Dublin city traffic plan – issues remain

Sir, – Both your news piece (“Watered-down Dublin traffic plan should allay traders’ fears”, News, July 2nd) and the editorial comment (“The Irish Times view on Fine Gael and the Dublin Transport Plan: populist posturing, July 2nd”) concentrated on the O’Connell Bridge and quays area but completely overlooked where the major traffic issues could arise if this plan as announced goes ahead. I refer to the junction of Westland Row and Pearse street. Here the usual substantial flow of traffic heading for Butt Bridge will be prevented from doing so.

To date, Dublin City Council (DCC) has been silent on where this traffic is to go so one must assume it’ll be expected to use the Beckett and Eastlink bridges instead to try to cross to the Northside. However, for several hours weekdays both of these routes are already at a standstill due to congestion, with Butt Bridge then being the only option. Dublin City FM (103.2) broadcast a most useful Livedrive program advising on traffic issues in the city using data mainly supplied by DCC itself. A persistent and regular message on these bulletins each afternoon is to avoid Beckett and Eastlink bridges as they are jammed and to seek alternative routes.

Gridlock from Irishtown northwards is a distinct possibility which would also hamper bus movements.

Several months ago, DCC and Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan when welcoming this plan to reduce traffic flow through Dublin’s city centre emphasised positive reaction to a public consultation process. Maybe so, but did they consult with their own DCC traffic control centre? Do they listen to their own Livedrive data broadcast on 103.2? One can only conclude answer to these two questions is that they didn’t and they don’t.

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I’ve written a few times to DCC on this point since Christmas but no response so far. It’s a poorly thought-out proposal at this location as there is just nowhere for diverted traffic to go, with unintended consequences guaranteed. Regina Doherty’s remarks a few weeks ago terming it Dublin’s Berlin Wall between the Southside and Northside sound pretty accurate to me.

A separate but related topic highlights lack of joined-up thinking by DCC and others on traffic movement in the city.

In 2007 Dublin Port Tunnel opened.

One of its stated purposes, as well as removing heavy goods vehicles from our streets, was to reduce commuter traffic in areas that it served. Now Dublin Port Tunnel tolls have quadrupled during peak hours, thus dissuading said commuters from using it.

Perhaps the Minister would like to explain how this reversal of original stated purpose of the tunnel has arisen and is it intended to remove this rush-hour penalty for commuters and get them off the streets back to using the tunnel as originally intended. – Yours, etc,

DAVID REDDY,

Sandymount,

Dublin 4.

Sir, – The furore over Dublin city’s traffic plan focuses on restrictions on cars. However, such restrictions are a precondition for what the plan also proposes – the enhancement of “public realm” spaces, in particular the final achievement of the plaza at College Green and Dame Street.

At last the city council is showing some real ambition for Dublin: it is putting forward a real vision for an attractive city centre.

Surely the capital of Ireland should aspire to be more beautiful than yet another traffic roundabout? – Yours, etc,

JAMES WICKHAM,

Dublin 8.