‘Big dig’ to result in ban on traffic

SIGNIFICANT initiatives including the banning of traffic on central routes in Dublin will be needed before the “big dig” for the metro can begin in the capital in 2010, transport planners revealed yesterday.

The Dublin Transportation Office (DTO) told TDs a range of construction jobs, public transport changes and the re-routing of traffic would be in place prior to the commencement of the metro works.

Senior DTO planner Michael Aherne said plans were in place to ban cars on roads between Trinity College and the old parliament, now the Bank of Ireland, at the bottom of Grafton Street and on O’Connell Street. Only public transport would be allowed on the routes, the Oireachtas committee on transport heard.

Evening peak traffic in Dublin was now on a “knife edge”, said Mr Aherne.

Up to 8,000 people daily drive trips of less than 5km into the city. Despite this number being 4,000 less than in 2002, motorists are still clogging up routes.

Committee chairman Frank Fahy said the planned ban on vehicles was one of the best he had heard. But Mr Fahy also said more bus corridors were needed.

The DTO said the bans would be in place once the planned Macken and Marlborough/Hawkins Street bridges over the River Liffey were built. “They’ve to be in place for the big dig,” said Mr Aherne.

Traffic plans must be agreed by the DTO by this May.

Other initiatives being co-ordinated with transport groups include real time information for bus users, smart bus tickets, banned turns onto streets, moving buses away from kerb stops and out of the city.

By 2010, when work on the city’s metro is expected to begin, a number of Luas lines will also be in place before digging starts.

Meanwhile, the DTO yesterday agreed to consult with the Minister for Transport’s offices over taxis getting waivers for fees for the port tunnel. The charge is currently passed to passengers.

DTO chief executive John Henry agreed there was an argument to be made as taxis were public transport vehicles.