ONE of the first duties of the new Minister for Transport, Energy, and Communications, Mr Dukes, will be the opening of "Operation Freeflow" in Dublin later today. It is aimed at easing traffic congestion in the city during the run up to and including the Christmas holiday, and will cover a 42 day period.
The Minister for the Environment, Mr Howlin, along with representatives of the Garda, Dublin Corporation, Dublin Bus, and the Dublin Transportation office are also expected to attend the press conference.
"Operation Freeflow" actually comes into operation at 7 a.m. this morning. According to a Garda spokeswoman, increased numbers of gardai have been drawn from "outlying areas" of the city and county to implement the operation. They will be on duty at critical junctions throughout the city to ensure enforcement of traffic regulations, some of them new.
In the city centre, private cars will be banned from Grafton Street, Henry Street and Upper Liffey Street from 7 a.m. There will be a total ban on car parking on the inward bound quays from Ellis Quay. The ban will also apply to Capel Street and College Street, with four traffic lanes to be created on College Street, two going towards Dame Street and two towards D'Olier Street. Imp buses will use stops on College Street for pick up purposes only.
There will be no parking allowed at St Stephen's Green south, Stephen's Street Upper, South King Street, and Drury Street. Bus lanes throughout the city will be operable from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Road markings will be altered accordingly.
On the city's south side, traffic coming from Military Road to join St John's Road West near Heuston Station will only be allowed go left. For incoming traffic there will be no right turn in the mornings at Sandymount Avenue in Ballsbridge, and no right turn at the junctions of Northumberland Road, Lansdowne Road and Lansdowne Park. A third lane for incoming traffic is to be introduced turning right into Serpentine Avenue, Ballsbridge.
On the northside, gardai will be on traffic duty at the new Blanchardstown Town Centre, as well as at Quinnsworth and Superquinn in Blanchardstown, at the Janelle Shopping Centre, Superquinn and the Drogheda Mall, in Finglas, the Northside Shopping Centre, and the Donaghmede Shopping Centre. Gardai will also be on traffic duty at Drumcondra Road Lower, at the Omni Centre in Santry, in Malahide village and at Main Street, Swords.
Parking regulation will be "rigidly enforced" outside Frawley's on Thomas Street. Generally, regulations on single and double yellow lines, as well as clearways, will be enforced during "Operation Freeflow". No parking will be allowed on double yellow lines at any time, including weekends.
Gardai are issuing a number of reminders where there is a single yellow line, no parking is allowed between 8.30a.m. and 6.30 pm., Monday to Friday. And where there is a clearway no parking is allowed between 7 a.m. and 9.30 am. or between 4p.m. and 6.30 p.m.
A hood over a parking metre means no parking is allowed in the relevant space at any time.
Where cars are parked in breach of regulations they will be towed away, a £15 fine will be imposed and a further £100 must be paid before the vehicle can be recovered from the pound. When a driver gets trapped in a yellow box junction it is the driver's own fault, as no vehicle is supposed to enter the junction unless an exit is clear. Those who breach this regulation are subject to a £50 fine, by summons.
