TWENTY FIVE years after an attempt to install Dublin's first ever bus lane in Fairview ended in disaster, the city council is expected to approve a much more extensive reservation for buses and cyclists in the same area.
The "quality bus corridor" (QBC) and cycle lane would extend from Coolock along Malahide Road, Fairview and North Strand as far as Connolly Station in Amiens Street, taking buses and cycles right into the city centre,
But the scheme is opposed by some city councillors, including Mr Tom Stafford (FF), who owns a petrol filling station in Amiens Street. He believes it would have a devastating effect on businesses along the route.
Mr John Gormley, the former Green Party lord mayor, strongly challenged this view and asked why opponents were emerging from the woodwork at the eleventh hour" to oppose the plan, as they had in the case of light rail.
"I would ask those councillors who have voiced opposition to the proposal to think again."
If Dublin was to solve its growing traffic problem, the city council would have to support proposals for bus corridors and cycle routes, "The Malahide Road route is a test case. If it goes through, others will follow," Mr Gormley said.
A document issued jointly by Dublin Corporation and Dublin Bus said the aim of the scheme was to provide a faster, more frequent bus service on the route and to create better conditions for cyclists and also for pedestrians.
"Nothing short of the conversion of the city centre from a car and heavy vehicle dominated area to a vibrant, pedestrian, cyclist and public transport friendly environment is needed," it said, citing the Dublin Transportation Initiative strategy.
Bus passengers already account for 45 per cent of commuters crossing Newcomen Bridge, near Fairview, in the morning peak period, compared to cars (39 per cent), pedestrians (9 per cent) and cyclists (5 per cent).
The document points out that there has been a "very high" pedestrian and cyclist accident rate on the Malahide Road Fairview route, and says the scheme would "improve road safety for all classes of road users".
It concedes that private cars would experience "some additional delay" at peak times, as traffic would be "generally confined to one lane in each direction over much of the route", as opposed to two lanes as at present.
