Dublin

Dublin councillors seek no delay on transport plan amid ‘big business’ lobbying

Council’s chief executive urged to resist ‘inappropriate intervention’ from junior minister

Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise Emer Higgins who met council officials, and has requested with some city traders a delay in the implementation of the plan until next year. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

Olivia Kelly
Mon Jul 1 2024 - 20:24

An “inappropriate intervention” by Minister of State for Enterprise Emer Higgins must not be allowed to delay or derail the Dublin City Centre Transport Plan, designed to tackle the city’s worsening traffic congestion, city councillors have said.

Council chief executive Richard Shakespeare told councillors on Monday evening he had met Ms Higgins, who is a Fine Gael TD, and some city businesses, and a request had been made to delay the implementation of the plan from August to “March or April 2025″.

Mr Shakespeare said one group, the City Centre Traders Alliance, had commissioned an economic impact study on the plan and he would wait until he received this before “I make a decision on whether to change the implementation dates.”

[ Biggest risk to jobs is buses stuck in traffic, Ryan says, rejecting push to delay transport plan ]

The joint council and National Transport Authority (NTA) plan aims to “remove traffic that has no destination in the city”, with almost two out of every three motorists passing through rather than stopping in town. The measures do not ban motorists from crossing any Liffey bridge currently open to cars, and the council said access to city car parks will be maintained.

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The plan’s first measures, “bus gates” on Bachelors Walk and Aston Quay restricting passage to public transport only, as well as a ban on private traffic turning left from Westland Row on to Pearse Street, were due to be implemented in early August.

Following consultation with disabilities groups, the bus gates will be in operation from 7am to 7pm only, and the left turn from Bachelors Walk to O’Connell Street will be retained, but private traffic will not be permitted to drive straight ahead to Eden Quay.

Labour councillor Darragh Moriarty said he was “deeply concerned by any attempt to derail the plan”.

The traders alliance, which was originally set up to oppose plans for the College Green plaza, includes Brown Thomas, Arnotts, Jervis Shopping Centre, Retail Excellence Ireland, and the Restaurants Association of Ireland.

Ms Higgins’ intervention on behalf of this group was “outrageous overreach”, Mr Moriarty said.

It was reported at the weekend that Ms Higgins was seeking a delay until at least 2025 because of concerns about the impact the plan could have on jobs and retail sales in the city.

Sinn Féin councillor Daithí Doolan said he was “quite surprised” Mr Shakespeare was considering a delay. “This development smacks of big business dictating to the city”.

The Social Democrats’ Paddy Monahan and the Green Party’s Feljin Jose said Ms Higgins had made an “inappropriate intervention”. Mr Jose noted extensive consultation process on the plan was completed in 2023, with over 3,500 submissions made by business, residents and charities across the city.

Mr Shakespeare said he would take the councillors views on board.

Olivia Kelly

Olivia Kelly

Olivia Kelly is Dublin Editor of The Irish Times

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