Clean Air/Congestion Charging set to be introduced by 2030

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121980589#Comment_121980589

If they are working, then they are not in the poorest category. Still makes it progressive.

Taxes related to income are not the only way to have progressive taxation. Ireland has one of the most progressive taxation systems in the world already. Another point is that taxation can be used to change behaviours, which charges like this are designed to do. It doesn't stop people owning a car, it doesn't stop people driving outside the city, it only stops people driving into a city centre. To get to the centre of Dublin, there is public transport from everywhere else in the city.

Myself, I would much prefer tolls on the M50 to discourage short trips. Once the orbital bus routes are in place, that should be done.

Scipri0

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121980713#Comment_121980713

Yes a charge will ease up traffic congestion but the people who are well off will be able to pay the charge and have the roads to themselves. Once the charges would be proportional and the transport sorted out, then i wouldn't mind as much. People can't be waiting around for buses that don't even come or come when you're already massively late. Everything the government is bringing in is Tax, tax and tax, It's all stick and no carrot.

Scipri0

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121980858#Comment_121980858

You know on my first week i tried to take the bus, but it was late, overpacked and after that i drove myself in and was never late again. I'd also be soaked as it had no shelter.

Scipri0

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121991678#Comment_121991678

If they are working, then they are not in the poorest category.

They're pretty much near the bottom. People in well paid jobs nowadays can't even afford to live. Working is supposed to complement your life, but people are working away and are just existing. Nearly everything brought in is all taxes, Just punishing people who are barely hanging on. All stick and no carrot.

OrangeBadger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121948300#Comment_121948300

Lol who you voting for? Whoever complains the most?

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121994697#Comment_121994697

What do you mean by afford to live?

Like people in Gaza or the Ukraine? Like trailer trash in the US?

Ten of Swords

Mod - Back on topic please

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121994682#Comment_121994682

For someone who waxes lyrically about poor you seem happy to drive past them in the rain rather than share a bus.

Getting an early bus with a rain coat and umbrella is just normal stuff. Not entirely sure how you think everyone else on that over packed bus manages.

Congestion is always so much worse on a rainy day, you've just illustrated way.

Beta Ray Bill

Today was the worst day for public transport that I've had in a long time.

Swords express from Swords to Dublin City Centre…. 2 hours 15 mins. Got on bus at approx 7:25 got off at 9:45…. €4.50 please.

Driver didn't realise that "Port Tunnel Closed" actually means "Port Tunnel Closed for a few mins to allow congestion to dissipate" Anyway, he went the 41 route (ish).

Traffic aside, Dublin cities mass transit system is creaking. Even if there were no cars on the road it would still be slow. The Bus Lanes are jammed with Buses.

The GAS thing is, if they want traffic gone all they have to do it say "People have the right to work from home (Where applicable)" Most people are sitting at a computer anyway and don't even need to come into the office.

If the powers that be REALLY care that much about clean air, they would implement a permanent WFH policy

magicbastarder

Can you imagine the howls of outrage from business if the government mandated a permanent WFH policy for business? It's not workable. Who would oversee the process of exceptions and appeals? The government simply cannot tell an accountancy firm, for example, that they no longer have need for an office.

Plus, the commercial property market is already teetering. I doubt the government want to push it over.

Beta Ray Bill

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121996367#Comment_121996367

Well then they clearly don't want it

Like we (as a nation) need to be realistic here. Like if we don't want cars in the city, just ban cars in the city. (Only permit holders can go in)

This business of of we want you all to come into the city, and we want you all to cycle or use public transport, and we don't want you to work from home.

Like no one is asking me what I want.
And I'm the one that has to come in and do the work (despite being able to do it just as well from home)… sit on a bus for 2 hours beside some scumbags one of which is trying to ring is solicitor incase he's late for court. And then repeat the process at 5pm.

The whole thing needs a rethink. Most people in town don't even want to be there.

Tenzor07

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121994674#Comment_121994674

That post made me laugh, not only for the "Won't somebody please think of the Children" level of hysteria but also reminded me of back in 1969 I think it was when Dublin City Corporation brought in parking meters on the streets of the city centre to discourage the problem of all day parking of 1000's of cars on Dublin streets… I bet if the Internet was around then you'd be bouncing out the posts saying how these parking meters were at attack on the poor!

Thelonious Monk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121996328#Comment_121996328

i don't think apple, facebook, google et al would take too kindly to being told all employees can work from home permanently if they choose to do so. don't bite the hand that feeds us and all.

magicbastarder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121996994#Comment_121996994

Like no one is asking me what I want.

it should be your employer asking that. you really think the government would have an agency who would have the power to say to your employer, 'employee A can work from home permanently but we accept your contention that employee B must go into the office two days a week'?

it's a totally unworkable solution.

shimadzu

I suppose the question that we need to be asking is will public transport be sufficient for the majority by 2030. The rate of improvement to public transport over the last few decades has been glacial and I don't believe it will progress at a sufficient pace over the next five years. Therefore any financial penalties on driving including carbon taxes and congestion charges are only green washing by the state, the state is giving the impression they care about emissions but making bank in the process. Its probably costing 12 grand or so to run a car for the year it shouldn't be too difficult to convince most to move away from car ownership if there are alternatives in place. I live in a city center and work 5km from my house, I'm an ideal candidate for public transport but its currently terrible and as a result i own a car. I walk about 60% of the year, during icy or wet weather the busses are always full and don't stop at bus stops if nobody is getting off, everyday there appears to be a bus driver off sick and there is no cover, the buses often don't arrive at their scheduled times, the app often has phantom buses, there is often antisocial behavior on the busses, many bus drivers are less than pleasant.

SeanW

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121995168#Comment_121995168

Yes, because everyone wants to waste hours getting buses/trains earlier or later than they need and walk around the place wearing a tent.

The gaslighting in this thread is unreal.

Beta Ray Bill

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121997351#Comment_121997351

Sorry, but the government told everyone that could work from home to work from home during covid. So they 100% have the power to do that and have done it in the past

Like is covid a greater emergency than the climate emergency?… depends on who you ask (and how much its going to cost) I suppsoe.

bluedex

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121973904#Comment_121973904

Agree yes. Poor people shouldn't be allowed to save up and buy cars, that's only for the nice rich people. We can't be having that.

Thelonious Monk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122000776#Comment_122000776

lol, nice try

bluedex

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121977611#Comment_121977611

Totally agree. He should completely sell up and move away from friends and family so that he can buy a much more expensive property on the DART or Luas line, to satisfy the Greens.

Some people just have no consideration for others, living in places without adequate public transport, how dare they!

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122000799#Comment_122000799

Maybe you should explain how you would provide public transport to every location in the country regardless of where it is.

That poster subsequently said that there was public transport, but he didn't want to get up in time, or get wet in the rain. Because poor people. So he drove to beat all that congestion that he was part of causing.

Clo-Clo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122000837#Comment_122000837

The poster at this stage has been caught out a few times with their location and seemingly requirement to drive

They also seem to post repeatedly they got up once to get the bus and never again. Yet before claimed they couldn't get any public transport

I am also pretty sure one of the so called commutes they had to do didn't even get affected by the congestion ban at all

So you can make up your own opinion on the woes they are having on the constantly changing requirements

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122000799#Comment_122000799

FYI the congestion ban has been discussed long before the Green party and if implemented in all probability it won't be by the Green Party.

The plan to reduce traffic in Dublin is across all the parties in government and in opposition.

So who are you going to blame when the Green Party isn't in government?

bluedex

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122000837#Comment_122000837

No I'm agreeing with you. There should no effective and efficient public transport provided for these types. They should be forced to move to places that already have it, and their cars taken off them if they don't.

bluedex

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122000786#Comment_122000786

😂

No you misunderstand me. I agree with you. Let all the people moving to Kildare and Meath eat cake. All the poor people cycling for miles in the Irish weather or using our crappy public transport systems is a good sign!

Ban all cars and then think about alternatives afterwards, it's the way the go.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122004825#Comment_122004825

So you have no answer to how you get Public transport to everyone regardless of where they are.

Thought as much...

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122004898#Comment_122004898

Irish weather is no different to other places.

You just think it is cocooned in 2 tons of metal and plastic.

Kaisr Sose

Here we go again. Irish people outraged at the not so innovative proposal to decongest cities of traffic on environmental grounds. It has worked in other cities yet they say it's not suitable for us. Heard that argument so many times.

Even though it's approved by cabinet, its blames on the Green Party. It may come as a shock to some, but all parties now need to have a lot of green proposals in their manifesto to get elelected. That includes SF.

The emerald isle could not be any less green. We are years behind and running out of time to implement measures to curb emissions and achieve EUsustainability targets.

Thelonious Monk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122004898#Comment_122004898

you're trying to say it's poor people driving to dublin city centre to work, which is absolute nonsense. those less well off are on buses and bikes. if you choose to buy a house in kildare instead of coolock, like i did, well you've made your own bed if you have to drive to the city centre to work.

bluedex

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122004937#Comment_122004937

Yep

bluedex

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122004946#Comment_122004946

Agree. It's a pity the public transport system is vastly inferior to "other places"