Bus journey times into Dublin city centre are forecast to be cut by up to 15 minutes with the introduction today of a new bus-priority lane on the capital's north quays.
However, the introduction of a continuous bus lane from Heuston Station to Bachelors Walk will mean less space for private motorists who will have the use of only a single lane. They face further delays when schools return in September.
With the new move, the North Quays from Wolfe Tone Quay through to Bachelors Walk have a bus lane in operation from 7am to 7pm each day, including Saturdays. The new bus lanes are on St John's Road West, Parkgate Street, Ellis Quay and Arran Quay.
Dublin Bus surveys indicate that at least 1,275 buses operated by themselves, Bus Éireann, and private operators such as Mortons, City Link, Nestors and Kavanaghs will use the new bus lanes on a daily basis.
Mortons have recently been given licences by the Department of Transport to increase their fleet by an extra 22 services per day, all of which will have come into operation by the end of September.
On average there will be a minimum of one bus every minute using the new bus priority lane during the morning peak hours. Taxis and the emergency services will also benefit and additional priority is being given to cyclists.
Ciarán de Burca, project manager of the Quality Bus Network Project Office, said: "We hope that commuters entering the city via the North Quays will make the change to a more sustainable mode of transport, saving themselves time and avoiding the likelihood of delays in doing so".
Conor Faughnan of AA Ireland told ireland.comthat before the construction of the Port Tunnel, drivers on the quays were jostling for space with 5,000 HGVs every day. Much of the space taken up by these trucks has now been replaced by buses, he said.
Mr Faughnan said that drivers generally accept the need to provide public transport in the city but added: "The key for the new bus lanes on the north quays is - can Dublin Bus deliver a good service on them? We wouldn't grudge road space that's given over to an effective and efficient bus service, but the challenge is with Dublin Bus now - they must use that space well".
"In the broadest sense AA Ireland supports the provision of bus lanes as a necessary part of the transport strategy, and as far as motorists are concerned the situation on the quays shouldn't deteriorate too drastically, particularly as people will have public transport options," said Mr Faughnan.
"There were no problems this morning - though it was a particularly benign Monday in July - so we will have to see as time goes by how the pattern develops."