The Dublin City Traders Alliance is reassessing its approach in response to Richard Shakespeare, the city council’s chief executive’s, intent to enforce traffic limitations on Dublin’s Quays next month. Members of the alliance, such as the retail businesses of Brown Thomas Arnotts, various car park operators, as well as several retail and restaurant conglomerates had requested a postponement of the Dublin City Centre Transport Plan’s rollout until the following year.
The plan retards private vehicles from travelling east to west on the Liffey Quays, flanked by O’Connell Bridge, between the hours of 7 am to 7 pm, in effect from August 25th. Noel Smyth, an advocate and property developer who initiated the alliance in 2015, sought financial assistance from assorted city enterprises earlier this year towards legal, advisory, and PR-related actions against the plan.
Mr. Smyth penned a letter to Eamon Ryan, the Transport Minister, the previous week claiming that a comprehensive Environmental Impact Evaluation is legally obligatory for the plan. He moreover petitioned Mr. Ryan to direct the Dublin City Council, as well as the National Transport Authority, to put the plan into place adhering to the public spending code of conduct.
The council has dispelled any worries by asserting that the measures on the quays are well within their authority accorded by the Road Traffic Act. It has been announced that a supervisory group will be constituted, under Lord Mayor James Geoghegan, involving various business collectives, to oversee the effects of the amendments proposed in the transport plan.
In an official statement, the alliance appeared doubtful, suggesting that the creation of a supervisory group subsequent to the plan’s application could weaken the group’s effectiveness. The alliance is currently consulting its members regarding the decisive course of action following today’s news. Jean McCabe, CEO of Retail Excellence Ireland and a representative of the alliance, acknowledged the inception of the supervisory group. However, she advocated for such a group’s formation preceding the decision to enforce the restrictions rather than after – intending to avert any legal disputes.
“None of us wishes for that path to be headed down. We all share the same end goal — a city teeming with life and prosperity. It’s a shame the DCC [Dublin City Council] did not allow for the necessary pause to ensure necessary preparations were made for a successful outcome.”
The Dublin Chamber, a business representative conglomerate, expressed that the plan’s execution is a “positive development for Dublin”. Spokesperson Stephen Browne voiced their viewpoint of the plan as an additional measure towards their vision of a city more attuned to pedestrians and supportive of the 15-minute city scheme. He said, “Without this, public transport services across the Dublin county will be less efficient, less frequent, and would entail extended travel times.”
Dublin Bus’s CEO, Billy Hann, also endorsed Mr Shakespeare’s resolution and assured the company’s unwavering backing to the monitoring group. Diageo, the firm that runs the Guinness Brewery at St James’s Gate, could not be contacted for any remarks on Friday. Previously brought up obstacles featured restrictions linked to the operational hours of Dublin Port and sound limitations enacted by the council at the brewery.
The plan is backed by every political party on the council, as well as environmental, health and commuter collectives, and over 80% of those who took part in a consultation process. Starting on August 25th, restrictions imposed on the quays will permit car drivers to maintain their route up the quays and along Bachelors Walk, after which they must make a left onto O’Connell Street, instead of heading straight onto Eden Quay.
For motorists in the south, access from Burgh Quay or Westmoreland Street to Aston Quay will be disallowed, but a new provision will allow them to get to Aston Quay from Fleet Street. Car drivers will also be allowed to cross O’Connell Bridge to get to O’Connell Street and Eden Quay.