April 2024
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This conference focused on next steps for the transport sector in Ireland.
It was a timely opportunity to bring stakeholders and policymakers together to discuss strategies for connection, efficiency and sustainability with a focus on key policy developments, including the Climate Action Plan 2024 published in December 2023, which targets a 20% reduction in total vehicle kilometres travelled, a 50% reduction in fuel usage, and significant increases to sustainable transport trips and modal share.
Discussion also considered the ongoing review of Ireland’s National Ports Policy, the announcement of a National Demand Management Strategy for Ireland to tackle congestion in towns and cities, and proposed recommendations outlined in the draft All-Island Strategic Rail Review published in July 2023, with the final report expected to be published this spring.
Delegates assessed the current state of the transport sector and what support is needed to address key challenges, looking at:
- tackling deficiencies within rail services across the island, which include concerns surrounding inadequate coverage, low service frequencies and slow speeds compared tos other rail services
- the heavy reliance on private car usage
- rural isolation and congestion within towns and cities
- the move towards a 50% reduction in emissions by 2030
Sessions in the agenda discussed these challenges and what support sectors need to improve service provision and stimulate investment. Delegates also discussed opportunities for enhanced sustainable mobility to contribute to economic growth, and next steps towards meeting ambitions laid out in Project Ireland 2040.
We are pleased to have been able to include keynote sessions with: Garret Doocey, Assistant Secretary, Land Transport Investment and Public Transport Policy, Department of Transport; Anne Graham, Chief Executive Officer, National Transport Authority; Professor Brian Caulfield, Professor of Transportation and Head of Discipline, Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, Trinity College Dublin; and Elisa Lanzi, Senior Economist and Climate Change Mitigation Team Lead, OECD.
Overall, areas for discussion included:
- Current state of transport in Ireland: assessing policy developments - stimulating investment in new infrastructure - improving connectivity
- Transport decarbonisation: investing in sustainable transport networks - incentivising behavioural change - planning for decarbonisation - latest thinking on system redesign for net zero targets
- Rural and urban connectivity: developing rural transport links - fostering cross-border collaboration - improving transport infrastructure - tackling congestion in towns and cities
- Ports: priorities for the review of National Ports Policy - maximising economic potential - considering consultation responses in developing future strategies for the efficient movement of people and goods
- Rail: considering recommendations outlined in the draft report of the Strategic Rail Review - options for electrifying the network - improving access to airports - improved North-South travel
- Policy: funding priorities for improving public transport - implementing actions from the Climate Action Plan - priorities for the planning system - futureproofing Ireland’s significant transport infrastructure projects
The conference was an opportunity for stakeholders to consider the issues alongside key policy officials who attended from DoT; DECC; Department for Infrastructure, NI; DAERA, NI; DAFM; Department for the Economy, NI; Department of Education; Department of Finance, NI; Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery & Reform; as well as pass-holders from both Houses of the Oireachtas.
