Sir, - John Bruton's conversion to traffic management in Dublin was no doubt born of the same frustration, anger and sense of injustice experienced by Dubliners daily. However, despite his welcome political initiative, it is vital that the relevant authorities for traffic management are not let off the hook. Magisterial pronouncements ought not to be necessary to tackle the obvious.
Dublin Corporation and the relevant authorities have already been given the political mandate, through the Dublin Transportation initiative to introduce bus lanes, cycle lanes, a privatised tow away service, and of course LUAS to go some way towards solving Dublin's traffic problems. The deflection of funds, effort and imagination towards shifting commuters out of their cars and into environmentally friendly "modes" has already been given some impetus through the establishment of the Dublin Transportation Office.
However, Dubliners will rightly ask themselves, as they are literally stuck in traffic behind tail backs miles long, what difference this has made. If anything, Dublin's traffic has got considerably worse since 1992, and for pedestrians and those relying on public transport, the situation is simply dreadful. It is now over three years since the structural funds allocated to the DTI were approved, and yet we seem to have little to show for it on the city's streets.
The Dublin City Association of An Taisce believes firmly that there is no political excuse for the delays in implementing a comprehensive traffic management scheme on a more permanent basis, and the restriction of carparking in the city centre. The all too familiar scenario of inaction and lack of political will is symbolically represented by the delayed appointment of the Director of Traffic for Dublin, along with Dublin Corporation's failure to draw up coherent and effective traffic calming schemes for the city centre and the entire inner suburbs.
The extraordinary increase in car ownership has no doubt been encouraged by the development of new car parks throughout the main shopping district, and the absence of any decent public transport alternative for commuters. Coupled with the introduction of the car scrappage scheme, car ownership figures have now spiralled almost out of control. The appalling debacle over new taxi plates is yet another example of, the lack of a political response to this crisis, the recent decision of Dublin City Council not to issue any further - taxi plates before Christmas being but one further blow to those who do not own cars.
If we are serious about protecting our children, our environment, and our city's heritage, there is simply no excuse for further inaction. - Yours, etc.,
Chairperson,
Dublin City Association of
An Taisce, c/o Tailor's Hall,
Back Lane,
Dublin 8.