PLANS TO ban private cars from parts of Dublin City centre, including O'Connell Street, Westmoreland Street and College Green, should go ahead by next April, a key Oireachtas Transport Committee report will recommend today.
The proposals to allow only public transport into the central area by next year, as outlined by Transport Committee chairman Frank Fahey last May, had been expected to be postponed after strong opposition from city traders and members of Mr Fahey's own Oireachtas Committee.
Objections centred on claims that there are insufficient buses or other public transport in the area to support the ban. Objections also cited insufficient time to steer a proposed new bridge across the Liffey through the planning process, and that the proposed Samuel Beckett bridge at Macken Street will not be open before 2010.
The car ban was planned by the Dublin Transportation Office to coincide with the start of work on Metro North and the building of the city centre Luas link. While Metro North is not now expected to start until 2011, and the Luas works will not happen before that, it has been decided to recommend early 2009 as the start of the car ban.
The Irish Times understands the report will recommend a "bus gate" be established at College Green by next April, and that only buses, bicycles, taxis and other public service vehicles be allowed to access the central core area.
Efforts to contact Mr Fahey yesterday were unsuccessful, but he has previously insisted: "We are quite satisfied that the proposals within this report are possible and can be implemented."
The report recommends the acquisition by Dublin Bus of 350 new buses - to be leased from the private sector if not immediately available to buy.
The proposed Bailey bridge between Marlborough Street and Hawkins Street is to be reserved for public transport and will be replaced by a Luas bridge.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Showing posts with label dto. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dto. Show all posts
Wednesday, 23 July 2008
Wednesday, 26 March 2008
City centre areas to be no-go zones for private cars
PLANS TO to limit the use of private cars in Dublin city centre are being finalised for presentation to a special Dublin Transportation Office (DTO) steering group, next May.
The proposals, which were initially intended to be for the duration of construction works for the Metro, were outlined to members of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport recently. They include a ban on private cars in the central city areas of O'Connell Street, College Green and lower Grafton Street/Nassau Street.
The duration of the construction works on Metro North is expected to be at least three years.
Access is to be maintained to O'Connell Street via alternative routes, but cars entering the northbound section will be unable to exit through the top of O'Connell Street, while a similar arrangement will be put in place for cars entering southbound lanes.
Four lanes of traffic from Dame Street into Westmoreland Street are to be declared public transport only, as are the reverse lanes coming around from D'Olier Street. Lower Grafton Street to the Dawson Street/Nassau Street corner is also to be made a no-go zone for private cars. The work will also see a reorganisation of the inner and outer orbital routes.
The opening of the Macken Street Bridge is crucial for the plan, the start-up of which is to be in place for the start of the Transport 21 works in 2010. The installation of a temporary bridge between Hawkins Street and Marlborough Street is also being considered.
Ownership of the plan is set to move from the DTO steering group to Dublin City Council after a steering committee meeting and city council sources indicated the intention is to make the changes permanent.
The steering committee accepts that there is a deficit in public transport but points out that additional buses are planned, as well as new measures to give priority to all buses.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
The proposals, which were initially intended to be for the duration of construction works for the Metro, were outlined to members of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport recently. They include a ban on private cars in the central city areas of O'Connell Street, College Green and lower Grafton Street/Nassau Street.
The duration of the construction works on Metro North is expected to be at least three years.
Access is to be maintained to O'Connell Street via alternative routes, but cars entering the northbound section will be unable to exit through the top of O'Connell Street, while a similar arrangement will be put in place for cars entering southbound lanes.
Four lanes of traffic from Dame Street into Westmoreland Street are to be declared public transport only, as are the reverse lanes coming around from D'Olier Street. Lower Grafton Street to the Dawson Street/Nassau Street corner is also to be made a no-go zone for private cars. The work will also see a reorganisation of the inner and outer orbital routes.
The opening of the Macken Street Bridge is crucial for the plan, the start-up of which is to be in place for the start of the Transport 21 works in 2010. The installation of a temporary bridge between Hawkins Street and Marlborough Street is also being considered.
Ownership of the plan is set to move from the DTO steering group to Dublin City Council after a steering committee meeting and city council sources indicated the intention is to make the changes permanent.
The steering committee accepts that there is a deficit in public transport but points out that additional buses are planned, as well as new measures to give priority to all buses.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Monday, 29 October 2007
DTO to prepare Transport Strategy to 2030
The Dublin Transportation Office is to develop a new Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area (GDA), which will set out the infrastructure and other requirements for the region for the period 2010-2030.
The new Strategy will be published in two years' time and will be the successor to the DTO's previous strategy proposal - A Platform for Change: Strategy 2000-2016 - published in 2000, which was the first plan to propose Luas, Metro and a Quality Bus Network for the GDA (Dublin, Kildare, Meath and Wicklow).
The DTO Strategy Team's plans include major consultation - to involve all companies, agencies and representative groups involved in providing and using transportation in the region - as well as an inclusive public consultation programme, which will invite views, suggestions and feedback from everyone in Ireland.
Extensive use of the DTO's state-of-the-art Transportation Modelling software will be used to determine the ideal transport network, modes, capacities and frequencies to cater for the levels of demand forecast for the region in 20 years' time.
To prepare the Strategy, the DTO has issued a comprehensive Tender Notice, which includes -
* Transport and land use planning advice (transport infrastructure and services, demand-side measures)
* transport/land use studies;
* data collection (transport, land use and environmental);
* data analysis;
* transport and land use modelling work (including enhancement of DTO model and model calibration);
* data analysis;
* Strategic Environmental Assessment - and
* related technical and administrative advice.
Announcing the move, DTO Director/CEO John Henry said - "Transport impacts on everyone and has a direct impact on people's quality of life. It is timely that we are now starting to visualise the type of City and Region we want for the year 2030 and putting the plans in place that will meet those objectives and take us there.
"We will be involving all the agencies involved in providing transport in the GDA and we will be seeking the involvement of people living and working in the region - as well as people living throughout the rest of Ireland, who visit their Capital region for leisure or other reasons."
Mr Henry added - "We will also be involving policy-makers from other relevant sectors - including Environment, Land Use, Health, Education and Energy - in our planning. Real improvements in quality of life for all Dubliners will come from coordinating all our long-term planning in this way."
The new Strategy will be published in two years' time and will be the successor to the DTO's previous strategy proposal - A Platform for Change: Strategy 2000-2016 - published in 2000, which was the first plan to propose Luas, Metro and a Quality Bus Network for the GDA (Dublin, Kildare, Meath and Wicklow).
The DTO Strategy Team's plans include major consultation - to involve all companies, agencies and representative groups involved in providing and using transportation in the region - as well as an inclusive public consultation programme, which will invite views, suggestions and feedback from everyone in Ireland.
Extensive use of the DTO's state-of-the-art Transportation Modelling software will be used to determine the ideal transport network, modes, capacities and frequencies to cater for the levels of demand forecast for the region in 20 years' time.
To prepare the Strategy, the DTO has issued a comprehensive Tender Notice, which includes -
* Transport and land use planning advice (transport infrastructure and services, demand-side measures)
* transport/land use studies;
* data collection (transport, land use and environmental);
* data analysis;
* transport and land use modelling work (including enhancement of DTO model and model calibration);
* data analysis;
* Strategic Environmental Assessment - and
* related technical and administrative advice.
Announcing the move, DTO Director/CEO John Henry said - "Transport impacts on everyone and has a direct impact on people's quality of life. It is timely that we are now starting to visualise the type of City and Region we want for the year 2030 and putting the plans in place that will meet those objectives and take us there.
"We will be involving all the agencies involved in providing transport in the GDA and we will be seeking the involvement of people living and working in the region - as well as people living throughout the rest of Ireland, who visit their Capital region for leisure or other reasons."
Mr Henry added - "We will also be involving policy-makers from other relevant sectors - including Environment, Land Use, Health, Education and Energy - in our planning. Real improvements in quality of life for all Dubliners will come from coordinating all our long-term planning in this way."
Wednesday, 12 September 2007
Car users challenged to take One Small Step
Car users in Dublin and surrounding counties have been challenged not to use their cars for at least some journeys every week - including local trips, school runs, convenience shopping and driving to work.
Congestion will continue to increase unless Dubliners start using public transport and walking or cycling more, according to the Dublin Transportation Office (DTO).
The DTO has launched the One Small Step initiative, which asks everyone to consider walking, cycling or using public transport where possible, for at least some trips each week.
New DTO research in Dublin and the Leinster counties shows -
* 52% of people said the car was their most often used way of getting around.
* 26% - or 1 in-4-people - think only of their car for all trips.
* 40% of car owners don't consider any travel options other than the car.
* 27% of all respondents said the car is preferable for short journeys of a mile or less.
* Half of all car owners (47%) take their car on these short journeys.
* 55% of short journey car-users said they were unlikely to consider walking instead.
* Only 3% of these short journey car-users said they were very likely to consider walking for short journeys of a mile or less, instead of using the car.
One Small Step
One Small Step is a significant public information campaign. It asks car drivers in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) the question - 'Did you need your car today?' - to encourage them to examine their car usage patterns and think about using other ways of getting around - such as walking, cycling or public transport - whenever they can. The campaign targets car drivers specifically through radio, billboard and bus advertising, media relations, an information website (www.onesmallstep.ie) and a schools programme.
A number of large public and private sector organisations are supporting the aims of this initiative. They include -
* Irish Life & Permanent plc
* AIB
* Vodafone
* the Dublin Airport Authority
* UCD
* RTE
* Department of Transport and Maritime Affairs
* Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government - and
* Department of Health and Children.
These organisations are introducing workplace travel planning as part of their ongoing corporate sustainability initiatives. Several of these will also pilot a specially developed online lift sharing system with the DTO.
DTO Director/Chief Executive, John Henry commented - "We're asking drivers to reduce car usage where and whenever possible and to use alternative transport, as appropriate. Where there are alternatives available - whether that's public transport or taking a fifteen or twenty-minute walk or cycle - then people should consider these options for at least some trips every week.
"As well as the health benefits - and the reduction in their carbon footprint - car users who make this small change, will, ultimately, make a big difference.
"If everyone left their car behind for just one trip each week, there would be 200,000 fewer car trips every day in the Greater Dublin Area - less traffic and less pollution. We are urging all car users to give this their serious consideration, in their own and everyone else's interests.
"People should reconsider their car usage in terms of their personal health, environmental sustainability, tackling traffic congestion and enhancing the overall quality of life that they expect to have in the future. This is not just about commuting, it applies to every aspect of car usage, including local trips.
"Nobody is telling motorists to stop using their cars altogether - but, what we have to realise is that it is not sustainable for us, as individuals, to continually increase car usage year after year. Changing driving habits can be hard - but, ultimately, people and the region will suffer unless we start to incorporate walking, cycling and public transport into at least some of our trips.
"The Government's Transport 21 investment plan delivers much-needed infrastructure to the Greater Dublin Area, but no amount of new roads or infrastructure is going to cope with that increasing travel demand, unless we see some change in travel habits.
"While car habits are notoriously difficult to change, the DTO's survey showed some room for optimism. Forty per cent of people stated that there is some opportunity for them to reduce car usage in the future and we now want that converted into action" - Mr. Henry concluded.
The Dublin Transportation Office was established in 1995 to co-ordinate the implementation by the relevant agencies of an agreed integrated transport strategy for the Greater Dublin Area, namely - The Dublin Transportation Initiative - which was adopted as Government policy in 1994.
Millward Brown IMS carried out a quantitative survey for the DTO on its end-May/early-June Omnibus Survey. The achieved sample size was 542 adults aged 15+ and was representative of the Dublin and rest of Leinster population.
Congestion will continue to increase unless Dubliners start using public transport and walking or cycling more, according to the Dublin Transportation Office (DTO).
The DTO has launched the One Small Step initiative, which asks everyone to consider walking, cycling or using public transport where possible, for at least some trips each week.
New DTO research in Dublin and the Leinster counties shows -
* 52% of people said the car was their most often used way of getting around.
* 26% - or 1 in-4-people - think only of their car for all trips.
* 40% of car owners don't consider any travel options other than the car.
* 27% of all respondents said the car is preferable for short journeys of a mile or less.
* Half of all car owners (47%) take their car on these short journeys.
* 55% of short journey car-users said they were unlikely to consider walking instead.
* Only 3% of these short journey car-users said they were very likely to consider walking for short journeys of a mile or less, instead of using the car.
One Small Step
One Small Step is a significant public information campaign. It asks car drivers in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) the question - 'Did you need your car today?' - to encourage them to examine their car usage patterns and think about using other ways of getting around - such as walking, cycling or public transport - whenever they can. The campaign targets car drivers specifically through radio, billboard and bus advertising, media relations, an information website (www.onesmallstep.ie) and a schools programme.
A number of large public and private sector organisations are supporting the aims of this initiative. They include -
* Irish Life & Permanent plc
* AIB
* Vodafone
* the Dublin Airport Authority
* UCD
* RTE
* Department of Transport and Maritime Affairs
* Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government - and
* Department of Health and Children.
These organisations are introducing workplace travel planning as part of their ongoing corporate sustainability initiatives. Several of these will also pilot a specially developed online lift sharing system with the DTO.
DTO Director/Chief Executive, John Henry commented - "We're asking drivers to reduce car usage where and whenever possible and to use alternative transport, as appropriate. Where there are alternatives available - whether that's public transport or taking a fifteen or twenty-minute walk or cycle - then people should consider these options for at least some trips every week.
"As well as the health benefits - and the reduction in their carbon footprint - car users who make this small change, will, ultimately, make a big difference.
"If everyone left their car behind for just one trip each week, there would be 200,000 fewer car trips every day in the Greater Dublin Area - less traffic and less pollution. We are urging all car users to give this their serious consideration, in their own and everyone else's interests.
"People should reconsider their car usage in terms of their personal health, environmental sustainability, tackling traffic congestion and enhancing the overall quality of life that they expect to have in the future. This is not just about commuting, it applies to every aspect of car usage, including local trips.
"Nobody is telling motorists to stop using their cars altogether - but, what we have to realise is that it is not sustainable for us, as individuals, to continually increase car usage year after year. Changing driving habits can be hard - but, ultimately, people and the region will suffer unless we start to incorporate walking, cycling and public transport into at least some of our trips.
"The Government's Transport 21 investment plan delivers much-needed infrastructure to the Greater Dublin Area, but no amount of new roads or infrastructure is going to cope with that increasing travel demand, unless we see some change in travel habits.
"While car habits are notoriously difficult to change, the DTO's survey showed some room for optimism. Forty per cent of people stated that there is some opportunity for them to reduce car usage in the future and we now want that converted into action" - Mr. Henry concluded.
The Dublin Transportation Office was established in 1995 to co-ordinate the implementation by the relevant agencies of an agreed integrated transport strategy for the Greater Dublin Area, namely - The Dublin Transportation Initiative - which was adopted as Government policy in 1994.
Millward Brown IMS carried out a quantitative survey for the DTO on its end-May/early-June Omnibus Survey. The achieved sample size was 542 adults aged 15+ and was representative of the Dublin and rest of Leinster population.
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