Some motorists were still defying the new traffic management regime in Dublin city centre yesterday - and there weren't always gardai on duty to stop them making banned turns.
At lunchtime, cars and commercial vans - including at least one with an Eircell logo - were blithly sailing down the new bus lane on South Great George's Street and turning right with impunity into Dame Street.
Asked why there were no gardai on duty at the time, the Garda Press Office said there was "supposed to be someone there". It would "take a while" before motorists got used to the idea that the only option they had was to turn left. Dublin Corporation's director of traffic, Mr Owen Keegan, whose office devised the new regime, said it was clear that there were "some opportunist motorists out there and if they see no guard on duty they'll take a chance on it".
He and his officials are to meet senior Garda officers today to review the overall impact of the new regime on traffic levels in the city centre and to discuss what additional measures might be needed to improve the situation.
The changes mean banning left turns from Dawson Street into Nassau Street and right turns from South Great George's Street into Dame Street. Only buses, taxis, bicycles and motorcycles are allowed to continue as before.
"We're very happy that the city didn't grind to a halt," Mr Keegan said, although he did concede that there had been "a few problems" in the evening peak period, particularly on Pearse Street, South King Street and Christ Church.
"It's at the teething stage at present," he said. "It's a matter of motorists getting used to it. The problem is that it's so attractive for people to break the law if they can just `slip around'. But I think their behaviour will improve over time."
Mr Keegan said a number of adjustments were being made on Pearse Street, the western end of Dame Street and other arteries to facilitate the movement of traffic diverted away from the city centre core. "By the end of this week, it will have settled down."
The director of traffic pointed out that there had been a noticeable reduction in traffic levels on O'Connell Street, which is one of the new regime's principal objectives, and more space had also been provided for the movement of buses, in particular.
As for the role of the Garda, he said they had been very active. "When they're there, they're very, very good." But ultimately the success of the regime might have to rely on physical dividers or, perhaps, automatic detection systems.
