journeys are significantly lower.
longer journeys, active travel and public transport may not always be a viable option and the Climate Action Plan 2021 includes measures to promote the uptake of electric and low-emission vehicles where car journeys are necessary.
To provide a more complete picture of transport trends, it is also useful to consider the National Household Travel Survey (NHTS)10 which has been carried out by the National Transport Authority (NTA) every five years. The NHTS provides data to support the NTA’s statutory responsibilities in strategic transport planning, to provide travel data for the update of their regional transport models, and for the development of additional transport modelling tools. The findings from the 2017 NHTS aligned with some of the key findings of the CSO’s 2019 National Travel Survey including that Irish people use the car for 7 in 10 of all trips they take. Geographic variations were also similar, with the private car accounting for 62% of trips in the regional cities of Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford, compared to over 80% of trips by private car in rural areas.
In 2019, nearly 57% of journeys of less than two kilometres were by private car while walking or cycling accounted for only approximately 40% of journeys over the same distance. This highlights the challenge in changing travel behaviour and encouraging people to make journeys by active travel and public transport rather than by private car, particularly for shorter journeys. We recognise that for some remote rural areas and
Modes of Travel
14% 19% 8% 2% 3% 1%
Figure 5: How we travel
Walking
Cycling
7% 12% 2% 1% 2% 1% 74% 62% 84%
Bus and rail
Taxi/hackney
Private car
4% 2% 6%
Lorry/motorcycle/other*
n National nUrban n Rural
Figures are rounded to the nearest percent *Lorry/motorcycle/other includes lorry, van, motorcycle and other modes of transport including electric personal mobility vehicles such as electric scooters, electric skateboards, Segways, hoverboards and electric unicycles. Source: CSO National Travel Survey 2019
National Sustainable Mobility Policy | Introduction
The surveys differed in relation to the number of walking and cycling trips with the NHTS showing walking and cycling trips at 18% and 3% respectively compared to 14% and 1.5% in the National Travel Survey. The 2017 NHTS also showed a much higher proportion of education trips (23%) compared to 3% in the National Travel Survey. This arises from the exclusion of under- 18s from the NTS and by the high proportion of companion trips (20%), many of which may involve accompanying a child to or from education.
more sustainable modes. The policy’s overarching ambition was to reduce the total share of car commuting from 65% to 45% of all commuting trips. However, Census data shows that the share of car journeys for work surpassed 65% over the last decade. An evaluation of the status of the 49 actions in Smarter Travel, carried out as part of the development of this new Policy, categorised each action using a Red-Amber- Green status to signify its implementation status. Red indicated minimal or no substantive progress; Amber indicated some substantive progress; and Green indicated substantive progress or on-going implementation. The evaluation identified 13 actions/part actions as Green, 30 as Amber and 6 as Red.
A new annual NHTS will be developed by the NTA, building on their experience gained through the current 5-year survey, to measure progress against this Policy’s targets.
When Smarter Travel was published in 2009, Ireland was undergoing an economic and financial crisis. As a result, funding for relevant capital investment in sustainable mobility infrastructure was reduced by almost 60% between 2009 and 2013 which obviously impacted delivery in the earlier stages of the policy. Funding did increase in 2014; however, it was not until the 2018 National Development Plan that sustained yearon-year increases were restored.
Lessons learnt
An Environmental Performance Review11 of Ireland was carried out by the OECD in 2021 to assess our progress towards our environmental and sustainable development objectives and to make policy recommendations to improve our performance. The Department of Transport requested the OECD include a special chapter on sustainable mobility to provide an international perspective and assist with the review of sustainable mobility policy generally. The OECD review concluded that mobility patterns and trends in Ireland are a source of rising environmental pressures. It recommended better enforcement of planning regulations to ensure that all developments promote settlements with easy access to transport links and include a network of safe walking and cycling routes. The review also considered that better incentives are needed to manage travel demand.
The OECD review concluded that a lack of an effective implementation structure led to the failure to achieve the modal shift envisioned in Smarter Travel. It also considered that actions required to meet the targets were not put in place and there was no-coordination with relevant government departments to implement the policy. The review highlighted the importance of adopting a clear implementation plan, with intermediate and final targets, budgets and responsibilities, as well as a need to ensure that all governmental bodies apply the policy consistently to achieve any agreed policy targets. The expertise of the OECD and the review’s recommendations have played an important part in the development of this Policy in terms of differentiating between the high-level goals as set out in the policy framework and the more
The OECD review assessed the implementation of Smarter Travel: A Sustainable Transport Future, which was published in 2009, and which set out national policy in relation to transport over the period 2009-2020. Smarter Travel included 49 actions and identified a number of key targets to increase modal shift from private car use to
11 www.oecd.org/ireland/oecd-environmental-performance-reviews-ireland-2021-9ef10b4f-en.htm
National Sustainable Mobility Policy | Introduction
intermediate focus established through the development of the action (implementation) plan for delivery by 2025. The temporal horizons of the Policy and its action plan are aligned with those of the National Development Plan to provide a solid financial basis to delivering upon commitments. Ownership and supporting functions have also been clearly assigned to relevant departments and bodies, and a Leadership Group will be established to ensure consistent application of the Policy and oversee delivery.
in the future. Informed by these discussions, the Department of Transport developed a comprehensive set of background papers across a range of themes which were then published as part of the public consultation process launched in end 2019. A further stakeholder engagement event was held at that time along with engagement with the members of the three regional assemblies.
Over 250 submissions across a broad range of themes were received as part of the public consultation process from people and organisations in the public, private and non-profit sectors.
How the Policy was developed
Sustainable mobility policy is closely linked to other policy areas including education, environment, health, investment, planning and social inclusion, and a collaborative approach has been taken in the development of the Policy.
Following a review of the submissions received, a report of the public consultation was published on the Department of Transport’s website and further bilateral engagement occurred with other government departments, state bodies, advocacy groups, business groups, disability representatives and academics. This extensive stakeholder engagement has heavily influenced the development of the Policy framework and action plan.
A roundtable forum was held in 2018 which allowed for an initial exchange of views between stakeholders on a variety of issues relevant to the sustainable mobility sector including potential challenges and competing priorities likely to arise
Figure 6: Breakdown of public consultation submissions by theme
n Accessibility 12%
nActive Travel 27%
nAlternative Fuels 7%
n Climate Change 9%
Submissions
n Congestion 8%
By Theme
n Land use and transport planning11%
n Regulation 11%
n Rural Transport 15%
nStatistics 1%
CHAPTER
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