There is now "overwhelming" cross-party support for sustainable transport policies in Dublin, according to a sample survey by Earthwatch of 50 local election candidates. But it shows that Fianna Fail is weakest on the issue of restraining car use. Perhaps not surprisingly, the Green Party scored highest, with a 91 per cent rating for its candidates' responses to a series of key questions, such as whether they would support measures to curtail car-dependent office parks and shopping malls along the M50.
Earthwatch also asked candidates if they would favour the imposition of "substantial increases" in fuel taxes as well as charging motorists for using roads in peak periods and reducing the number of private off-street car parking spaces in the city-centre. Almost 80 per cent of the candidates agreed that strong measures would have to be taken to curtail the growth in private car use - though, in Fianna Fail's case, support for such an approach in the absence of viable alternatives was only 54 per cent.
Mr Chris Gambatese of Earthwatch, which is affiliated with Friends of the Earth, said it was clear that public transport needed to be dramatically improved while at the same time making it less attractive for motorists to drive their cars. "Earthwatch hopes that, if elected, the candidates will honour their commitments even if they prove to be politically difficult", he said.
