Eamon Ryan, the Transport Minister, has cautioned against any potential watering down or postponement of the Dublin City Centre Transport Plan, a scheme intended to alleviate traffic congestion and bolster public transportation within the capital.
Mr. Ryan critiqued politicians who opportunistically manipulate worries over how alterations to the city’s traffic management might affect businesses. At a recent Oireachtas transport committee meeting on Wednesday, the minister expressed his views following modifications to the transport plan. The plan, initially launched last year, proposed around-the-clock “bus gates” at Bachelors Walk and Aston Quay, exclusively permitting public transport access.
Officials revealed to Dublin City councillors on Monday that such restrictions would be lessened and set to be enforced only from 7am to 7pm each day. Despite private car owners being prohibited from going straight east and west along the Liffey Quays at O’Connell Bridge, only a MINIMUM 50m stretch of Aston Quay would be impassable to vehicles.
In response to an appeal made by Fine Gael Minister of State for Enterprise, Emer Higgins, top council officers and the National Transport Authority organised a meeting with several city business collectives, which involved car park proprietors.
Richard Shakespeare, the CEO of Dublin City Council, informed councillors that during the meeting he received a request to push back the plan’s rollout from August to either “March or April 2025”. Additionally, consideration was sought for an economic impact survey on the scheme endorsed by the City Centre Traders Alliance.
At the committee, Mr. Ryan spoke against those attempting to capitalise on public unease for political gain. He was adamant that such tactics did not ultimately serve the people’s interest. The plan’s execution was primarily the council’s responsibility, conceded Mr. Ryan, though he conveyed his deep worry over any delays or alterations diluting its intended advantages.
Stating that failure to implement the planned measures would severely disrupt the bus network, Mr. Ryan underlined the necessity of implementing these traffic management reforms for a functional bus system in Dublin. He stressed that prioritising public transport improvements was essential to meeting the needs of those requiring accessibility. In Mr. Ryan’s experience, the introduction of interventions reducing traffic or improving public transportation always benefitted the city’s businesses.
The prosperity of Dublin city and its merchants cannot be put on hold. Improving public transportation, ensuring the safety of pedestrians and cyclists, and enhancing the overall public terrain, is an immediate requirement which stands to be beneficial for every Dublin city dweller. The persistent delay of decades in addressing Dublin’s traffic congestion is a point of concern, but there’s optimistic anticipation that plans would move forward in August. Although Mr. Shakespeare, a council representative, has not received the study from the merchants yet, a decision regarding alterations to the project’s roll-out dates is expected within the forthcoming fortnight or three weeks.