A MAJOR crackdown on parking both legal and illegal, aimed at tackling the traffic problems in Dublin, will form part of a package of emergency measures to be announced on Monday.
Called "Operation Freeflow", the plan will place a strong emphasis on enforcing the traffic regulations, with an extra 100 gardai deployed to deal with illegal park"ing and more active use of towtrucks to remove vehicles blocking traffic.
On several key streets, parking meters are to be removed to free more traffic lanes. There will also be more bus lanes as well as priority for buses at traffic lights.
The emergency plan has been developed by Dublin Corporation, Dublin Bus, the Garda traffic division and the Dublin Transportation Office at the request of the Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, and the "Minister for the Environment Mr Howlin.
As part of the programme, the corporation is to change its pricing policy for multi storey car parks to discriminate against long stay commuter parking in favour of short stay shoppers.
The extra gardai assigned to traffic duties will wear yellow jackets to distinguish them from their colleagues. Among their tasks will be to watch for queues forming at the entrances to multistorey car parks which would disrupt the traffic flow on nearby streets.
It is emphasised that the crackdown on illegal parking will not be primarily punitive. For example the Garda tow trucks may remove illegally parked cars, blocking main streets to nearby side streets rather than taking them away to the car pound in Beggars Bush.
All main roads leading into the city centre are to be targeted, not just for illegal parking, but also for road works. This follows the recent problem on Merrion Road, where a delay in filling a Telecom service manhole led to extended delays in the morning peak period.
The long awaited appointment of a director of traffic for the city is also expected soon. For nearly a year, an inter departmental committee has been considering terms of reference for the post and how it will fit into the corporation's managerial structure.
"Operation Freeflow" is designed to bring short term relief to the traffic situation in Dublin, particularly in the pre Christmas period, pending the completion of projects such as the Dublin Port Tunnel, the M50 "C ring" motorway and the Luas light rail scheme.
With a possible 110,000 new car registrations over the next year, it is accepted the volume of traffic in the city must be restrained.
"We don't have much choice", said Mr John Henry, the Dublin Transportation Office's director. Though he was not prepared to discuss the proposed short term measures, he suggested that the car borne commuter was a "legitimate target".
Dublin Bus is expected to put on more buses to cater for extra commuters. However, care is being taken that the overall package does not result in car borne shoppers being "hunted out" of the city centre towards shopping malls in the suburbs.
