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Irish Examiner
20 hours ago
- Science
- Irish Examiner
How Cork City Council can move on from its robotrees fiasco
There has been a lot of misinformation and misconception thrown into the public domain recently regarding the 'death of the robotrees'. It's time to put the record straight. But where to begin? The very best way to get clean air in St Patrick's Street in Cork is to remove the sources of the pollutants. In other words, prevent all road transport driving along there. To start with, you need to ban all combustion engines… then later all vehicles, because tyre wear also releases the small particles that can kill us or put us into hospital. Cleaning up polluted air is, very much, a second-best strategy. My own way of thinking about this process is to imagine brewing a cup of tea. And then adding a drop of milk. Then trying to take all the milk out. Impossible. In other words, don't add the milk in the first place! Real trees, bedding plants, and 'CityTrees' on St Patrick's Street in Cork. Prof John Sodeau recommends none of the above as filters for toxic particles released by exhausts and tyres, saying chest-high hedging would be relatively effective — with the caveat that any level of particulates above zero can harm our health. Picture: Larry Cummins Air cleaning devices like the robo trees (also known as CityTrees or moss walls) were therefore unlikely to prove very effective in removing the small toxic particulates and nitrogen oxides released from road transport to the air. Starting in 2018, CityTrees were tested in Amsterdam. By 2019, they had been removed because they proved useless. Many other European cities had the same experience. There is even a Wikipedia page devoted to the history of CityTrees. Now we know the end result is just the same for Cork. The question is — why did Cork City Council undertake such an 'experiment' starting in 2021, given that the approach was not innovative or novel, and studies had already been published to show the devices were a total failure when located in the real world? Of course it's good and forward-thinking to try new things and experiment to improve our environment. But not if you know the approach is unoriginal and furthermore does not work. Whatever the council's initial motivations, there was absolutely no need to throw money down the drain over the last four years for running costs. Two of the City Trees, generally referred to as 'robotrees', on Grand Parade in Cork. They were intended to filter harmful pollutants out of the air. Picture: Larry Cummins The irony is that Cork houses the leading laboratory in air pollution chemistry in Ireland at UCC. Why did they not contact them — especially as the council apparatchiks involved in writing the National Transport Authority proposal had no appropriate scientific background in air science? If they had phoned me, then I think I could have come up with a better way of achieving their clean-up aims in a couple of hours. My answer would have been focussed on hedging the streets; not planting trees as has recently been suggested. That is because trees are not effective in removing small toxic particles and nitrogen oxides from road traffic emissions. Their main function in the urban environment is to remove the greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, and to beautify the surroundings. Hedges could help Nature can still be the answer, but in the form of chest-high hedges. These act as a physical barrier to the small, toxic particles released by exhausts and tyres from reaching pedestrians. Such a height is particularly effective for protecting small children and babies in prams, who are especially vulnerable. Although it should be noted that any amount of small particulates above zero can harm our health. So, no matter how low the levels in Cork City are, they can still kill or give us cardio problems, promote asthma attacks, or cause cancer. Cork City Council officials and then lord mayor Colm Kelleher speaking to media at the cluster of City Trees on St Patrick's Street in August 2021. Picture: Larry Cummins Sadly, for whatever reasons, council representatives and employees have kept on defending the robotrees rather than owning the mistake. But things can be made good, in my opinion. Firstly, the council should make an apology to the tax-paying public for wasting money on a device that was known to not work. Then they must learn the lesson of always consulting scientific experts on matters arising outside internal expertise. Then for the public to forgive. Air pollution science is complicated. The CityTrees were badly named: They were never designed to do what real trees do for our atmosphere and our climate. But we should still keep planting trees. The ultimate answer to help improve air quality in the city is simple. Ban all road transport driving along St Patrick's Street. Instead, run communal electric trolley buses like they do in Geneva. Or build a Luas, as in Dublin. Finally, local authorities should lead and innovate by all means possible, but additionally use proven approaches to meet the complex environmental challenges we face today. • John Sodeau is emeritus professor of chemistry at UCC
Irish Independent
6 days ago
- General
- Irish Independent
How Tipperary locals can have their say on new bridge project
Fianna Fáil councillor Michéal Anglim has called on the people of Ardfinnan to take part in a survey aimed at getting the opinions of locals on the improvement of the designs and demand for a new bridge in Ardfinnan. Tipperary County Council, in association with the National Transport Authority (NTA), are undertaking a survey of locals to find out what their wants and needs are for the bridge which is proposed to be built in the village. The proposed new Ardfinnan Pedestrian and Cycle Bridge would link the north side of the village with the south, and allow for the commercial and housing premises in the north of the village to connect with the village amenities in the south. The project aims to provide a safe and accessible pedestrian and cycle facility for all users across the River Suir at Ardfinnan, with minimal impact on the visual status and heritage value of the existing bridge and historic surroundings, Tipperary County Council have said. Designs have been completed for the bridge, with the project team now looking for opinions of locals in the village to find out how much demand there would be for the project to go ahead. Writing in a post on social media, Cllr Anglim appealed for locals to fill out the questionnaire to ensure that the project keeps moving forward. "I know I can hear everyone saying 'when will there be enough surveys done?' The NTA (National Transport Authority) have requested Tipperary County Council to do this. So please do look at this and fill it in online, it's easily and quickly done,' Cllr Anglim wrote. "Whatever we as a community are asked to do to get us our Independent Walkway Bridge we will do it,' the local councillor vowed. The survey is open until June 20, and can be filled out here, or for those who would prefer a hard copy, forms can be found at Ardfinnan Post Office.
Irish Times
29-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Fare dodging on Dublin and Cork rail services cost Iarnród Éireann €4.6m in 2024, NTA study finds
Some of the highest rates of fare-dodging took place on commuter rail services last year, according to data collected by the National Transport Authority (NTA), while one Dublin Bus route recorded non-payment by 20.6 per cent of passengers. Regular surveys conducted on public transport services last year found 6.9 per cent of passengers on Dart and commuter trains for the greater Dublin region and Cork did not have a valid ticket for their journey. This resulted in an estimated loss in revenue of €4.6 million for Iarnród Éireann . By contrast, NTA figures revealed the lowest fare-evasion rate on any public transport service was on Iarnród Éireann's intercity routes. Only 1.4 per cent of passengers were found travelling without a valid ticket on these routes, which run between Dublin and Belfast, Cork, Waterford and other cities. This resulted in a further estimated loss in revenue of €2.2 million in 2024. Luas data was not included. READ MORE Despite high overall fare-evasion rates, Iarnród Éireann did not suffer any deductions last year. This is because a rate of 6.9 per cent for Dart and commuter rail services is within the permitted threshold allowed by the NTA before financial penalties are enforced. The company received incentives totalling almost €37,000 for the high compliance rate on its intercity trains, making Iarnród Éireann the only public transport operator last year to receive such a payment. Alongside rail services, NTA provided an overview of fare evasion across three different bus companies including Dublin Bus, Bus Éireann and Go Ahead Bus. Dublin Bus, the country's largest public transport operator in terms of passenger numbers, had the greatest estimated loss in revenue due to fare dodgers, at €6 million in 2024. However, the fare-evasion level recorded on its services was one of the lowest of any operator, at 3.4 per cent. Dublin Bus was the only one of the large bus companies surveyed to find a fare-evasion rate below the target of 3.9 per cent for bus services. The highest evasion rate on a Dublin Bus service was 20.6 per cent recorded on the 43 (Talbot Street-Swords Business Park) route. Full compliance was found among passengers on 26 of 84 routes surveyed. A breakdown of fare-evasion types showed that instances of 'no ticket' accounted for 65.8 per cent of cases while 'over-riding' accounted for 32.5 per cent. Fare-loss proportion was highest for 'no ticket' at 84.6 per cent. Sunday afternoons were found to be the most popular time for fare dodgers using Dublin Bus services, with an evasion rate of 5.1 per cent recorded on Sundays from 12pm to 6:59pm. Bus Éireann suffered deductions of more than €118,000 over its failure to meet the 3.9 per cent target rate last year, while the loss of revenue from fare dodgers across its services was calculated to be at least €4.5 million. The company's range of subsidised routes recorded evasion rates of approximately 5 per cent. This included commuter and city bus services in Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford and several large towns, as well as commuter services in the greater Dublin region. Bus Éireann's highest fare-dodging activity was found on two services in Cork – the 220X Ovens-Crosshaven route (35.3 per cent) and 206 Grange-South Mall (34.3 per cent). This was followed by 190 Drogheda-Trim (23.9 per cent) and 419 Galway-Clifden (20.4 per cent). Go Ahead Ireland – a third large bus operator with NTA contracts – recorded some of the highest non-compliance rates with fares across its network of 34 routes within the Greater Dublin Area in 2024, resulting in a €1.3m loss in revenue. [ Construction contract for first BusConnects corridor to be signed next month Opens in new window ] [ Dublin traffic changes: Pearse Street 'noticeably quieter' since left-turn ban Opens in new window ] The company had an average fare-evasion rate of 6.2 per cent on its 'outer metropolitan' services in Dublin and a 5.4 per cent rate on its commuter route in greater Dublin including services to Tullamore, Newbridge, Kildare, Naas and Athy. The rate on its W4 (The Square-Blanchardstown) and W6 (The Square-Maynooth) routes was 6.9 per cent, far exceeding the recommended 3.9 per cent target rate. Like Bus Éireann, Go Ahead Ireland was hit with deductions last year – more than €121,000 – over failure to meet targets. Commenting on the findings of last year's reports, a spokesman for the NTA said: 'We believe that progress is being made in tackling fare evasion and NTA will continue to work closely with transport operators to further address this issue.'
The Journal
28-05-2025
- Business
- The Journal
Construction of MetroLink project may not begin until 2028, transport committee to hear
CONSTRUCTION OF THE MetroLink underground rail project in Dublin may begin as late as 2028, the National Transport Authority will tell the Oireachtas committee on transport today. The government is expected to include the MetroLink in its National Development Plan (NDP), which is being revised at the moment by Minister for Public Expenditure and NDP Delivery Jack Chambers. The committee will be told that tendering for the construction work may commence next year, as long as An Bord Pleanála approves the project and there are no delays caused by judicial reviews. Once the tendering process is complete, construction would commence 18 months later, the NTA will tell the committee. The project's director Sean Sweeney said last week that he expects some public opposition to the route and the disruption that construction will cause to traffic. He said that in the age of social media, 'two people can run a campaign' against something. Advertisement Sweeney also noted that there were riots in the streets of Amsterdam before the metro was opened there, only for it to be broadly welcomed within days of coming online. Overall though, Sweeney said he has never worked on a project with such potential benefit to the public. 'The benefits are off the scale in my view,' he said. As for the cost of the massive infrastructure project, Sweeney said it is being 'recalibrated' following delays in the planning process. In 2021, the Metrolink was estimated to cost between €7 billion and €12 billion. 'The number is going to change,' said Sweeney. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Independent
26-05-2025
- Irish Independent
Revealed: Level of fare evasion across Luas, rail and bus services – and how much ‘free riders' cost transport operators
Today at 21:30 Fare dodgers cost public transport services more than €20m in lost revenue last year, according to new estimates. Figures released under Freedom of Information (FoI) legislation by the National Transport Authority show the highest evasion rates were on Dart and commuter rail services, with 6.9pc of passengers not having a valid ticket for their journey.
