MORE THAN one million people who drive to work each day are being targeted to switch to more sustainable transport, such as car-pooling, walking or cycling.
The Smarter Travel Workplaces Programme, unveiled yesterday, aims to lure a quarter of a million workers out of their cars by 2012 to reduce carbon emissions.
Almost 57 per cent of workers drive to work, with 90 per cent of vehicles containing only the driver, statistics released by the Department of Transport reveal.
Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey said the programme hopes to assist companies to achieve a 20 per cent reduction in staff car usage. He said it was “encouraging to see so many of Ireland’s top companies already getting involved and producing win-win results for both business and communities”.
More than 50 companies have already become partners in the plan, and the National Transport Authority (NTA) aims to have over 100 companies involved by 2012.
The NTA’s Finola O’Driscoll said by car-sharing once a week, employee fuel costs and employer parking costs can be cut by a fifth.