Welcome refocus on public transport

REARVIEW:THE PROGRAMME for government presents a refreshing approach to transport. Fianna Fáil's road-building obsession has been replaced with an emphasis on improving public transport. Other than saying the State will invest in non-national routes and provide funds to repair those damaged by the winter, there is scant mention of roads at all.

The appointment of an extra Minister of State for Public and Commuter Transport is evidence of this new approach. The pledge to expand the range and frequency of bus and rail services will provide a viable alternative for motorists struggling to cope with rising fuel costs. While some may read the promise of “more diverse bus service provision” as Fine Gael code for privatisation, this is not necessarily the case. Even if it is, competition can only benefit the consumer.

There is also a pledge to review capital spending plans. This is less an ideological shift than a pragmatic one. We are broke, after all. I expect Leo Varadkar won’t be encumbered with doing any work on the Metro North or Dart Underground projects other than postponing them.

It also pledges to axe the travel tax, start roadside drug testing, tackle cowboy private clampers, revamp taxi regulation and consider extending the Dublin Bikes scheme to other cities. These are all commendable.

Despite the positives, there is one downside for Varadkar. He has been lumbered with the onerous task of taking his Cabinet colleagues’ State cars away.

Still, there is a silver lining. He also gets to tell Brian Cowen and Bertie Ahern they’ve been relegated to paying for their own transport. And who wouldn’t enjoy making those calls?