Biggest risk to jobs is buses stuck in traffic, Ryan says, rejecting push to delay transport plan

Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan has said he believes Dublin’s transport plan, which would stop cars transiting through parts of Dublin city centre, should be implemented to help workers and businesses.

The plan developed by Dublin City Council (DCC) and the National Transport Authority aims to “remove traffic that has no destination in the city”, creating bus-only corridors and pedestrianising the College Green plaza.

The Green Party leader was speaking after the Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail, Emer Higgins of Fine Gael, said she will ask DCC to pause the plans, which were due to come into effect in August, because of concerns about the impact it could have on jobs and retail sales in the city.

Ms Higgins is to ask DCC to postpone the plan until at least 2025.

Mr Ryan said he believes the transport plan should be implemented straight away.

“The biggest risk to jobs is that our buses don’t get through the traffic quick enough. A traffic management system would help get buses through the city quicker. That’s the most important thing – we need to do it for businesses in the centre,” Mr Ryan said.

Ms Higgins was “entitled to her view, but I don’t agree, and I don’t think the city council agrees”, he said.

“It has to be city council. That’s their job. If government ministers start designing every bus stop, every turn on the street, that’s not what we’re there for… we’re there for policy. It’s up to the city council and they’ve voted twice.”

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Mr Ryan was speaking as Dublin’s Luas light rail service celebrated its 20th birthday on Sunday, with 2024 set to see its total number of passengers surpass 50 million for the first time.

The first tram operated in 2004, along the Green Line from Sandyford to St Stephen’s Green. Today it stretches to 43km, servicing 67 stops across the city.

In its 20 years, it has carried more than 650 million passengers and more than 400,000 Dubliners now live within 1km of a Luas stop.

Mr Ryan recalled being on the first Luas journey 20 years ago, describing it as a “landmark day”.

Eddie Byrne drove the first tram in 2004 and has since enjoyed a 20-year career of training every Luas driver who’s followed him – more than 400 in total.

Commenting on the Luas’s 20th anniversary, he said it has been “an incredible pleasure to play a small part in some extraordinary Luas stories”.

“From transporting the bride and groom on the happiest day of their lives, concert goers to see their heroes, and essential front-line staff during the difficult times of Covid-19, we really have seen it all over the past 20 years,” Mr Byrne said.

“Driving the Luas and training the next generation of drivers has given me a fascinating insight into our wonderful city and I know it’ll continue to play a key role in the fabric of Dublin for many years to come.”

Key expansion works to date have included the red line extension from Connolly to the Point in 2009, and the introduction of 55-metre trams, the longest in the world, in 2019.

As Dublin’s population continues to grow over the coming years, the Luas will expand, with the next stage the extension of the Green Line to Finglas. Work is currently under way on its final design.

Speaking to The Irish Times on Sunday, Mr Ryan said “the business case is ready now and it’s a relatively straight forward project… It will transform Finglas and all points in between, so I’m confident it’ll get through government”.

“It has to go through our planning system – that’s always the unknown – but if there’s a quick decision; then we can go to construction relatively quickly,” he said.