Sir, - Why are we about to carve up the countryside with super highways, while ignoring the potential of the railway system? To concentrate on roads alone is surely a short-sighted and destructive option.
The N.R.A. published its National Road Needs study as recently as 1998,but where is the plan for a viable rail network system, making it possible for goods and commercial traffic to be transported continuously through the night, following the example of countries, such as France, Germany and Switzerland? After all we are only a nation of 3.5 million of which 1.3 million live in the greater Dublin region.
If the same amount of money and energy were to be channelled into providing a public transport system, relevant to the overall needs of the community, road traffic could be reduced, and with it a reduction of carbon dioxide emissions, and an improvement to our quality of life.
I wonder what will future generations think of the inheritance we are leaving them. - Yours, etc.
Pauline Jordan, Bagenalstown, Co Carlow.