Greater Dublin Area Draft Transport Strategy 2011-2030

The document recognises that these are ambitioustargets, and outlines a suite of 49 actions requiredto achieve these targets – summarised under fourmain headings as follows:• Actions aimed at reducing distances travelledby car including focusing population andemployment predominantly in larger urbanareas and the use of fiscal measures todiscourage use of the car;• Actions aimed at ensuring that alternatives tothe car are more widely available;• Actions aimed at improving fuel efficiency ofmotorised travel; and• Actions aimed at strengthening institutionalarrangements to deliver the targets.Smarter Travel is a key policy document forboth the RPGs (see below) and the Strategy. Ifthe ambitious targets set out in Smarter Travelare to be achieved nationally they would haveto be significantly exceeded within the majorurban areas of the GDA, where the majority ofthe population already has much greater accessto sustainable modes of travel and alternativesto the use of the car than are available in otherregions of the country.The National Development Plan (NDP) 2007-2013The National Development Plan TransformingIreland — A Better Quality of Life for All sets outthe roadmap to Ireland’s future from 2007-2013. It is envisaged that Ireland will undergo atransformation in its economic and social fabric,with increased emphasis on high value addedactivities and industries. There are a number ofchallenges facing the country which the Plan aimsto address including:• removing the remaining infrastructurebottlenecks that constrain our economicdevelopment and inhibit balanced regionaldevelopment and environmental sustainability;• further equipping our children and youthwith the skills and education to grasp theopportunities presented to them;• creating and sustaining high value employmentopportunities; and• redistributing the product of wealth to foster aninclusive society, including adequately cateringfor those who have already contributed toIreland’s success over previous decades.The objective of the NDP is to integrate strategicdevelopment frameworks for regional development,for rural communities, for all-island co-operation,and for protection of the environment withcommon economic and social goals.Funding of the NDP relies almost completely ondomestic resources, paid for by the taxpayer andinvested in priorities that will generate a realeconomic return, increasing overall wealth in oursociety and raising standards of living beyondwhat they might otherwise be. Securing value formoney for the NDP investment and monitoring itsimplementation will be a key priority and essentialto its success in transforming Ireland.The priorities and approach set out in the NDPare consistent with the ten year social partnershipframework agreement — Towards 2016 —concluded in 2006.The National Recovery Plan 2011-2014The National Recovery Plan provides a blueprintfor a return to sustainable growth in Ireland’seconomy. It sets out in detail the measures thatwill be taken to put our public finances in order.It identifies the areas of economic activity whichwill provide growth and employment in the nextphase of our economic development. It specifiesthe reforms the Government will implement toaccelerate growth in those key sectors.The National Recovery Plan provides an importantcontext for the Strategy as it outlines the impactof the recent economic downturn on Governmentspending and investment priorities.Chapter 2: page 6 www.2030vision.ie