DUBLIN CITY councillors have agreed to temporarily scale back the College Green “bus gate” to appease city business interests in the run up to Christmas.
The councillors last night voted to accept a proposal by city manager John Tierney to lift the ban on private cars passing through College Green during the evening peak hours. The suspension would run from November 18th to January 15th, to cover the Christmas shopping period and January sales. The council will also make available free of charge 1,380 on-street parking spaces on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday after 2pm from November 18th to December 27th as a “special incentive” for Christmas.
Since last July the bus gate had restricted traffic on College Green to public transport vehicles and cyclists from 7am to 10am and 4pm to 7pm, Monday to Friday.
City traders led by the Dublin City Business Association said the move had resulted in a 30 per cent drop in business since it was introduced in July, and have lobbied councillors to scrap the measure.
Councillors approved its suspension by 35 votes to 11, with most of those voting against saying the council was being held to ransom by business interests.
Fianna Fáil councillor Deirdre Heney said she was disappointed with the report and with Mr Tierney. She said she would not support the bus gate if there was any evidence that it was resulting in job losses, but there was none.
Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey last week said he did not want the council to curtail the bus gate in any way. Similar comments were made by Minster for the Environment John Gormley.
“The sheer brass hypocrisy of them . . . My message to Mr Dempsey and Mr Gormley is to mind their own business and let us do our job,” Labour councillor Dermot Lacey said.
