asked the Minister for Justice why between 8.45 a.m. and 9.15 a.m. on 7th November last the traffic at Emmet Bridge, Harold's Cross, Dublin, was controlled by a pointsman instead of by automatic traffic signals; and why traffic passing into the city down Harold's Cross Road took fifteen minutes to pass from the top of Harold's Cross Green through the junction instead of the three to five minutes usually applicable for that journey.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Harold's Cross (Dublin) Traffic.
32.
Traffic was controlled by a pointsman because the traffic lights had gone out of order.
The reason for the hold-up in traffic was that the fault in the lights left the red signal continuously showing against traffic on the north-south route and, as this is a peak period in traffic-flow towards the city, a big build-up of this traffic took place almost immediately. Inevitably, it took some time for the pointsman to ease the situation when he arrived.
Is the Minister aware that inevitably whenever a busy junction in the city is controlled during a time of heavy traffic by a member of the Garda instead of traffic lights there is a big hold-up in traffic? Would the Minister ensure that the Gardaí are properly informed of traffic flows so that more time will be given for traffic to pass along the busiest arteries instead of giving equal time with reduced traffic along the main arteries?
I note what the Deputy has to say but it is beyond my comprehension why the time of the House should be taken up and public money wasted because of the failure for 20 minutes or so of a Dublin city traffic light.
The thousands of workers late for work and docked in their pay is a matter of no interest to the man from Mayo.
(Interruptions.)
Fifteen minutes. If a traffic light fails we should not be wasting the time of the House.
It is a scandalous affair and it is typical. The convenience of the workers does not matter.