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TRAFFIC CHANGES UNDER Dublin’s transport plan take effect in the city centre from today.

New traffic flow management measures are being implemented on and near the quays around the O’Connell Bridge area, the first step in a series of changes intended to ease congestion in the capital.

The transport plan is aiming to reduce traffic jams by restricting private vehicle access on certain roads and changing some routes in the hope of freeing up more space for public transport, walking and cycling and discouraging private vehicles from using the city centre as a through-route.

In addition to easing traffic, it is hoped that reducing private cars in the city centre will help to lower greenhouse gas emissions that are harmful to the climate from the transport sector.

Today’s set of measures have been dialled down from the original proposals after accessibility concerns raised by Disabled Persons’ Organisations (DPOs).

The changes will apply from 7am to 7pm, Monday to Sunday. 

Here are the changes taking effect, according to Dublin City Council.

North Quays at Bachelor’s Walk to Eden Quay

• The straight ahead movement from Bachelor’s Walk to Eden Quay will be for public transport, taxis and cyclists only.
• The right turn movement to O’Connell Bridge will continue to be for public transport, taxis and cyclists only.
• General traffic will be able to use Bachelor’s Walk but must turn left at O’Connell Bridge.
• The existing bus stop for tour buses will be removed.
• The disabled bay, loading and taxi space on Bachelor’s Walk will stay.

North Quays at Eden Quay

• There will be no straight ahead movement allowed from Bachelor’s Walk to Eden Quay for general traffic.
• The existing prohibition on turning left from O’Connell Street to Eden Quay will stay.
• The right turn from O’Connell Bridge to Eden Quay will be changed to allow general traffic, which will facilitate access to Eden Quay for needs like deliveries.
• Taxis and cyclists will be allowed to use the bus lanes at all times.
• Roads further east of O’Connell Street (such as Custom House Quay and North Wall Quay) will remain as they were.

South Quays at Burgh Quay to Aston Quay

• The straight ahead movement from Burgh Quay to Aston Quay will be open for public transport, taxis and cyclists only.
• All vehicles can still turn left from Burgh Quay to D’Olier Street.
• All vehicles can turn still right from Burgh Quay to O’Connell Bridge.
• The left turn from Westmoreland Street to Aston Quay will be for public transport, taxis and cyclists only.

Westmoreland Street/Fleet Street

• The left turn from Westmoreland Street to Fleet Street will be for deliveries and access only.
• Access to the Temple Bar area, Fleet Street carpark and Aston Quay, including the disabled bay on Aston Quay, will be from the Westmoreland Street turn to Fleet Street.
• Roads further west of Parliament Street (such as Wood Quay, Usher’s Quay and Merchants’ Quay) will remain as they were.

Currently, there are around 252,000 movements at the Bachelor’s Walk/O’Connell Street junction between 7am and 7pm, according to Dublin City Council around half of which are Dublin Bus users (123,885 passengers).

Pedestrians make up 22% of movements at the junction and Luas users account for 14%, which means those three main forms of transport make up the majority (85%) of movements.

Other bus users (i.e. non-Dublin Bus) account for 10%, taxis for 2.4%, cars for 2% and cyclists for 2%.

“The measures on the north quays, which will affect approximately 200 users an hour (0.08% of all users each day), will allow for more space to be allocated to public transport initially which will improve the reliability, speed and service for public transport,” Dublin City Council has said.

“Similarly, on the south quays between 7am and 7am, just 2% of the users at the Burgh Quay/O’Connell Bridge/Aston Quay junction are undertaken by people in cars. However at least 50% of the road space is assigned to cars,” the council said.

“This is causing delays to the existing public transport network, particularly buses which account for 50% of the users at this junction. As creating additional road space is not an option, the existing space needs to works as efficiently as possible by moving the most amount of people whilst still maintaining access for businesses, residents and deliveries.”