Private cars will be permanently banned from College Green at the end of the month as part of plans to alleviate city centre congestion and improve public transport punctuality.
Private cars will be banned on a 24/7 basis from May 29 as part of the College Green Pathfinder Project. They are currently permitted outside the hours of 7am and 7pm during weekdays.
It was hoped that buses would also be banned from College Green and Dame Street as part of the plans for a "traffic-free" plaza. Delays in the rollout of the BusConnects plan due to driver shortages mean buses have to continue to pass through the area.
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The National Transport Authority Chief Executive Anne Graham told councillors last night: "Our main constraint is driver shortages. All our operators are finding it difficult to recruit and retain drivers and this has impacted on our BusConnects delivery. It has delayed it by a number of months."
Four of the 11 phases of BusConnects have been rolled out and the NTA is hopeful another three phases will be rolled out this year despite the driver shortages.
Each week over half a million pedestrians and 2 million passengers on public transport go through the College Green bus gate. This compares with just 27,000 private vehicles.
However, Dublin City Council argues this small number of private vehicles causes significant delays to public transport journey times in the area, particularly in the evenings and at weekends when there are no restrictions.
The College Green Pathfinder Project will also facilitate the interim enhancement of Foster Place. Taxis spaces will be reduced in Foster Place and increased instead at the main College Green taxi rank.
Temporary build outs on pavements will increase footpath space on Dame Street. The median opposite Church Lane will also be increased, removing the right turn from Church Lane to College Green. This median area will also be provided with temporary public seating and planters.
Transport Minister Eamon Ryan was "delighted" to launch the project which he said marks the "first steps in delivering a long-awaited and innovative reimagining of the city core".
"This is the way all of the best cities in the world are moving – making more space for people, for active travel and for public transport and relieving our city centres of choking traffic," he said.
"The Pathfinder Programme is all about accelerating transport projects that can deliver tangible and sustainable changes for communities and these interventions will do just that; contributing towards a more liveable and enjoyable city.”
Lord Mayor Caroline Conroy said: “This Pathfinder project will enhance the often overlooked area of Foster Place. The traffic management measures will improve public transport times, as well as creating a more relaxing and inviting environment to enjoy our historic city centre.
"This is in accordance with the objective for College Green in the development plan 2022 – 2028.”
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