'Bus lanes for cars' scheme delayed

Delegates at last week's summit on Dublin traffic congestion voted against the immediate introduction of a scheme allowing cars to use certain bus lanes.

During a private meeting of the Clare Street Initiative (CSI), chaired by Minister of State at the Department of Transport Ivor Callely, a majority of 11 to 7 voted against the immediate introduction of the scheme on a pilot basis. Instead they voted that the project be given "further evaluation" before being considered for a pilot scheme.

The plan, put forward by AA Ireland, has the backing of Mr Callely and of the Dublin Transportation Office (DTO). It is proposed to allow a strictly controlled permit-based scheme where cars carrying three or more passengers could use certain sections of buslanes.

The AA plan is to pilot the scheme on the Stillorgan quality bus corridor, limiting it to 50 cars initially.

Dublin City Council and Dublin Bus expressed concerns about the plan during last Wednesday's meeting. However, Conor Faughnan of the AA remained positive that the plan will be tried on a pilot basis before the CSI meets again in six months time.

"I hope that it will wind up being tried, but it is not one of the proposals that is being immediately green-lighted, it is one on which more work is needed," Faughnan said yesterday.

"I have to return to the Clare Street Initiative and flesh out the proposal and give some more detail on it, and give some reassurance on some of the reservations that have been expressed. I am happy with that and I have to set to that job."

Dublin Bus spokeswoman Gráinne Macken said they felt "very strongly" that bus lanes "should be left as bus lanes" but said they would consider any positive ideas.

She pointed out that bus lanes were already open to thousands of taxi drivers, private coaches and the emergency services. "We can't see how this would work. We don't see how you would manage to police it."

Green Party transport spokesman Eamon Ryan said the proposal was "daft". "Allowing private cars access to bus lanes threatens to create administrative and transport mayhem across the city.

"If the Minister and the AA think this proposal is such a good idea, then perhaps they should take one of the car lanes on roads such as the N11 and use that for cars carrying more than three people," said Ryan.

Faughnan said he appreciated "the concerns of Dublin Bus, and I don't think they are being needlessly negative. People had genuine concerns and they merit genuine responses." But he added: "I think there is general acceptance that conducting a pilot can do no harm and we may at least find out if it works or not."

He admitted that there was a reluctance to offer unfettered access to bus lanes, but said a tightly controlled permit system will guard against any such possibility.

"If you're only a couple of minutes' walk from the QBC you're not going to get one of these permits."

Last Wednesday's meeting was attended by representatives from the range of bodies responsible for and with an interest in traffic in Dublin. It considered a total of 37 proposals. One initiative will see An Taisce examine how children travel to and from school in an effort to change habits away from the use of the car and possibly staggering school opening hours.

The group also considered plans to have an amber start on traffic lights and red lights changing to green at night triggered by approaching traffic where the junction is otherwise empty.

Speaking after last week's meeting, Mr Callely said: "This is bringing everyone together to see what we can do to improve the services, and most importantly to reduce the commuting times for the citizens of Dublin."