Major Transport Changes Proposed For Dublin City
A Dublin City Centre Transport Study has proposed major changes for the city with a possible investment of €115 million forecasted. NTA might be ready to invest €150 million for public transport to help the city to continue to grow and function efficiently.
“Dublin City Council and the NTA are making these proposals because we cannot meet the expected growth in commuter traffic over the next decade through more car journeys. The city centre can only continue to function effectively if we offer those working and living in Dublin, as well as visitors, more choices in how they access and move around the capital. The proposals would also provide a better living and working environment for business, residents and visitors,” Owen Keegan, Dublin City Council Chief Executive said.
The proposed changes will involve public transport, cycling and pedestrian only links along the North Quays, South Quays and College Green. At Suffolk Street and St. Stephen’s Green North, it has been proposed that the area be pedestrianised. Other changes include: new interchange hubs, bridges, coach and taxi facilities to ease the city flow and an increase in public transport capacity. Added to this, an implementation of a city wide cycle network is predicted.
Michael Phillips, Dublin City Council’s Director of Traffic was saying: “The changes proposed in the Dublin City Centre Transport Study would affect everybody with an interest in Dublin. That’s why we want to hear people’s views and opinions. Our public consultation runs until 16th July, we will also be engaging with transport stakeholders on these proposals and look forward to hearing people’s opinions.”
The public is being invited to take part in the consultation before the final decisions are made and can take part in the decision making between the dates June, 11th and July, 16th. They (the public) can consult with Dublin City Council via their website, www.dublincity.ie/TransportStudy. The website has been made available for public opinion and they are also inviting public members to make submissions and consult the Study at Dublin City Council’s public libraries, Area office and Customer Services Centre in Wood Quay. These views and opinions will be included in the study to estimate where Dublin City Council can improve future Dublin and the existing proposal.
On June 10th, 2015, The National Transport Authority and Dublin City Council published their joint “Dublin City Centre Transport Study”. The study is a set of proposals that aims at improving the overall movement of pedestrians and traffic. The present Dublin City Development Plan set out objectives for this purpose and the study will be done to see how this can be achieved. The Study is proposing that 55% public transport, 15% cycling, 10% walking and 20% private car space and development will be added to the existing infrastructure by 2017.
“The National Transport Authority will be investing €150 million in these projects between now and 2023. Facing up to what’s needed, and taking some hard decisions now, will pay dividends for the city, and for the country as a whole, in the future. The plans set out in the Study will deliver a modern, functioning capital city, which addresses the requirements of its citizens, and of which we will all be very proud of,” the CEO of the National Transport Authority, Anne Graham said.
The Study also addresses the issues involving traffic congestion and the LUAS into the City Centre and according to the latest figures it has been estimated that an additional 42,000 morning-peak journeys is anticipated by 2023. It has been proposed that a high-capacity Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system will be introduced; new rail passenger services between Kildare and the Grand Canal Dock area through the Phoenix Park Tunnel be brought in; wider footpaths and crossings at junctions for pedestrians created; frequency and capacity of the DART increased, to be enhanced by additional services; a rebalancing of road space and junction capacity developed to enable increased public transport; and that room will be made across the whole city for taxi and coach-parking.
Changes for College Green
The current ‘bus gate’ at College Green will be extended to exclude cars, vans and taxis at all times, restricting the street to Luas, buses, cyclists and pedestrians. This will in return create more civic space in front of Trinity College. Once the traffic restrictions on College Green are put in place, Westmoreland Street will also be cut off car traffic, creating an environment for pedestrians that can leisurely stroll from O’Connell Street and Henry Street to the Grafton Street Quarter without the interference of traffic. To make crossing at O’Connell Bridge, the proposed BRT and the Luas easier, wider paths, priority pedestrian crossings and enhanced cycling facilities are to be implemented.
Changes for North and South Quays
On the North side Bachelor’s Walk will be changed into an area with a public transport, cycling and walking corridor between the junctions where Jervis Street and O’Connell Street meets. On the South side the same idea will be applied to either Aston Quay, Burgh Quay or George’s Quay. After the Study has been completed it will be decided which one of these Quay’s will be developed. The idea is to reroute general through-traffic in the city centre and lessen the traffic congestion that is presently accumulating in the city centre. Tara Street DART Station on the South side will be accommodated with extra bus stops and segregated cycle lanes to make access to the station easier and create less traffic for D’Olier Street.
Changes at Suffolk Street
Suffolk Street will be pedestrianised to make Grafton Street more accessible for shoppers and with the Luas Cross City this will be more achievable. At the St. Stephen’s Green North side more civic space is planned between the Dawson Street and Grafton Street junctions to extend southwards onto St. Stephen’s Green West.
Other changes in store for City Centre
Connolly Station, Busaras and Heuston Station will be improved as interchanges locations and three new Dockland Bridges have been proposed, with a road-bridge linking Thorncastle Road (Ringsend) to Sir John Rogerson’s Quay in the forecast. These areas will be adorned with coach-parking facilities and city centre taxi ranks.
The public are invited to give their views and opinions on these propositions within the next month and suggest any changes they might see fit. All of the submissions will be included in the Study for consideration.
