Minister to request deferral of Dublin city traffic plan

The Minister of State with responsibility for Business, Employment and Retail is to ask Dublin City Council to postpone the introduction of a traffic plan that would stop cars transiting through Dublin city centre until at least 2025.

A number of businesses and retailers in the capital had called for the plan to be paused due to concerns about the impact it would have on retail sales and jobs.

Changes to the manner in which cars can travel in the capital, including bus gates on the quays, are due to come into effect in August.

The changes aim to reduce through traffic in the city centre which accounts for around 60% of motor journeys.

However, in recent weeks a number of business groups, including IBEC and the Dublin City Centre Traders Alliance called for the plans to be paused.

They cited concerns regarding the impact the traffic plan will have on footfall and jobs.

Last week, Minister of State Emer Higgins met Dublin City Council to discuss the issue.

They are due to meet again tomorrow.

Minister Higgins confirmed to RTÉ News that at the meeting she will ask the council to postpone the implementation of the traffic plan until at least after Christmas to give time for further consultation and to assess the potential impact on jobs.

The Dublin City Manager will decide what happens next.

However, political pressure increases the likelihood that the biggest change to Dublin’s traffic in recent times could now be postponed for a number of months.

Read more: Explainer: Which areas of Dublin city centre will see traffic reduced under new plan?