The Irish Planning Institute, the leading all-island professional membership organisation for spatial planners, has welcomed the publication today of the Government’s draft National Demand Management Strategy ‘Moving Together: A Strategic Approach to Improving the Efficiency of Ireland’s Transport System’.

President Gavin Lawlor said “Transport demand is driven by all aspects of our lives, where we live, work, study and play. Further integrating planning and transport infrastructure and services to connect these activities is essential to reducing transport-related emissions to 2030.

“Transport oriented development is key to us achieving our national climate objectives, however delivering on this ambition requires the acceleration of overdue planning guidelines and the delayed revision of the National Planning Framework, with more analysis of the reasons why urban sites are not being brought forward for development.

“All of this means that we need more coherence across local authorities, including parking standards for new developments, and delivering alternatives to car dependent housing.”