Monday 09 March 2020
Green Party NI Deputy Leader Malachai O’Hara has commented after a report named Belfast as the second worst city in the UK for traffic jams.
Malachai O’Hara, a Councillor for Castle in North Belfast, said: “People living in Belfast or anyone who comes into Belfast to work will know the misery of congestion across the city.
“This report documents the scale of the congestion problem, showing that drivers spend on average of 112 hours last year in traffic jams.
“The evidence shows that long spells spent in traffic can have a negative effect on mental and physical health.
“Congestion also degrades ambient air quality and we know that air quality across Belfast is poor which can contribute to a range of illnesses.”
Councillor O’Hara continued:
“Car dependency is rife across our society and we need a huge swing towards prioritising active travel and public transport.
“Otherwise, people are doomed to sit in endless traffic in their cars and the air pollution problem will continue to damage the health of our citizens.”
ENDS
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