The latest Cordon reports, published today by the National Transport Authority (NTA), shows continued growth in the numbers of people using sustainable modes of transport.
Conducted in November 2024, the surveys analysed traffic and passenger movements over a 12-hour period, in Galway, Limerick, Cork, Waterford, and along the M50 in Dublin. The reports offer a detailed snapshot of weekday travel patterns and modal share across key urban routes.
Sustainable travel on the rise in Galway and Limerick
In Galway, 86,596 people crossed the Inner-City Cordon between 07:00 and 19:00, with 43% using sustainable modes such as bus, rail, walking or cycling. Whilst cars still accounted for 57% of trips, the use of public transport grew strongly compared to 2023, with bus trips increasing by 25% and rail by 6%.
In Limerick, 120,227 inbound trips were recorded with 33,001 individuals travelling by sustainable modes. In particular, the share of bus and rail passengers increased by 2% compared to the previous year, indicating a steady shift in travel behaviour.
Car use remains dominant in Cork, Waterford and M50
In Cork the survey reveals a transport system still heavily dominated by private car use with 23% using sustainable transportation modes compared to 75% of car use. A similar pattern is noted in Waterford, where cars accounted for 79% of flows, with Light Goods Vehicles making up a further 8%.
Across the M50 Cordon, 38% were found to have used sustainable transport modes, but car use remained dominant, representing 76% of all vehicle crossings. Car occupancy levels were particularly low, with 87% of cars in the morning peak and 90% in the evening peak carrying only the driver.
However, active travel modes continue to grow steadily, with cycling trips up 13% on 2023, reaching 3,607 trips, alongside over 7,000 pedestrian movements. These figures reflect a growing preference towards healthier, more sustainable travel choices.
The full reports for Cork, Limerick, Waterford, Dublin’s M50 and Galway are available on the NTA website: