MOTORISTS will be even more tightly squeezed on Dublin's congested quays from next week.
Traffic for cars and vans on the north quays will be reduced to one lane at key pinchpoints when a full new permanent bus lane is opened.
The existing bus lane operates in a 'stop-start' fashion, running from John's Road, past the Croppy Acre at Collins Barracks' National Museum.
Further along the quays, just before Blackhall Place, there is no bus lane and there are two normal lanes for traffic.
From next Monday, one of these two lanes will be taken away from cars and vans and turned into a bus lane.
This will result in a bus lane running the entire length of the north quays from Heuston Station to O'Connell Bridge. But cars will have to make do with one lane for much of the journey.
Tim O'Sullivan, Dublin City Council executive director, said yesterday that the new arrangement would be a more efficient use of road space.
Priority
"It will reduce the capacity for general traffic. The priority will be for public transport.
"We will get more carrying capacity. We are trying to move more people in less vehicles," said Mr O'Sullivan.
"It will impact on general traffic. But Dublin Bus are laying on more buses," he added.
The move was only possible because of the success of the Dublin Port Tunnel in removing 90pc of heavy articulated trucks from the quays and freeing up extra road space.
Dublin Bus puts the cost of gridlock to their services at around €60m a year, with buses seriously slowed down by the worsening congestion.
Bus travel speeds in Dublin city are now running 13pc slower than in 2001 and as much as 36pc slower than the international average.
Apart from the quays other blackspots for buses include journeys from west Blanchardstown and Clondalkin to the city.
Treacy Hogan
Irish Independent
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