Dublin traffic congestion worsening, says official report

The number of cars travelling into Dublin city centre each morning has surged during the last three years, despite more buses on the roads, it has been revealed.

A Dublin City Council survey found around 3,000 more cars came into the capital last year than in 2005, yet there were approximately 200 extra buses.

However, despite the hike in traffic, the number of cyclists has jumped almost a third since 2003.

Fine Gael claimed the study showed Government attempts to get people out of cars and onto public transport were failing.

Paschal Donohoe, the party’s Seanad transport spokesman, said: “Traffic congestion is strangling the city’s commercial and social life.

“Congestion is costing Dublin’s businesses at least €650m a year.

“We need simple and effective steps to get the city moving again in the short term, especially if work on Metro North gets under way.”

Since 1980, every November the City Council conducts a survey of the number of vehicles crossing the cordon formed by the Royal and Grand canals during the morning rush hour.

The study is carried out over two days.

While car traffic has fallen by more than 10,000 since 1997, it has been steadily increasing since 2005, rising from 60,600 to 63,976.

The key findings of the study are:

Between 1998 and 2008 the number of vehicles crossing the canal fell 11%, but jumped 1% between 2003 and 2008 and 1% between 2007 and 2008.

The number of goods vehicles fell 60% between 1998 and 2008, with the Dublin Port Tunnel and the ban on five-axle HGVs credited with the sharp fall.

The number of cyclists jumped 34% during the 10 years, with a 30% jump between 2003 and 2008 from 4,711 to 6,143, and an 8% hike between 2007 and 2008.

Between 2003 and 2008, taxis accounted for 4.5% of all cars, rising to 8% last year, and

The number of buses crossing the canal on Quality Bus Corridors jumped more than 12%, while the number of cars increased by over 1.6%.

Senator Donohoe said the city could not afford to continue to see a rise in car use.

“The city is now grinding to a halt, with further chaos likely if the bus strike goes ahead,” he said.

Meanwhile, unions at Dublin Bus today said they would again ballot workers over the company’s controversial cost-cutting plan.

Siptu said it had reviewed a clarification from the Labour Court on its recommendations and would ballot members on Thursday.

Dublin Bus said last week it would defer planned cuts to services for a week from last Sunday following a request from the court.

Hundreds of thousands of commuters faced disruption from yesterday following a decision by drivers at the company to reject recommendations initially put forward by the Labour Court.

Willie Noone, SIPTU branch organiser, said: “We will be holding a series of information meetings at the garages and will then ballot our members on Thursday.”