The end of free parking and a range of public transport-friendly initiatives are Dublin Corporation's priorities for traffic management over the next five years, according to the draft city plan.
The document states the corporation's policy is to encourage "modal change from private car use towards increased use of public transport, cycling and walking". It endorses the objectives of the Dublin Transportation Initiative and says it is "impractical and undesirable to attempt to accommodate the ever-increasing demand for private car usage".
The plan identifies the development of Quality Bus Corridors and other bus priority measures as crucial to the overall approach to traffic management. It also pledges support for the Luas system and for any attempts to upgrade existing infrastructure like the DART and Arrow lines.
The document promises increased use of traffic calming measures in residential areas of the outer city, discouraging through traffic by means of speed bumps, chicanes and roundabouts. It also commits the authority to the development of "Environmental Traffic Cells" within the city canals: these will allow traffic to circulate within the "cells", while denying access from cell to cell except to public transport, emergency vehicles and cyclists.
The plan restates the corporation's intention to phase out surface car parks by planning enforcement, and to eliminate all free on-street commuter parking. Restrictions on the use and cost of on-street parking will be changed as necessary to discourage commuter use and encourage use for shopping, business and leisure.
On the question of taxis, the document accepts that the current approach to regulation is unacceptable, but makes no specific proposals. The corporation "is determined to address the complex problems that have traditionally afflicted this sector," it says.
The "Category One" road improvement schemes prioritised by the plan include: Blackhorse Avenue; Cork Street/the Coombe; Dublin Port Tunnel; Grange Road, Baldoyle; the Mercer Street/ Aungier Street link; Milltown Road; North King Street (including Blackhall Place); Bridgefoot Street; and Ratoath Road.
