Doherty calls for pause of city transport plan

Fine Gael Senator Regina Doherty has called for the Dublin City Centre transport plan to be paused and called for residents to be able to voice their concerns over the scheme.

This is despite that over 3,000 submissions were made to Dublin City Council last year between August and December and the plan received the go-ahead after extensive public consultation.

Doherty herself did not make a submission during the consultation process, while Labour leader Ivana Bacik and Senator Michael McDowell did.

IBEC also expressed similar concerns over the plans, but did not make a submission when the process was open.

Doherty, who will be on the ballot for Fine Gael at the European elections, said the transport plan would cause a change in traffic flows and will increase restrictions on drivers in Dublin city centre.

“Dublin city centre should be open to all the people who live in Dublin. Instead, the details of Dublin City Council’s new transport management plan will make it harder to drive in town for those who live there, increase traffic congestion on our roads, and further increase commuting times for people who travel into Dublin on a daily basis.”

Doherty did acknowledge that a consultation process did take place, but she claimed “is is clear that many people have raised their concerns with me and they were unware of the chance to submit their views.”

She said is it was “concerning” that there are plans to limit traffic on the quays or on Pearse Street.

“Not enough allowances or additional supports are being put in place to support those who are vulnerable or unable to access public transport,” she said.

“At a time when footfall in Dublin City Centre is still lower than what it was pre-Covid, these measures will mean that people will think twice about spending an afternoon in town. This will have a negative impact on the already struggling Dublin retailer and hospitality sector.”

Doherty said that the absence of a directly-elected mayor was also hurting Dublin when it comes to cases like this.

Former Fine Gael minister Phil Hogan signed off on the Local Government Act of 2014 which drastically reduced the powers afforded to local governments in Ireland.

“Dublin is the economic heart of Ireland, with a thriving cultural scene. The city centre should be accessible for everyone in Dublin, not just the people who live centrally or those with easy access to public transport.”

She said that a transport plan was needed, one that “won’t damage the cultural or economic vibrancy of Dublin.”

“I feel the City Council needs to look again at this proposal, in the interest of all Dubliners,” Senator Doherty concluded.