The Green Party is warning that the COVID-19 crisis makes investment in cycling and walking more important than ever.

The party has called for 20% of transport spending to earmarked for cycling and walking infrastructure over the lifetime of the next Government.

It wants two-thirds of the rest to be set aside for public transport.

On The Pat Kenny Show this morning, Green Party finance spokesperson Neasa Hourigan said long-term planning will be essential when we begin to come out of crisis-mode.

“We will have finite resources in the next decade and we really have to think about the things we are incentivising – how are we using those finite resources and what it is we are trying to promote.

“There is a reality here that health issues are starting to dovetail with environmental issues.

“We are looking at very high levels of heart disease in this country and very high levels of air pollution that are damaging people’s respiratory health - so there are lots of very good reasons now to make a change.

“We are one of the most car-dependent countries in Europe. It is not working for us anymore. It is making us sick, making us unhappy, it is costing us a fortune so I think it might be time to change.”

The Dublin Central TD noted that recent studies have shown that areas with higher air pollution have higher COVID-19 death rates.

She said fears that people will be less likely to choose public transport in the coming years due to fears over the spread of the virus make investment in green travel all the more important.

“One of the key things is to make cycling and walking a really, really a good, safe, attractive option,” she said.

“In all of this, even before the COVID crisis, you have to make the green, healthy thing to do the cheapest, best, most pleasant thing that is available to people – and we have not been using our funds and our resources in that way up to now.”

A man cycling his bike on Dublin's North Wall Quay, 23-04-2020. Image: Leon Farrell/RollingNews

She said the issue is “not about car people versus bike people.”

“It is not about getting rid of your car,” she said.

“It is about looking at, maybe, your 15 car journeys you do Monday to Friday and say, are there three or four of those journeys that I can do a different way?

“That is how you get real change. It can’t be a divisive thing.”

Bollards blocking off loading-bays and parking spaces on Dublin’s Dorset Street, 27-04-2020. Image: Leah Farrell/RollingNews

Deputy Hourigan insisted the annual 7% reduction is carbon emissions is a reachable target but noted that the Green Party “does not own this issue.”

“You would have to sit down with other parties and say, what are your priorities here?” she said. “What are you planning to do? Because we have signed up to this.

“We are required to do this under the Paris Agreement. We are looking at serious fines every year. €125m every year, perhaps, if we don’t meet those targets.

“So, it is not necessarily can we do it or should we do or can we afford to do it. It is really that we can’t afford not to do it anymore – for our health or for our pocket.”

You can listen back to the full interview here.