Dublin city gets new director of traffic

Dublin City Council has appointed Michael Phillips as its new director of traffic. The post has been vacant for three months.

Dublin City Council has appointed Michael Phillips as its new director of traffic. The post has been vacant for three months.

The job, one of the top management positions in the council, was vacated in January by Owen Keegan when he was appointed county manager of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.

Mr Phillips, who has been the city engineer since 1998, will assume responsibility for all traffic matters, including the development of public transport.

He will oversee the completion of the Dublin Port Tunnel and the introduction of a Heavy Goods Vehicle strategy to take lorries off city streets.

"There are existing problems there that have to be focused on, such as the Port Tunnel, the HGVs, the widening of the M50, the extension and joining up of the Luas lines . . . all that immediate disruption has to be dealt with," Mr Phillips said.

He also intends to extend the Quality Bus Corridor network.

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Olivia Kelly

Olivia Kelly

Olivia Kelly is Dublin Editor of The Irish Times