The Lord Mayor, James Geoghegan, has announced that public transport journey times on routes along Dublin city’s quays have been reduced by more than 20 per cent. This statement came on Tuesday during the first meeting chairing by Mr Geoghegan, of a working group set up to assess the impact of the Dublin City Transport Plan’s changes. This comprehensive overhaul of traffic management in Dublin has already led to improvements.
According to the data gathered by Dublin Town, the representative body for city businesses, pedestrian activity increased around the same time the traffic plan went into effect in September. Furthermore, the National Transport Authority (NTA) confirmed that public transport times had decreased by more than 20 per cent on routes encompassing the North and South quays.
The Dublin City Centre Traders Alliance, including the car park owners, Brown Thomas Arnotts and other businesses, had opposed this transport plan that aimed at reducing city traffic congestion. Despite business interest’s attempts to delay, the transport scheme launched in August, initially introducing daytime restrictions on private vehicles travelling east and west along Liffey quays at O’Connell Bridge.
The NTA is reportedly considering a proposal that would allow disabled drivers to access routes limited by bus gates.
Moreover, despite an estimation of a €141 million drop in consumer spending by 2028 due to allowable traffic restrictions, many believe this projection is based on incorrect assumptions about car usage for shopping and motorist expenditure. This criticism followed an economic impact analysis of the plan, which the Dublin City Council agreed to consider following intervention from the Minister of State for Enterprise Emer Higgins.
Looking forward, the Lord Mayor emphasised the need to encourage more people to visit the city as Christmas nears, pledging continued engagement with all stakeholders affected as transport plans evolve for the city.