Free Flow in place to alleviate Dublin traffic

Gardaí have announced details of this year’s operation free flow, an annual operation to improve the free flow of traffic in and out of Dublin city centre in the run up to Christmas, which started at 6am this morning.

More than 150 gardaí have been drafted in for exclusive deployment on free flow duties. All have been briefed for this year’s operation and are acting under direct supervision of traffic sergeants in their stations.

Forty-eight motorcycle gardaí from the traffic corps will also man the key arteries in and out of the city centre along with mountain bike patrols, the mounted unit and the Garda air support unit at peak times morning and evening.

This year’s operation will be actively managed from the Garda Traffic Control Centre, Harcourt Square, which has live video conferencing facility with Dublin City Council Traffic Centre.

People coming into the city centre are being encouraged to use public transport whenever possible.

Dublin Bus, one of the Freeflow partners, carried an additional 10,000 passengers per day during Freeflow 2006.

Luas, Nite-link, Bus Éireann and Nite-Ryder services also recorded increases of approximately 10%. All of these services will be enhanced and available throughout the Freeflow period.

Motorists are being asked to do their part in the operation by avoiding illegal parking and to keep yellow junctions clear.

In addition, Operation Lifesaver will operate within operation freeflow and will focus on drink driving, excessive speed, inappropriate driving and the non wearing of seat belts.

As part of the Garda commitment to improving personal safety for those using public transport, particularly late at night, a dedicated unit will be maintained who will patrol city centre transport centers and routes for all forms of transport.

The Gardaí are also asking members of the public to be particularly careful when withdrawing money from cash machines, to mind their bags when in crowded areas, to not leave valueables exposed inside a parked car, not to leave luggage attached to a roof rack, to park in a patrolled car park, and to lock their cars when unattended, even for a brief time.

Operation Freeflow is an initiative between the Dublin Transportation Office, Dublin City Council, An Garda Síochána, the Department of Transport, Dublin City Business Association, Bus Éireann, Dublin Bus, Iarnród Éireann and LUAS.

Further information can be found at www.freeflow.ie