New cycle lane on north quays will not be open before 2017

A scheme to reduce general traffic lanes along Dublin’s north quays, in favour of cycle lanes and public transport, will not be put in place at least until after the cross-city Luas opens in October 2017, according to the National Transport Agency.

Under plans aired by Dublin city chief executive Owen Keegan in The Irish Times last week the number of general vehicle lanes on the north quays would be reduced from two lanes to one.

In common with sustainable trends worldwide, road space would be reassigned to pedestrians, cyclists and public transport.

But this morning chief executive of the National Transport Authority Gerry Murphy played down fears the move could cause traffic chaos – particularly in the light of construction works for the new Luas cross-city line.

Mr Murphy told members of the Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications that while public consultation on the north quays traffic scheme would get underway later this year, nothing would be done until the cross city Luas line was in place. The line is due to open to the public in October of 2017, he said.

However he said “something has to be done” about the traffic congestion in the area. Mr Murphy said the “acid test” was whether the north quays bus lane was a safe place for a 12-year-old to cycle and he said clearly most parents would not be happy that it was.

Four schemes were being proposed with inputs from business groups, the gardai, bus operators and others, he said. These would go on display later this year, as the authority seeks the views of the public. “A balance has to be created, but we can’t do nothing”, he added.