‘Your Journey Counts’ Campaign Launched As Research Shows Public Support To Cut Transport Emissions

New research by Red C and commissioned by the Department of Transport has revealed that 77% of Irish people agree that walking, cycling and using public transport more is important with regards to impact on the environment and 60% are willing to personally make changes to how they travel. The research forms part of the Department of Transport’s new multi-platform advertising campaign, Your Journey Counts which outlines government investment in transport and encourages people to think about their journey and the difference it can make to cutting carbon emissions.

Further Irish research shows that substituting car journeys with walking, cycling and public transport can significantly reduce carbon emissions and congestion on Irish roads. The Energy Policy and Modelling Group of the MaREI Centre, Environmental Research Institute and University College Cork has found, for example, that:

• Switching a 4km car trip to school with walking, cycling or scooting can save 200kg of CO2 each year.

• An intercity train travelling from Cork to Dublin replaces 90 cars on Irish roads and saves 1.6 tonnes of CO2 with every journey, that’s the equivalent of 800 CO2 fire extinguishers.

• A double decker bus in Dublin takes 16 cars off the capital’s roads.

• By cycling all trips of less than 4km rather than driving, national emissions from passenger transport could be cut by 9%.

Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan said, “this campaign is about letting people know about the improvements we are making to public transport and active travel services and what their options are locally. Then with this information about what services are available, and what will be coming on stream in the near future, we are asking people to consider their journeys and if these services might be an option for them to help us reduce our transport emissions.”