Proposals for this year's European Car Free Day in Dublin have met with resigned disapproval from environmental groups.
Although European Car Free Day will be more widespread than ever before in Ireland this year, plans for the day in Dublin, where traffic congestion is most problematic, appear to have been downsized from previous years.
Nineteen Irish towns and cities have confirmed that they will take part in the events on September 22nd next, almost doubling last year's 10 participants. This year, the initiative is focusing on the commuter and promoting alternative worker and school children mobility ideas.
While previous efforts in Dublin have included street closures, a Sustainable Energy Ireland spokesperson indicated yesterday that these are not currently part of plans for the capital: "We're focusing mainly on alternative ways of getting to commuter points this year. Bus Éireann, DART and Dublin Bus have confirmed that they are participating, and will hopefully provide some form of free service on the day, as they have done in previous years."
Green Party leader Mr Trevor Sargent said yesterday: "In recent years there has been minimal recognition of European Car Free Day. The Government needs to learn from other urban centres around Europe, and be more fulsome and positive in how they approach and prepare for it, in terms of advance publicity and organising events.
"It would be great to see ministers leading by example, and using alternative forms of transport for the day," Mr Sargent added.
In other European capitals, including Paris and Rome, September 22nd is marked by the closing of major thoroughfares, and areas of the city centre, to cars.
Mr David Maher, of Dublin Cycling Campaign, said: "European Car Free Day seems to have gotten smaller and smaller every year in Dublin. Last year it actually didn't comply with the conditions of the charter on the Car Free Day website."