A DUBLIN city centre car park owner has initiated a legal challenge to the introduction of the bus gate scheme around College Green.
Fleet Street Car Park Ltd claims the College Green bus corridor scheme, involving restriction of traffic at peak hours to buses, taxis and cyclists and which came into operation yesterday, will have adverse financial consequences for it as a result of alleged reduced use of the car park and consequent loss of profits.
The company, owner of a multi-storey car park at Fleet Street, which is operated on its behalf by Park Rite, claims the value of the car park is some €16 million. It had a financial turnover in the year ended November 2008 of €2.3 million.
Fleet Street Car Park Ltd is seeking leave to bring a judicial review challenge to the scheme but is not seeking an injunction pending the outcome of that challenge, which would halt the scheme, Eamon Galligan SC, for the company, said.
The proceedings came before Mr Justice Peter Kelly in the Commercial Court yesterday via an application to have them admitted to that court’s list.
Damien Keaney, for Dublin City Council, opposed the case being transferred to the Commercial Court, saying the scheme had come into operation yesterday and the plaintiff could have moved earlier. Mr Galligan denied any delay on the part of his client.
Mr Justice Kelly said the matter was already before the High Court and he would not transfer it to the Commercial Court list.
He noted the bus corridor was a temporary scheme to be reviewed in six months.