college green/ o’connell street plaza and pedestrians

http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0206/transport.html

Dublin city centre businesses say plans to introduce a car ban at College Green in five months’ time will create unemployment in the retail sector.

The proposal is also being opposed by some councillors, with the leader of the Fine Gael group describing the plan as madness.

Council officials want to impose the so-called Bus Gate in College Green in July before enabling works begin for Metro North.
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The plan would involve a ban on general traffic going to or from Dame Street by the introduction of the public transport-only gate.

It would also involve enhanced pedestrian and cycling facilities.

Tom Coffey of the Dublin City Centre Business Association said 70% of retail business comes from car shoppers, who will now go elsewhere if they cannot travel around the city.

He said his members are not going to accept a situation where the city’s economy is being damaged by civil servants who do not know what they are doing.

He said car shoppers visit the city off-peak and do not contribute to congestion.

Fine Gael councillor Gerry Breen said the scheme is madness because there are doubts over the Metro North project.

He said the scheme is being pushed by Dublin Bus who has ‘failed to step up to the mark’ with the bus corridors they have already been given.

The proposal is due to be considered by the council’s Transport Committee next Thursday.

5 months sounds so near… but

i don’t drive can anyone tell me how pedestrianising college green will prevent people driving to shop in town

@notjim wrote:

I hope they show some steel with this and do it.

What is going to make this space work is only 1 lane eastward around 3.4 metres
and one lane west ward one lane north south. regardless of whether it is for single storey electric buses or some mini luas. Otherwise kick them out too… and consider the college green pyramid. The buses/ luas should loop/teminate close to this space

Cars should be able to use these single lanes after say 10 pm – 6 am and more on weekends for eyes and ears. Bus/Luas stops terminating will provide more security as well.

The space is already an above ground car park so just put it underground and we can add a couple of hundred car spaces and exits with free parking when capacity is below 20%. There has been no car tunnels from the NRA proposed… This will be offset by harmony… a few thousand bicycle spaces and new tourist attraction;)

@notjim wrote:

I hope they show some steel with this and do it.

At least one (FG) member of the Transport SPC has said he’ll vote against it.

They’re on Phase 2 now, I think. I posted a link to Phase 1 a few months ago. Maybe I should bump that post? Hang on…

Edit: Here we go! https://archiseek.com/content/showthread.php?p=91813#post91813

http://www.dublincity.ie/RoadsandTraffic/QBNProjectOffice/Documents/20090206T-QBN-127CollegeGreenTransGate-.pdf

http://www.dublincity.ie/RoadsandTraffic/QBNProjectOffice/QBN/Documents/T-QBN-127-DSL-001.pdf
http://www.dublincity.ie/RoadsandTraffic/QBNProjectOffice/Documents/T-QBN-127-DSL-002.pdf

Does anyone know the names of the Dublin City Councillors on the DCC Transport SPC? (Aside from Gerry Breen, obviously.)

Thanks in advance for any assistance- having trouble finding the info on the DCC website. (Now there’s a surprise!)

Whats the deal with the pedestrianisation, is there an official timescale for it?

@Morlan wrote:

There are no plans to pedestrianise College Green. :confused: Who told you that?

The main pedestrian crossings will be widened slightly. That’s about it.

http://www.dublincity.ie/RoadsandTraffic/QBNProjectOffice/QBN/Documents/T-QBN-127-DSL-001.pdf

There is a plan which has been submitted for the new development plan.
It just needs to be worked up for 2016.
I wonder if it will get a mention in December 2009?
Some one in cad is going to have to bat for this tooth and nail…
once the luas is in it is a nail in the coffin…

This committee prepares and debates policy alternatives for transport and traffic affairs for Dublin City Council.

Michael Philips, (Director of Traffic / City Engineer) has administrative responsibility for this committee.
Members

* Councillor Sean Kenny (Labour Party), Chairperson
* Councillor Brendan Carr (Labour Party)
* Councillor Larry O’Toole (Sinn Féin)
* Councillor Deirdre Heney (Fianna Fáil)
* Councillor Paddy McCartan (Fine Gael)
* Councillor Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fáil)
* Councillor Naoise O’Muiri (Fine Gael)
* Councillor Ray McHugh (Sinn Féin)
* Councillor Andrew Montague (Labour Party)
* Councillor Michael Conaghan (Labour Party)
* Mr. Derek Peppard, Dublin Cycling Campaign
* Mr Conor Faughnan, AA Ireland
* Mr. Liam Brewer, Irish Road Haulage Association
* Mr. Finbarr Cleary, Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in Ireland
* Mr. Johnny Murtagh, People with Disabilities in Ireland

RTE news – Monday, 30 March 2009 11:28

The Automobile Association has joined growing opposition to the introduction of a car ban on College Green in Dublin.

The restriction is being sought by city planners as a way of easing congestion and improving bus services.

Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey and Energy Minister Eamon Ryan have criticised those city councillors who oppose the bus gate at College Green scheduled to come into effect from July.

AdvertisementHowever, the leader of the Fine Gael group of councillors, Gerry Breen, has predicted it will be rejected, especially as the postponement of Metro North works mean it will not be strictly necessary.

City centre retailers say restrictions on private cars would damage business at a time of economic difficulty.

Now the AA has also come out against the plan.

Spokesman Conor Faughnan, who is a member of the council’s transport committee, said there would not be enough improvement in Dublin Bus services for it to be justified.

The transport committee is due to vote on the plan on 16 April

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/0330/breaking34.html

Dublin bus gate will not relieve congestion, AA warns

The plan to shut off part of Dublin’s city centre to cars will not lead to a “sufficient improvement” in public transport services and may disrupt the commercial life of the area, the Automobile Association has warned.

Dublin City Council’s bus gate plan would see a public-transport-only route from Dame Street across College Green to Westmoreland Street coming into force from July.

A similar restriction would be in place for private traffic coming in the opposite direction, from D’Olier Street around College Green and into Dame Street.

But AA’s director of policy Conor Faughnan said today the plan to ban general traffic around College Green will have a limited affect on motorists as few private cars still use the area because of existing restrictions on O’Connell Street and Georges Street.

Mr Faughnan said the congestion in the College Green area is primarily caused by buses as 60 per cent of Dublin Bus passengers commuting across the Greater Dublin Area travel through O’Connell Street to College Green.

“The congestion in the College Green area seems to be dominated by buses and I am not convinced that enough planning or work has been done to minimise it,” he said.

“There would be a significant effect on the numbers of shoppers using the car parks with a consequent cost to local traders who are very concerned about it. Clearly we do not wish to do economic damage to the city,” he said.

The plan will also be affected by the construction of both the Luas extension and the construction of Metro North, he added.

Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey and Minister for Energy Eamon Ryan are understood to strongly favour the plan and have expressed impatience with the city council on the progress of the restrictions.

But business groups such as the Dublin Chamber of Commerce and Dublin City Business Association claim the plan will be detrimental to the Dublin economy.

and a new bridge not that its needed…

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/images/2009/0331/1224243732672_1.html