Proposal to provide extensive street space for Cycling – to implement Climate Change and Covid19 reduction measures
We should implement a radical change to the transport system in Dundalk. Dundalk Cycling Alliance is calling for such changes
Proposed changes are aimed to achieve or comply with the following:
· It must cost the least amount of capital or expenditure from the Local Authority budget,
· It must further develop social distancing to protect people from Covid19 – i.e. no cycling on footpaths on Clanbrassil Street
· It must deliver the greatest public health protection and benefit – in terms of promoting an active healthy lifestyle
· It must be appropriate in the contest of the contracting domestic, local and national economy
· It must encourage and facilitate people with low incomes to travel by bike around the town
· It must deliver the greatest reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from car traffic in accordance with the 7% annual reduction target,
· It must cause the smallest impact and business interuption to shops, to the town centre business community and the local economy
· It must not impact on the income to the Local Authority by reducing income from car parking fees – there must be no reduction in car parking
· Louth Local Authority needs to have a plan that is ready to go if the new National Government, including the Green Party, starts looking for a 7% reduction in Greenhouse Gas emissions.
According to the UN:
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned that going beyond 1.5°C will increase the frequency and intensity of climate impacts.
“Our collective failure to act early and hard on climate change means we now must deliver deep cuts to emissions – over 7 per cent each year, if we break it down evenly over the next decade,” said Inger Andersen, UNEP’s Executive Director. “This shows that countries simply cannot wait until the end of 2020, when new climate commitments are due, to step up action. They – and every city, region, business and individual – need to act now.”
Proposed Map of Dundalk Town Centre
