City council puts the squeeze on motorists

A SPOKESMAN for Dublin City Council recently said they had no plans to introduce a congestion charge for motorists.

If this is so, why are they making all city centre streets narrower by placing ‘islands’ on roads and bus lanes, leaving only one lane for motorists.

In O’Connell Street back in the 1950s, there were eight lanes and spaces for parking two rows of cars in the centre of the street. Today there are 13 times more cars on Irish roads than there were 50 years ago, yet we are turning streets into walkways and bus lanes.

If motorists withheld car tax from local authorities throughout the State, then I suggest this country would be on its knees in a matter of months.

It appears we have lots of cash for ramps and black pillars, which cannot be seen on a wet night, but no money to fill in potholes.

Operation Free Flow has gardaí making sure no one travels in the bus lanes, but they do nothing to alleviate frustrated motorists stuck in tailbacks all over Dublin every day.

Why can’t some garda inspectors instruct their personnel to encourage motorists into bus lanes (especially when there are no buses) and get us moving again?

William Malone

82 St Pappin Road

Glasnevin

Dublin 11