Editorials

The Irish Times view on managing city streets: bus corridors must have priority

Lengthy delays in transport approvals are common, though the BusConnects project is starting to take shape

BusConnects aims to overhaul Dublin bus system by creating 230km of dedicated bus lanes. Photograph: Alan Betson
BusConnects aims to overhaul Dublin bus system by creating 230km of dedicated bus lanes. Photograph: Alan Betson
Sun Nov 03 2024 - 20:14

The Tallaght/Clondalkin to Dublin city BusConnects core bus corridor has been approved by An Bord Pleanála, almost a year after the original decision date. Lengthy delays in transport approvals are unfortunately typical, but this decision at least marks the three-quarter way point through the process of approving these 12 essential public transport schemes.

The core bus corridors have attracted far less fanfare than metro or Luas projects, but have the potential to be effective in moving people, sharing as they do some characteristics of rail infrastructure in being for the most part segregated from other traffic. The Clondalkin/Tallaght scheme is designed to be 94 per car free, as well as providing segregated cycle facilities along 74 per cent of the route.

The application drew typical objections relating to loss of parking, green space, privacy, safety and the requirement for private motorists to take more circuitous routes. One homeowner said the reduction of his front driveway would not give sufficient turning room for six cars.

The board’s inspector also raised concerns about the project. However, his disquiet was that too much priority had been given to the private motorist rather than too little. Car parking he said “should be placed at the bottom of the hierarchy as far as street space allocation is concerned” and the reallocation of road space from cars in general could have been increased..

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“Had the proposed scheme been designed at the present time, when climate change is becoming increasingly apparent, rather than a number of years ago, it may have been more radical in tackling car dominance,” he said.

That was not sufficient reason to refuse permission, he said, concluding that given the urgency of climate change, the proposed scheme would go a long way towards the promotion of compact growth and sustainable movement.

It is undoubtedly better to get these facilities built, but in future they may require modifications to better curb the dominance of the car.