Move to avoid gridlock by FF

FIANNA FAIL has asked motorists to drive their cars into Dublin two days less a week in the run up to Christmas. It wants drivers to share their cars with neighbours and work colleagues, to keep bus lanes clear, and to obey the traffic laws.

The proposals are part of a "carrot and stick" approach by the party to prevent "total gridlock" during the busy period. Fianna Fail's environment spokesman, Mr Noel Dempsey, and Mr Eoin Ryan, the party's urban renewal spokesman, want a campaign similar to the "Don't Drink and Drive" campaign during Christmas to rigidly enforce the traffic laws.

They call for more traffic wardens during the month of December, an increase in penalties for offenders, and the immediate towing away of illegally parked cars.

So strongly do they feel about traffic and parking laws that they advocate the basic message, "move it or lose it".

In response to the FE call, a Department of the Environment spokesman said the director of traffic to be appointed soon for Dublin will take over traffic management functions from Dublin Corporation.

The director, due to be appointed later this year, will have control of the traffic warden service and the towing away of vehicles from clearways and yellow lines. His powers may also include wheel clamping as envisaged in the Dublin Transportation Initiative report published last year.

A report defining the director's functions is at an advanced stage and its recommendations would be implemented "as soon as possible", the spokesman added.

Mr Dempsey and Mr Ryan, at a press conference in Dublin yesterday, outlined their proposals, which include:

. A special commuter ticket at a reduced rate for December, which covers the DART service, commuter trains and Dublin bus;

. A greater frequency of late night buses and a late night DART service to be introduced at a cheaper rate for the month;

. City centre businesses should be asked to ban all deliveries to their stores between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on weekdays;

. The "thousands" of car parking spaces in government buildings, local authority and semi state bodies should be made available to Christmas traffic in the evening and at weekends.