The Automobile Association has called on the Government to spend an extra £8 million to run Operation Freeflow at its maximum strength all year round. It has blamed Dublin's traffic problems on a lack of organisation, leadership and political will. Welcoming Dublin Corporation's announcement of an extension to the traffic management operation, the AA was sharply critical of what it called the "start-stop" nature of the scheme.
Mr Conor Faughnan, of the AA, said Operation Freeflow "just didn't happen since January" despite promises that it would be continued all year following its introduction last December.
He said since January, delivery vans were allowed to double park outside shops, skips were parked in bus lanes and motorists encountered infuriating and unnecessary delays on their way to and from work.
Mr John Henry, chief executive of the Dublin Transportation Operation, replying to the AA's criticism, said resources were concentrated on the September to December period, when traffic was worst.
He said, from this week, there would be 100 gardai monitoring the morning rush. However, this level of policing could not be justified all year around, especially in the summer. He called on the AA to encourage its members to obey the traffic laws.
He said that Operation Freeflow had continued all year, albeit with fewer gardai on the streets, making it less visible. Over the summer, there had been improvements to the computerised traffic-control system and roadworks restrictions. The control of skips and refuse collection had continued.
The AA said £8 million represents just a half-penny per pound of tax raised from motoring. This amount, based on the overtime cost of the Garda Siochana last December, would cover the cost of Garda overtime, tow trucks and the corporation's freefone helpline.
The DTO said each agency in the scheme was providing services at no extra cost. Mr Henry said the target of the renewed campaign would be to make the bus service more reliable by keeping bus lanes clear and extending their hours of operation.
Mr Faughnan said the AA supported improved public transport, including Luas, which it would prefer underground, although it would welcome it overground "as long as the underground option has been considered".
The AA denied there were too many cars in Dublin. It said there were fewer cars per capita in Dublin than in other European cities and blamed traffic congestion on poor management.
The Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, yesterday welcomed the continuation of Operation Freeflow for the winter. He emphasised that while gardai assigned to the operation would concentrate on traffic violations, they would also carry out other duties.