Lobby groups and a junior Fine Gael minister have warned that plans to reduce congestion in Dublin city centre are a threat to trade, but what does the evidence say?
Dublin was ranked as the world’s second slowest city for drivers. Photo: Steve Humphreys
It is, depending on who you listen to, either a transformative initiative to make Dublin a more liveable city, or a rushed-through scheme that will hollow out its retail heart.
Announced on September 13 last year and set to take effect from next month, the Dublin City Centre Transport plan is one of the most ambitious proposed in the capital for years. Its aim is to divert 60pc of traffic from the core between the two canals — to stop the city centre from being used as a ‘rat run’ for motorists not stopping there — and to prioritise public transport, cyclists and pedestrians.
