A Green Party Councillor has rejected the outpouring of criticism against the Clontarf Cycle Lane Scheme.
The Clontarf to City Centre Project is entering a new phase which will see new traffic plans implemented. From Monday, all private traffic heading into the city will be diverted at Fairview Strand, down Ballybough Road and along Portland Row, before rejoining North Strand Road at the Five Lamps.
The project aims to provide 2.7km of segregated cycle lanes, bus priority infrastructure from Clontarf to Amines Street. Works will also be carried out on 100-year-old water mains along the route as well as the construction of public plazas and the plantation of semi-mature trees.
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The plans have been met with a barrage of criticism from public representatives and businesses. Independent Cllr Christy Burke called on Minister Eamon Ryan and Dublin City Council to reverse the "chaotic" plans which have left residents "hopping" and leave businesses without a place for their customers to park.
However, Clontarf Cllr Donna Cooney said the critics were "jumping on the negativity bandwagon" and accused them of spreading "misinformation".
She said: "I think people are jumping on the negativity bandwagon. A lot of it is just misinformation in relation to it. They are saying it is a ban when it is basically a diversion one way and people can come back that way.
"I think that it is an inconvenience for people but people are not going to be trapped in their houses or any such thing. If people are coming from Clontarf, they can go over the Alfie Byrne Road that way into the city.
Cllr Cooney urged affected commuters to consider other modes of transport like the bus and added that most people using the route are not in private cars. She said: "Busses are not going to be impacted so people can get the bus. They are going to be quicker because they won't have people driving across the bus lanes. There is one very minute at the moment.
"From the last count, there is only about 22% of people using private cars to cross the North Strand Bridge anyway. Hopefully, people can make alternative travel plans."
The Clontarf Cllr added that it is much more than just a cycle way. She said: "Any other day, people would say it was great but because it has been marketed as just a cycle way. It isn't just a cycle way. It is the repair of a 100-year-old water mains which is actually causing most of the disruption.
"It is a huge greening of the north inner city with loads of semi mature trees being planted... It is going to be transformative in terms of eight public plazas for people sitting."
Independent Councillor Christy Burke said the implementation of the scheme will be a "climate nightmare" by increasing emissions in already congested areas the traffic will be diverted through.
He said: "It is a nightmare. To do this is going to be a climate nightmare. Here we have a Green Minister saying climate change is vital and we must cut back and we must all play our part.
"So you are going to send in a tsunami of emissions through Ballybough, Summerhill, Portland Row as a result of all this for the next 12 to 18 months."
He urged Transport Minister Eamon Ryan and DCC to reconsider the project that will leave many businesses without parking for their customers.
He said: "There are four car spaces for dropping kids off at the creche in the Larkin Centre on North Strand Road going. There is a funeral parlour next door to it, Stafford's, that has parking and a loading bay going.
"I am calling on Minister Ryan to review this because it is gone into a state of chaos and madness in the north inner city."
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