Capital to get ‘enhanced traffic unit’

DUBLIN is to get an ‘enhanced’ traffic unit, but a national traffic corps — a key election promise — remains off the agenda.

Justice Minister Michael McDowell said he would announce the enhanced traffic unit for Dublin in the coming weeks, but due to limited garda resources, a separate traffic corps could only be set up at a later date.

This appeared to contradict comments from Transport Minister Seamus Brennan on RTÉ, when he said he remained committed to a traffic corps, but added that it would be garda-led and within the force, with some civilians involved.

Mr Brennan was speaking as the number of road deaths so far this year approaches 100 a 30% rise on this time last year.

Speaking at the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) conference in Cork, president Joe Dirwan told Mr McDowell an extra 2,000 gardaí also promised in the Programme for Government were required to ensure more members could be allocated to traffic duty and provide a high-visibility presence on the roads.

Eddie Shaw of the National Safety Council said the primary reason for the increase in road deaths was the lack of visible policing.

He said gardaí were stretched from their commitments in policing the EU presidency, combating public disorder and fighting terrorism.

He called on the Government to increase the level of overtime for gardaí. Meanwhile, a European road safety charter launched in Dublin yesterday is aiming to clamp down on road carnage and cut road deaths by 20,000 in just six years.

The charter was formally signed by all EU transport ministers and those from accession countries in Dublin Castle yesterday in the presence of the European Commissioner for transport, Loyola de Palacio and six-time Formula One champion Michael Schumacher.

A total of 39 EU organisations representing industry, road-user bodies and private firms also signed the charter.