We have bus lanes, more of them is good, enforcing them is better

PRESS RELEASE - 4 November 2020

Dublin Commuter Coalition has broadly welcomed the plans for BusConnects Core Bus Corridors announced today by the National Transport Authority but stressed the importance of bringing in camera-based enforcement to ensure its success. The group also welcomed the general improvements in the pedestrian realm but raised serious concerns about the dangerous junction designs in the proposals and their continued prioritisation of car traffic over pedestrians and people on bikes.

Chairperson, Kevin Carter, said “BusConnects will be transformative for Dublin. It will be what our city looks like for decades to come. It is imperative that these changes are made to the highest standards possible not just for bus users but for people walking and on bikes. There’s much talk about car bans and congestion charges, making driving less appealing, but more important is making sustainable methods the most appealing way to travel. These designs show an aim towards that goal, but in some respects continue to fall short.

Public Relations Officer, Feljin Jose, called on the Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan, to bring in legislative changes to allow the NTA enforce bus and cycle lanes: “Camera enforcement will be key to ensuring the success of this project but it would also greatly improve the lives of public transport users with existing infrastructure and during construction too. The Gardaí have had the power to enforce bus lanes using cameras for several years but they’ve shown little interest. Minister Ryan needs to amend legislation and give enforcement powers to an authority that wants to use them.”

Ordinary Member of the Coalition committee, Janis Morrissey, said “It’s disappointing to see the NTA propose unproven junction designs instead of following international best practice from the likes of the Netherlands and modern junctions from the UK. The designs we see released by the NTA today put people on bikes at risk of colliding with motor vehicles and increase the effective crossing distance for pedestrians at junctions. It’s vital that we get the design right before undertaking such a large project that will affect the city for decades. Similarly, consistent use of designs across the corridors is imperative, providing predictability at junctions so that people walking and on bikes always know what to expect”.