Cars could use bus lanes in new plan

Dublin motorists will soon be able to drive in some of the capital's bus lanes if a radical new plan is adopted by traffic authorities.

The motoring lobby group, AA Ireland, is in the final stages of putting together a formal proposal which would see drivers carrying three or more passengers allowed to join buses and taxis on designated routes in an effort to ease traffic congestion.

Conor Faughnan of AA Ireland told Motors that following "ongoing discussions", with the Office of the Director of Traffic, they were "now in a position to propose firmly that they pilot the scheme".

He said the multi-occupancy proposal had yet to be finalised and would be put to the Office within the next month. However, Motors understands the scheme would operate on a permit basis on specific Quality Bus Corridors in Dublin. "An individual would apply for a multi-occupancy permit for certain selected quality bus corridors," Faughnan adds.

"You get a sticker for the front and a sticker for the back, and you would have to have three or more people in the car."

Initially the scheme would be operated on a pilot basis to assess its impact on the capital's growing traffic congestion problem. Criteria for a successful application would be simply that the motorists travel regularly on the particular route and are prepared to carry the required amount of passengers. It is envisaged the scheme would also operate on a first-come-first-served basis.

"The reason for the permit system," Faughnan explains, "is to control the numbers and ensure this doesn't wind up interfering with the bus schedule. You have to be able to guarantee bus times and we accept the wisdom of that."

Dublin Bus, however, is sceptical of any plan involving the use of bus priority lanes. Spokeswoman Grainne Macken says there was concern that a car-pooling system would be difficult to police: "We have been reluctant to open up bus lanes too much. The general consensus is that you have to prove it would ease congestion without restricting bus lanes."

She also questions whether car-pooling would "have the same impact on moving large volumes of people as buses". More than eight million people per annum use the company's most successful quality bus corridor from Stillorgan.

The Blanchardstown route carries an estimated nine million, as does the QBC from Malahide.

Ms Macken adds that safety implications must also be taken into consideration, such as a car stopping to let a passenger out in the bus lane.

Multi-occupancy or car-pooling systems are commonplace in large urban areas of the United States. In Washington, it has become well-organised and an integral part of commuting culture.

The phenomenon began 30 years ago after authorities introduced High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes on the main roads leading to the city centre. Solo drivers began stopping at bus stops and offering free rides to fellow-commuters in order to gain access to the HOV lanes. Commuters now gather at pre-ordained pick-up points and even arrange transport on the Internet.

The first major study of the effects of car-sharing, carried out by University of California Berkeley last January, showed a dramatic reduction in car ownership. The study of City CarShare, a San Francisco non-profit making car-sharing group, whose members have access to a network of cars which can be reserved for short or long periods of time.

The study showed that since joining, 30 per cent of the group's members sold one or more of their privately owned cars. Each day, City CarShare saved 13,000 miles of vehicle travel, 720 gallons of petrol, and 20,000 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions.