Ride sharing could rid Dublin of cars and cut pollution by third (2024)

Ninety-eight per cent of car journeys in Dublin could be eliminated if commuters shared vehicles and used public transport more, a study has found.

Increased use of car, bike and taxi-sharing schemes and on-demand taxi-buses could revolutionise transport in the city and dramatically reduce congestion, CO₂ emissions and the need for parking spaces, the report by the International Transport Forum (ITF) said. The forum is a division of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the global think tank.

A transport system consisting only of shared mobility services and existing public transport services could result in just 2 per cent of existing private vehicles on the capital’s streets being needed by commuters, the report said. It found that the distance driven by vehicles in such a scenario would be reduced by 38 per cent and emission levels would fall by 31 per cent. Congestion levels would decrease by 37 per cent.

The report, which was funded by the Department of Transport and National Transport Authority (NTA), said that substantial reductions in distance travelled and CO₂ emissions would still be achieved if only 20 per cent of car trips were replaced with shared transport modes.

Among its main recommendations was the integration of shared vehicle services with bus, rail and Luas services. “Sufficient infrastructure for shared vehicles that drop off and pick up passengers at the station are therefore important,” the ITF said. “Station layouts may need to be redesigned to ensure good access for pedestrians and cyclists.”

The ITF said that transport CO₂ emissions could fall by 30 per cent and congestion by 38 per cent if shared mobility services were combined with plans for 16 bus corridors in the city. It also suggested that the introduction of on-demand taxi-bus services should be considered as an effective substitute for low-frequency and inefficient bus routes. Hybrid bus and taxi services, which operate on fixed routes but can be pre-booked through apps, are becoming more popular in cities such as London.

The report acknowledged that the size of the greater Dublin area, with its dispersed demand and comparatively low density, made it difficult to provide public transport efficiently.

“Even for on-demand taxi-buses, demand would be insufficient along some routes,” it said.

The ITF also recommended increased capacity on trains and parking at railway stations in the capital because, it said, better integration of other public transport services could result in a 33 per cent increase in rail passengers.

One of the benefits to commuters of switching to shared mobility services is that transport costs could be significantly lower. The report said that focus groups used in compiling the research indicated that users were in favour of shared mobility services. Young people and women were the most enthusiastic groups in favour of switching.

Eamon Ryan, the Green Party leader, welcomed the report’s findings and said that it could be used as a way forward for tackling Dublin’s growing problem with traffic congestion. “Shared services are essential for Dublin. We are at peak car use. Switching over to electric cars might solve the climate change issue but it will still do nothing about congestion,” he said.

An NTA spokesman said the ITF report provided “important new insights into shared mobility solutions”.