SEVEN IN TEN people who live in houses in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) built after 2006 are likely to have a commute of more than 20 minutes, compared to just over half of people in houses built before 1970.
According to a new study carried out at Trinity College Dublin, the rate of new public transport infrastructure has failed to keep up with housing construction in the GDA, meaning people are more likely to use their cars.
In the five-year period from 2001-2006, 17 per cent of housing in the GDA was constructed, with a further 10 per cent added by 2011.
Many of these new estates and apartments are not serviced by the DART, LUAS or other public transport.
The research also showed that 68 per cent of people living in post-2006 housing drive to work alone, while one in five walk or cycle.
Slightly more than half of those living in pre-1970 housing drive to work alone and three in ten people walk or cycle.
Dr Brian Caulfield, Assistant Professor in Civil Engineering at TCD, was the leader writer of the report.
He noted:
These results show that another negative impact of the housing boom is that those individuals living in newer housing stock, due to lack of transport alternatives, have more unsustainable travel patterns.
Co-author of the research, Dr Aoife Ahern, from University College Dublin’s School of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, added:
“As the economy improves and traffic returns to pre-recession levels, those living in these ‘boom time’ houses will only suffer longer journey times, thus exacerbating existing problems.”
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