Motorists to have say in freeing-up traffic snarls

CONGESTION charges are just one of a range of measures being considered in a bid to free up Dublin’s traffic clogged city centre.

In the first study of its kind, the Dublin Transportation Office (DTO) is to ask motorists for ideas on how to best to manage the growing problem in the city

Proposals are being sought from people living in the greater Dublin area and in Wicklow, Kildare and Meath. Suggestions are also being sought from those who visit Dublin regularly, for work or for other reasons.

The DTO has already produced a table of potential management traffic measures that include a range of congestion charging options.

Suggested is a once-off charge for motorists to enter the area with unlimited driving over a fixed period or a cordon charge, using GPS technology, so that motorists are charged every time they cross the cordon.

Other feasible proposals include making an employee parking subsidy liable for tax; charging or removing employee parking spaces in areas with high public transport accessibility and imposing a parking levy on workplace parking in similar areas. DTO chief executive, John Henry, warned that in the absence of effective travel demand management, road congestion would continue to escalate. The feedback will be considered as part of the detailed evaluation phase of the study, which is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

Written submissions should be sent to: Dublin Transportation Office, Ref: TDMS, Floor 3, Hainault House, 69-71 St Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2 by Friday May 30.