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A union representing public transport workers has written to Taoiseach and other party leaders calling for radical changes to Ireland’s transport system.
The National Union of Buses and Railways says that public transportation cannot function with social distancing if it goes back to the rules before Covid.
He is calling for the Metro and Bus Connects projects to be abandoned.
The NBRU says that significant changes to public transportation systems will be necessary to accommodate even reduced levels of morning and afternoon commuters.
It suggests staggered opening hours for schools, universities and workplaces and also to increase incentives for people to work from home.
It also proposes park and attraction facilities around urban centers to reduce congestion and provide more frequent bus services.
He argues that planning for future transportation “should be based on what can be accomplished, not what is desired.”
To this end, he says that both Bus Connects and the Metro in Dublin should be ruled out and that Bus Rapid Transit systems could resolve congestion in Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway at a fraction of the cost.
This would require dedicated roads and priority crossings for buses.
It is also calling for a rail line to Navan, the completion of the Western Rail Corridor, a DART stimulus to Dublin Airport, and the start of a Liffey tunnel linking Heuston and Connolly stations.
He says that all these projects could be completed within the life of a government.
The NBRU is also calling for more space for walking and cycling and for accelerated testing of hydrogen and electric buses and trains.
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