Committee for Regional Development

Transport Bill

Committee Stage
Comments by
Northern Ireland Environment Link

11 August 2010

Northern Ireland Environment Link (NIEL) is the networking and forum body for non-statutory organisations concerned with the environment of Northern Ireland. Its 58 Full Members represent over 90,000 individuals, 262 subsidiary groups, have an annual turnover of £70 million and manage over 314,000 acres of land. Members are involved in environmental issues of all types and at all levels from the local community to the global environment. NIEL brings together a wide range of knowledge, experience and expertise which can be used to help develop policy, practice and implementation across a wide range of environmental fields.

These comments are agreed by Members, but some members may be providing independent comments as well. If you would like to discuss these comments further we would be delighted to do so.

Prof Sue Christie, Director
Northern Ireland Environment Link
89 Loopland Drive
Belfast , BT6 9DW  
P: 028 9045 5770
E: Sue@nienvironmentlink.org  
W: www.nienvironmentlink.org

Northern Ireland Environment Link is a Company limited by guarantee No NI034988 and a Charity registered with Inland Revenue No XR19598

NIEL welcomes the progress of this Bill and would like to offer the comments below.

In Part 1 Section 1 we feel it is very important that the concept of sustainable technology and use of resources, in particular carbon, is mentioned along with the other areas with which the Department must ensure compliance. Insertion of words to this effect, such as environmental sustainability, carbon efficiency or resource efficiency is necessary in this first paragraph of the Bill to demonstrate that the Department is ensuring that the delivery of this Bill plays its part in the drive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Northern Ireland.

In Part 5, sections 33 and 34 the use of the word ‘may’ should be supplemented by an indication that this is an important service to be provided. The wording at present leaves it appearing that this is an optional and therefore unimportant service. The need for public transport provision for residents in these categories should be fully acknowledged in the Bill.

Part 6 Section 43 would benefit from specific mention of the importance for all those involved in provision of public transport to work together to provide integration of their services to benefit the users of the service.