Investment urged in rail freight

A three-party Private Member's motion has called for increased investment in rail freight to reduce traffic emissions, accidents and road congestion.

Fine Gael, Labour and the Green Party argued that oil prices were rising, and road congestion was costing businesses €2 billion a year.

Carbon emissions from traffic had risen by 143 per cent since 1990, leaving Ireland exposed to heavy fines. Heavy goods vehicles represented only 10 per cent of traffic but were involved in 20 per cent of accidents.

The number of such vehicles had mushroomed in just 10 years, from 141,000 to 286,000.

The parties argued that in spite of the worsening congestion on the roads, the volume of goods carried by rail had fallen by 10 per cent of the total to just 1.7 per cent. Very soon there might be no rail freight at all, with Ireland moving in a different direction to other EU states.

Fine Gael transport spokeswoman Olivia Mitchell said that trucks were "completely unforgiving" in road crashes.

"All forces, economic, environmental and social, indicate that we have been overtaken by events and rushing headlong in the wrong direction."

Labour spokeswoman Róisín Shortall said the proliferation of road freight came with a significant cost in terms of damage to the environment and road safety. "Basically, the Government does not have any policy at all on rail freight."

Green Party spokesman Dan Boyle said road freight was increasing more than economic growth. "This has been solely because of the lack of effective Government policy in this area."

Minister of State for Transport Pat The Cope Gallagher said traffic volumes had grown in line with population and the growth in the economy.

"Our economic success has created major new transport needs. I believe it can be said that we are the victims of our success."

He said the Government had responded to these needs through the National Development Plan. Over €2.5 billion of exchequer funds had been invested in public transport capital projects from 1997 to 2006.