Environmental Indicators Ireland 2019

The number of licensed vehicles in Ireland increased by 183% from an average annual 960,000 in 1985-1989 to 2.7 million in 2018. Private cars accounted for most of this growth with an increase of almost 1.4 million vehicles between 1985-1989 and 2018.

The number of goods vehicles has increased by 220% from an average annual 111,000 in 1985-1989 to 355,000 in 2018.

The number of public bus and coach passenger journeys in Ireland fell from an average annual 234.1 million in 2005-2009 to an average annual 194.9 million in 2010-2014, before rising to 217.6 million in 2017.

The number of rail passenger journeys in Ireland fell from an average annual 42 million in 2005-2009 to an average annual 37.3 million in 2010-2014. It rose again in subsequent years and reached 45.5 million journeys in 2017.

The number of LUAS passenger journeys increased from an average annual 25.8 million in 2005-2009 to 37.6 million in 2017.

Rail passengers in Ireland travelled an average of 444 kilometres per capita in 2017. France was the EU Member State with the highest level of passenger kilometres travelled, with 1,447 kilometres travelled per capita, while Greece had the lowest level at 103.

In 2017, 34.4 million passengers travelled on international journeys through Irish airports, the highest over the 1995-2017 period.

International passengers travelling to and from Irish seaports was at an average annual 4.5 million in 1995-1999. It fell below 3 million journeys per year after 2010 and was 2.8 million in 2017.

Between 1986 and 2016, the proportion of females aged 15 years or over driving to work has increased from 27% to 65%. The proportion of females travelling to work as car passengers fell from 16% to 5% in the same period.

The proportion of males aged 15 years or over driving to work increased from 42% to 53% between 1986 and 2016.

There were 10% of females aged 15 years and over who walked to work in 2016 compared with 8% of males. The number of females aged 15 years or over cycling to work declined from 6% in 1986 to 2% in 2016. The proportion of males aged 15 years or over cycling to work fell from 5% to 4% between 1986 and 2016.

The proportion of new licensed private cars in Ireland using diesel increased from an average annual 14.8% in 2000-2004 to 71.1% in 2015, before falling to 54.3% in 2018. The proportion using petrol fell from an average annual 85.2% in 2000-2004 to 26.8% in 2010-2014, before rising to 38.6% in 2018.

The percentage of new licensed private cars using hybrid, electric and other fuels (such as gas or a blend of ethanol and petrol) increased from an average annual 0% in 2000-2004 to 7.1% in 2018.