Minister commits to reducing road fatalities at the launch of Irish Transport Research Conference at ATU

The conference was officially opened by Minister of State at the Department of Transport,  Jack Chambers TD, who stated his commitment to achieve greater road safety and the urgent need to reduce road fatalities following multiple tragedies on our roads recently.  

Addressing the conference, Minister Chambers said: "There have been concerning increases in road user fatalities.  It is critical we continue to undertake research to better understand and reverse this trend. Our current Government Road Safety Strategy runs from 2021-2030 and commits to achieving a 50% reduction in road deaths and serious injuries, by 2050.  Research will play a critical role in achieving these ambitious targets." 

The Minister has also been a vocal advocate for sustainable development and climate action. Minister Chambers' insights set the tone for two days of robust discussions and knowledge-sharing. 

Minister Chambers added: "Climate change is a significant challenge facing Ireland and the world.  In recognition of this we have set ourselves ambitious emission reduction goals for the transport sector, to halve our emissions by the end of the decade and achieve net zero emissions by 2050.  I am pleased to see the themes of decarbonisation and sustainability strongly reflected at this conference as these are key priorities for my Department." 

With transportation being a critical contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, the ITRN conference discussed cutting-edge research, practical strategies, innovative technology, and policy developments that can drive the transition towards environmentally-friendly and energy-efficient mobility solutions for the Irish transport sector. 

The conference featured a diverse range of presentations, keynote speakers, and panel discussions, addressing various aspects of sustainable transportation, including: 

Electrification and Alternative Fuels: Exploring the latest advancements in electric  vehicles and mobility, hydrogen fuel cells, and other alternative propulsion technologies. 

Smart Transportation Systems: Discussing the integration of digital technologies, data analytics, and artificial intelligence to optimize traffic flow, reduce congestion, and enhance overall transportation efficiency. 

Active and Public Transport: Highlighting the measures and solutions for upgrading walking, cycling, and public transportation modes to create healthier and more sustainable urban communities . 

Policy and Regulation: Examining the role of government policies, planning, regulations, and incentives in shaping the future of transportation systems and promoting decarbonised mobility. 

Road and Transport Engineering and Design: Develop sustainable solutions and guidance for the design and specification of road and transport infrastructure, including recycled materials, rural and urban road design for sustainable mobility, and road user safety. 

Chair of ITRN, Ross Higgins  said; “It was great to see the coming together of a great two days of conference activities in ATU Sligo last week. Not only were researchers afforded the opportunity to share their work, but we had very interesting and engaging keynote presentations by leading experts including Anne Graham of the National Transport Authority and Prof. Hannah Daly from University College Cork.  

We were honoured to have official opening addresses by Prof. Orla Flynn, President of ATU, and Transport Minister of State, Jack Chambers TD. The Fianna Fáil TD particularly highlighted key areas of concern across the transport sector including our drive to reducing emissions, our response to recent road safety concerns and our need to continue investing in research.  

Many thanks also to Dr. Brian McCann, Vice Chair of the ITRN for leading in the organisation of this year’s conference, to the many ITRN committee members for completing paper reviews, to our independent best paper judges and especially to our main sponsors, Sligo County Council and other supporters.  

We look forward to ITRN2024 which will be a joint conference with the Civil Engineering Research Association of Ireland in the University of Galway.”  

"We were delighted to host this year's ITRN conference at our Sligo campus," said Dr Brian McCann, Vice-Chair of ITRN, lecturer, Principal Investigator and research supervisor at Atlantic Technological University and Chair of the Organising Committee . "The conference provides an excellent platform for multidisciplinary discussions that are crucial for steering our transportation systems towards a more sustainable and climate-resilient future. I would like to thank ITRN Chair Ross Higgins, who organised the paper submissions, reviews and judging, our best paper judges Dr David Wall (UCC) and Dr Salissou Moutari (QUB), paper reviewers and session chairs, and the organising committee, including Dr Aonghus O’Domhnaill (ATU Sligo), Antony John Mouzas (ATU Sligo) and Tola Carway (UL), and the staff at ATU Sligo who assisted in ensuring the conference was a success. We have 29 presentations over two days with high-quality and topical research papers delivered to an audience of 60 attendees from across the transport sector and academia". 

For more information about the ITRN conference, please visit the official conference website: www.itrn.ie/conference2023 or contact Dr Brian McCann at brian.mccann@atu.ie.