A recent poll conducted by Newstalk revealed that most Irish people would be willing to ditch their cars if public transport was more reliable and convenient. The survey, which involved over 1,000 respondents, found that 61% of them would give up driving if they had access to better alternatives such as buses, trains, trams or bikes.

The main reasons for choosing public transport over cars were environmental concerns, cost savings and avoiding traffic congestion. However, the survey also identified some barriers that prevent people from using public transport more often, such as lack of availability, frequency, punctuality and safety.According to the survey, the most popular modes of public transport among the respondents were buses (41%), trains (25%) and trams (18%). Only 8% of them said they used bikes regularly, while 7% said they did not use any form of public transport at all.The survey also asked the respondents about their views on the government's plans to introduce more low-emission zones in urban areas, where only electric or hybrid vehicles would be allowed. The majority (57%) supported the idea, while 28% opposed it and 15% were unsure.

The results of the survey suggest that there is a strong demand for improving public transport services in Ireland, as well as promoting more sustainable and eco-friendly modes of travel. Newstalk's Transport Correspondent, Kacey O'Riordan, said that the survey showed that people were ready for a change in their transport habits, but they needed more incentives and options to do so.

Publication date: June 27th 2023

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