Transport chiefs must create a public service that will revolutionise motorists' attitudes, the Minister for Transport claimed today.
Mr Seamus Brennan called on bus and rail companies to offer an attractive and efficient public system to encourage drivers out of cars.
"If we are to bring about that necessary sea change then the leadership of public transport organisations must respond with a product that is sufficiently attractive to entice more people out of the comfort of their cars," the Minister said.
"Services must be fast, reliable and efficient." Mr Brennan said although the Government was pushing ahead with building hundreds of kilometres of motorway it remained to be seen if the State could build its way out of congestion.
Mr Brennan warned against rushing into projects that would create a transport system that acted as a patchwork quilt of systems and services.
"In many ways we are playing catch-up when it comes to delivering a 21st century transport system," he said.
The Minister told the Transport Summit 2004 in Dublin the State had committed investment of over €7 billion over the next five years, combined with up to €2 billion in private investment for the road network.
The Minister said he was pushing to end the monopoly on public transport held by CIÉ. "I am advancing plans to dissolve CIÉ and establish Irish Rail, Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann as separate companies . . . that can compete with each other and offer customers choice."