Dublin ‘grinding to a halt’ as traffic up 5%

Dublin ‘grinding to a halt’ as traffic up 5%

Dublin’s transport network is “grinding to a halt”, according to the city’s business community, as figures show traffic levels rose 5% in the past year.

The city’s Chamber of Commerce said the Government must “think bigger and bolder” for transport in the capital if it is avoid “sleep-walking into a congestion crisis”.

The call came after Transport Infrastructure Ireland figures showed traffic levels in Dublin rose by 5% in the past year.

Dublin Chamber CEO Mary Rose Burke said: “Measures such as opening up the Phoenix Park tunnel provide a small quick win, but Dublin’s existing transport system is creaking at the seams and a significant increase in investment is now required before the city grinds to a halt.

“The number of people coming into Dublin is growing all the time. As the economy continues to grow, the pressure on our transport network is increasing. Going forward, while it’s important that existing infrastructure is sweated as much as possible, small tweaks alone won’t be enough.”

Dublin Chamber said an upcoming Mid-Term Review of the Government’s Capital Plan must reflect increased congestion.

Ms Burke added: “When it comes to transport, it is time that we started favouring more ambitious, integrated, long-term solutions. Dart Underground is a piece of infrastructure that will serve the needs of a growing population for the next 100-plus years.

“It is vital that Dart Underground is brought back on to the agenda. As a country we’re not spending near enough on new transport infrastructure. Currently we’re spending around €175m while competitor cities abroad like Manchester and London – cities we’re competing with on a daily basis for business and jobs – are spending two-to-three times as much.”