Ireland's participation in European Car Free Day has increased to 19 cities and towns this year, nine more than last year.
The Minister for the Environment, Mr Cullen said Ireland's participation reaffirmed our commitment to the development of a cleaner, healthier urban environment.
Almost 1500 cities across Europe and beyond participated in the event in 2002. Car Free Day will take place simultaneously throughout all participating European countries on September 22nd.
In Ireland, each participating local authority is developing its plans for Car Free Day, with the support of Sustainable Energy Ireland, the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the Department of Transport.
Bus Éireann are providing free travel in Galway, Waterford, Cork, Limerick, Sligo and Athlone between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on the day.
Dublin Bus and DART will support the initiative, but, have yet to decide what form that sup[port will take. In past years Dublin Bus has provided free travel on buses between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
As Car Free Day is on a Monday this year, the focus will be on the commuter and the promotion of alternative worker mobility initiatives such as car sharing, cycling, walking to work and public transport.
There will also be an emphasis on promoting the trial of sustainable transport plans for school children including car pooling, walking, cycling and bus transport.
For example, one alternative mode of transport for schoolchildren is the Walking Schoolbus. Each walking bus has an adult 'driver' at the front and an adult 'conductor' at the back, and the children walk to school in a group along a set route.
The nineteen Irish cities and towns confirmed to take part this year are: Athlone, Balbriggan, Clonakilty, Cork, Drogheda, Dublin, Galway, Greystones, Tralee, Listowel, Killarney, Kilkenny, Limerick, Newcastlewest, Monaghan, Sligo, Waterford, Westport and Wicklow.