Sir, – Dublin city councillors are to be presented the plans for reallocating road space in Dublin city centre (“Plan to reduce car routes across Dublin and create new civic plazas ‘overwhelmingly endorsed by public’”, News, February 5th). The changes cannot be implemented soon enough and I urge them to support the plan.
The residents of Pearse Street and its environs are acutely affected by the pollution that motor vehicles cause in Dublin. Pearse Street is the most polluted street in the city, according to the Environmental Protection Agency’s studies of air quality. The noise and vibration caused by excessive car traffic on the street are constant. The area is undeniably ugly, despite some beautiful buildings, because the priority is traffic movement and parking. Kids can’t play outside because all roads are open for driving shortcuts.
The dirty air and noise leak into homes and lungs and ears, and damage the physical and mental health of residents and workers.
I don’t think it is fair that inner-city residents should suffer for the convenience of suburban commuters, many of whom could use public transport or cycle. When I look out my window onto Pearse Street at the traffic, so many cars have one person in them. It’s ludicrous.
There are four lanes for vehicles along the length of Pearse Street, yet there are no cycle lanes, very few trees, no shrubbery, and no benches for people to stop and rest or to talk (not that you could hear someone talking to you). The situation in Pearse Street, so unnecessarily grim, is just one example of an area sacrificed to the convenience of motor traffic. But it happens across the city. Many of us – over 70 per cent in the Pearse Street area – don’t own a car and, according to the CSO, only 11 per cent of us commute by car.
This plan needs to be implemented urgently and in full for the benefit of those who live and work in the city. – Yours, etc,
CIAN McKENNA,
Dublin 2.
Sir, – Many of Dublin’s traffic congestion and parking problems could be eliminated, and pollution reduced, if more commuters switched to two wheels.
Powered two-wheelers, that is. Small motorbikes and scooters.
Small motorbikes and scooters take up less road space than cars, cost less to buy and run, require less space for parking and and are brilliant at waking you up in the morning and de-stressing you on the journey home after work.
Journey times are more guaranteed as it is easy to get around congestion and reliance on unreliable buses is eliminated.
They are far cheaper than an electric car, and some smaller electric motorcycles and scooter are available at present if one wants to go the electric route.
Quite why the Government is not pushing powered two-wheelers as a good transport option for congested Dublin is a mystery. – Yours, etc,
DAVID DORAN,
Bagenalstown,
Co Carlow.