More Dublin commuters are using the bus and are walking and cycling to work or school than before but the car remains the preferred choice of transport, the Dublin Transportation Office (DTO) annual report for 2002 has shown.
The DTO chairman, Mr Conor McCarthy, warned in the report that significant additional investment in transport was vital to ensuring that the future expansion and development of the Greater Dublin Area was not stifled.
"The scale of the challenge that exists and the need for continued investment in transport across the board, now and into the future, should not be underestimated," Mr McCarthy said.
Sustained economic growth over the past decade had created a situation where recent and current investment in transport was only helping to stem the problem of congestion in the Greater Dublin Area.
This was brought about by the consequent increase in the number of commuters, and a virtual doubling in the number of privately-owned cars, he said.
The money provided by the Government to fund the major transport infrastructure projects in 2003 would ensure that the pace and momentum of development in recent years continued and would have a significant positive impact in further reducing traffic congestion and journey times, Mr McCarthy stated.
The report showed the number of commuters currently travelling in the morning peak hour between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. using all modes of transport including car, bus, rail, cycling and walking was 460,000. The percentage of commuters using their car instead of the bus or train to travel between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. had fallen slightly from 72 per cent in 1997 to 70 per cent in 2002, the report said.
Private car ownership had increased from 333,000 in 1991 to a current figure of over 600,000.
The car continued to be the preferred choice of transport and was used by some 280,000 morning peak hour commuters.
For the first time since the DTO began surveying, the bus mode was increasing its market share.
The numbers now using Dublin Bus were up by over 40 per cent.
It showed that 85,000 morning peak commuters used the bus to travel to work.
The DTO attributed the increase primarily to the success of the Quality Bus Corridors which were first introduced by the DTO in 1997, and an expansion of the bus fleet.
Surveys of those travelling more than one mile showed the numbers had increased, with 48,000 people walking to work or school, while 19,000 people cycled, and 28,000 went by rail.
Commuters in some areas of Dublin would see a real difference in service capacity and frequency in 2005 when all of the rail infrastructure projects now in progress were completed, the report stated.
DTO chief executive Mr John Henry said the Metro was still required to provide the high-capacity transport network which would bring public transport to everyone.
The Metro proposal is currently before the Government for consideration.