Madam, - At a time of rising fuel costs, choking car and lorry clutter in our towns and cities, serious global warming and increasing obesity, I am compelled to ask two questions of the Department of Transport.
Firstly, why do you allow Bus Éireann to charge bicyclists such as me €10 to carry a bicycle in the cargo bay of any given bus? Every time I've been a bus passenger, I've observed that there is ample room in the bus storage area for at least one, if not more, bicycles.
Secondly, why do you not provide for bicycle transport in your new Iarnród Éireann rolling stock, as you did on the previous equipment?
This reprehensible lack of vision and foresight discriminates against those of us who rely on our bicycles for more than recreation. I implore all Department of Transport officials who read this to consider putting bike racks on the front of all national buses (at no charge to bicycle passengers); and to modify the new rail carriages to accommodate up to at least five bicycles per train.
Is there actually a Government plan to do away with all bicycles? It appears to be the case. - Yours, etc,
MATHEW C CURRAN, Tintagh, Boyle, Co Roscommon.