Gardaí on bicycles tackling gridlock will be a feature of Operation Freeflow when it begins in Dublin tomorrow. An extra 110 gardaí have been drafted into the capital in an effort to keep the city's traffic flowing over the Christmas period. It will run until January 6th, 2003.
This year's operation will suspend most LUAS works in the greater Dublin area to ease the impact of roadworks on traffic in the next five weeks.
The usual traffic flow measures and annual clampdown on illegal parking will also see this year's Operation Freeflow featuring a major push to encourage those visiting the city centre to use public transport.
The gardaí and Dublin Transportation Office (DTO) have spent two months putting the plan together.
Work on the LUAS line will cease at a number of the city's traffic blackspots. These include Abbey Street, Beresford Place and works in the vicinity of the "triangle" in Ranelagh. The work on the rail at St Stephen's Green will continue during the period. Works on the Naas Road and Sandyford Road will also continue.
Roadworks in the arterial and orbital routes around Dublin will be stopped and all planned works elsewhere in the city have been put on hold and will not commence until after the festive period.
In total 134 garda foot patrols will lend their weight to the effort. They will be joined by 54 gardaí on motorcycles along with 10 mobile patrol units. Garda tow wagons will remove illegally parked vehicles.
As well as keeping traffic flowing, the DTO and gardaí are also trying to reduce the numbers of cars on the road. As part of this plan extra bus and DART routes will be laid on.
From Sunday, Nitelink buses will run every night until January 4th. From Sundays to Wednesdays they will run at 12.30 a.m., 1.30 a.m., 2.30 a.m. and 4.30 a.m. Between Thursdays and Saturdays a more comprehensive service will be in operation with buses running every 20 minutes, beginning at 12.30 a.m. until 4.30 a.m.
Late night DARTs will ferry passengers home from December 5th to 21st. They will run on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays with services at 1 a.m. and 2.30 a.m.
However, there are some restrictions on late night DARTs.
DARTs leaving Pearse Street travelling north will serve all stations to Howth with the exception of Tara Street. South bound they will stop at all stations from Connolly to Bray except Tara Street and Grand Canal Dock. Passengers travelling to Greystones transfer at Bray.
A special website on this years campaign aimed at informing the public about the scheme can be found at www.freeflow.ie
