Transport Minister says he is not in favour of congestion charges in Cork city 

THE Transport Minister has said he would not be in favour of rolling out congestion charges in Cork city at this time, saying a “punitive” approach is not the most effective way of reducing car usage.

Eamon Ryan made the comments while speaking to reporters in Cork on Friday.

Asked if he would share the recently expressed view of Cork City Council chief executive, Ann Doherty that congestion charges should not be implemented in Cork City at this time, Mr Ryan indicated that he did.

“If we can deliver the really high quality bus corridors and safe cycling infrastructure and a new metropolitan rail system for Cork, that’ll deliver.

“I don’t think we need to be punitive in this in trying to force people off the road by pricing them off the road.

“When you provide the better alternative, the Irish people have shown every time we put in a good public transport system, they flock to it,” he said.

“I think that’s our first response, is to provide that better public transport.” 

Speaking on Cork's 96fm’s Opinion Line earlier this month, Ms Doherty said it was her view that improved public transport and active travel infrastructure should first be rolled out in a bid to reduce private car usage.

“Congestion charges are not something you could consider without alternatives… people need to be able to make the decisions to walk, to cycle, to use the bus, to have a park and ride option and then you might be able to consider it, but to me, it would be a measure at the end of all those interventions, not at the beginning,” she said.

Speaking in Cork on Friday, Mr Ryan highlighted BusConnects Cork as a key project in making public transport and active travel a viable option for people and communities across the city.

Asked if he would support calls for a third round of public consultation on the sustainable transport corridor (STC) proposals for Cork, Mr Ryan said he would first like to see the outcome of the second round of consultation, which is ongoing.

“We do need to provide a better public transport service and I think the process has been a difficult one in Cork, clearly, but it has led to significant changes and I’d prefer to see those changes finalised first and, in my mind, us being quick then to start delivering a really first class public transport system in Cork,” he said.

Public consultation on the BusConnects STC proposals is open until May 25.

For more information or to make a submission see busconnects.ie/cork/.