"Misinformed" claims by the Dublin Chamber of Commerce over the extent of traffic management problems in the capital could scare shoppers away from Dublin over Christmas, the city manager has said.
Mr John Fitzgerald criticised the chamber's "seven-point Christmas transport plan" which cited "an unprecedented level of disruption from road works".
"I am surprised that the Dublin Chamber of Commerce would issue a statement which could deter shoppers from coming to the city centre over the Christmas period . . . I am assuring shoppers that Dublin city centre is very much open for business."
In its plan, launched yesterday, the chamber called for a range of "emergency measures", including the bringing forward of Operation Freeflow to November, the introduction of an "immediate response" traffic light repair team, and the waiving of parking charges in areas outside the canals over Christmas to facilitate "park and ride" commuters. The chamber said the Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, should manage the project, because "at present, there is nobody in charge of transport in Dublin . . . That is a recipe for chaos".
However, Mr Fitzgerald said the chamber had been misinformed on some transport initiatives, noting Operation Freeflow had already been brought back to November 23rd and that a traffic lights repair team was already in place.
