Radical plan proposes banning cars from some parts of Dublin city

A CGI of how Dublin's Gardiner Street might look following the implementation of the draft Dublin City Centre Transport Plan 2023, published Wednesday. Picture: Dublin City Council

Cars will no longer be permitted on some Dublin city streets, and a significant amount of road space will be reallocated for use by public transport, cyclists and pedestrians under a radical overhaul of the capital's transport strategy. 

The draft Dublin City Centre Transport Plan 2023, announced by Dublin City Council and the National Transport Authority (NTA) on Wednesday, aims to transform Dublin city centre into a "low traffic environment" by removing two out of every three cars in the city centre which do not have a destination there.

The draft plan would, from next year, see sections of the North and South Quays reallocated for public transport, walking and cycling only, and new traffic arrangements introduced along Westland Row, allowing for further space to be reallocated for walkers and cyclists on Pearse Street, Tara Street, Beresford Place and Gardiner Street.

Traffic would also be removed from Parliament Street entirely. 

These measures, Dublin City Council and the NTA say, would also facilitate the construction of a new plaza at Custom House Quay or at Beresford Place.

Additionally, a 30km/h speed limit would be introduced along all roads in the centre of the capital, and "alternative uses of road space at night time and weekends" would be explored.

A council spokesperson said the traffic management measures would "prioritise pedestrians, public transport users and cyclists throughout the city centre" and ensure "advantage is taken of the reduced traffic volumes to allocate more space to sustainable modes."

The draft Dublin City Centre Transport Plan 2023 forms part of the Dublin City Development Plan 2022 - 2028, which was signed off on last November and approved by Transport Minister Eamon Ryan in January.

The spokesperson also said the draft plan has undergone Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Appropriate Assessment (AA), as required by the relevant EU directives and transposing Irish legislation, and that "the Public Notice of the preparation of the SEA Environmental Report and AA Natural Impact Assessment will be published in due course."

The plans will be available for public consultation until 5pm on December 1.