The Minister for Transport has defended plans to ban private cars in certain parts of Dublin city and to limit car traffic in other areas.
Speaking on RTÉ Radio Paschal Donohoe said the proposed restrictions on private cars were required given that is estimated that an additional 40,000 journeys into the city centre every morning in the coming years.
“What we want to do is have a mix of transport options in the coming years to make sure our city is not overwhelmed by the anticipated demand,” he said.
He said roughly one third of journeys into Dublin city centre were by car, he said, adding that private cars would continue to play a role in the future “but for short journeys we want to give people an alternative”.
Mr Donohoe said that, to this end, the Government was developing increased transport links including the Luas cross city works which are currently taking place in the city centre, the Phoenix Park tunnel to allow direct access between Heuston and Grand Canal Dock and said it was looking at measures to increase train frequency into the city centre.
A survey carried out by Red C for the Irish Parking Association, which represents major car park operators in Ireland, indicated that the proposed traffic restrictions could result in a 24 per cent drop in shopping and entertainment revenue.
It found that 41 per cent of retail and entertainment spending in the city centre is by car users and indicated that car uses spent an average of €134 a visit compared to the €112 spent by train and Dart users, €94 by both bus and Luas and €71 by pedestrians.