The Green Party has called for a State-wide transport review aimed at prioritising public transport and restructuring the National Roads Authority "to make it more accountable and more democratic".
The demands, part of a 10 point transport plan launched in Dublin by party leader, Mr Trevor Sargent, yesterday also call for a halt to the Government plans to build five motorways out of Dublin and the immediate setting-up of the proposed Greater Dublin Planning and Transport Authority.
He described the Government's motorway plans as "grossly excessive" and a waste of investment capacity".
Deputy party leader, Ms Mary White, said the Dublin-Waterford motorway was costing upwards of £526 million, excluding landowners' compensation.
The State should "upgrade our present roads, build bypasses around towns . . . and introduce an integrated transport policy plus the restructure the National Roads Authority to make it more accountable and more democratic."
Transport spokesman, Mr Eamon Ryan, said: "Ireland's lack of a public transport infrastructure is the greatest disincentive to economic growth and new outside investors in our cities."
"For example, the DTO has finally come up with a transport plan which would save Dublin city from gridlock. The plan requires some £4 billion to be invested in public transport schemes over the next five years. However, there is an ominous silence from the Department of Public Enterprise."
Other proposals include: prioritisation of public transport; support for Dublin Transport Office's plan to save Dublin from gridlock; a return to the original NRA 1998 Roads Needs Study proposals, as opposed to new motorways; and the introduction of a driver penalty points system.
