TRAFFIC CONGESTION IN Dublin is impacting on people’s quality of life, according to Fianna Fáil’s transport spokesperson Robert Troy.
The Longford-Westmeath TD said traffic congestion in Dublin is undoubtedly set to worsen in the months ahead.
Despite welcoming the progression of the Luas Cross City project, he believes motorists and commuters are fed up of the ongoing disruptions and lack of planning.
While the completion of the Luas Cross City project will allow for “a clean-up of the city” it will have a limited impact on alleviating the current traffic disruption, he said.
No plan
“Dublin Bus passengers in particular will be alarmed to learn that there still is no plan in place for the re-routing of key services once the Luas Cross City project is complete,” said Troy.
The comments come ahead of Dublin City Council’s meeting next week where councillors will discuss the restriction of cars along parts of the city quays.
It’s proposed that cars be completely banned from College Green – which will then be turned into a civic space.
In addition, there are plans to create clear passages for Luas Cross City to ensure trams do not get stuck in traffic.
Some of the traffic restrictions proposed include requiring traffic travelling east to turn left onto O’Connell Street from Bachelors Walk, and restricting car access on Eden Quay.
Luas trams
To enable free passage of Luas trams it’s proposed that access to Nassau Street from Dawson Street will be via Molesworth Street and South Frederick Street.
There are also plans in the works to develop a Liffey Cycle Route.
Speaking about the new plans for College Green, Troy said the Luas construction works has led to a significant increase in journey times for cross-city bus passengers as College Green has essentially been reduced to one lane.
“The area will have significantly less capacity to cater for buses on a permanent basis once the Luas Cross City project is complete. The potential pedestrianisation of College Green will require Dublin Bus to identify a new arterial route for cross-city services. The fact that such a route is yet to be identified does not bode well for passengers, and suggests that journey times are set to increase significantly in the months ahead,” he added.
Opposition to the new plans
While there has been opposition to the new plans from some Dublin business groups and the Irish Car Parking Association, the chair of Dublin City Council’s Transport Committee, Ciarán Cuffe told TheJournal.ie that plans need to be put in place before the Luas Cross City comes into operation.
“The Luas is coming down the line and doing nothing is not an option,” he said.
“I am confident we will get the traffic management right. We need to ensure we keep the city moving,” said Cuffe.
He said feedback about the plans from local businesses has been “mixed”.
“I think those that are shouting the loudest are the car parks. We have to strike a balance between the profits of car park operators and those in the city,” said Cuffe, who added there will continue to be access to all car parks in the city.
Cuffe said Dubliners can expect to see trial trams operating along the new route in August, with passenger trips beginning in December.
Troy said the current situation with traffic congestion in Dublin is unsustainable and said key transport projects such as the DART Underground and Metro North need to be prioritised.
“Failure to progress these projects will only compound traffic congestion in the years ahead and will continue the trend of allowing one relatively minor issue on our roads to bring the entire capital to a standstill.
“We need more public transport options which are independent of the road network to help bring this disruption to an end.”
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