asked the Minister for Local Government if, in connection with the traffic improvement scheme for Dublin city, he will state whether any restriction will be placed on pedal cyclists; if they will be confined to certain streets and if they will be entitled to use streets on which bus lanes are marked.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Traffic Improvement Scheme.
55.
In connection with the experiments in relation to Dublin traffic last week and this week no restrictions were placed on pedal cyclists which did not apply to traffic generally. There was no question of confining cyclists to certain streets. They are entitled to use streets on which bus lanes are marked but for their own safety they were specially requested to use public transport on those streets for the present week. In order to encourage cyclists to avail of public transport on the bus lane routes a cycle park was made available at Fairview and a special appeal was made in the schools in the area.
56.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he will reduce the no-parking areas to 20 yards from the corner of each street in Dublin and so allow approximately 40 extra cars to park in each street.
Restrictions on parking in Dublin are governed by the Dublin Parking Bye-Laws, 1969, made by the Garda Commissioner after consultation with the local authorities concerned and with my consent. These bye-laws provide for the control and regulation of parking by means of traffic signs. Any alteration, therefore, in parking restrictions in Dublin city would be a matter for the Garda in consultation with Dublin Corporation and would be effected by the alteration of the appropriate traffic signs.
Would the Minister not consider that it would be a good idea for his Department to get in touch with Dublin Corporation and the Garda Commissioner and ask them to bring the no-parking signs to within 20 yards of the corner, thereby giving an extra 30 yards at each end of the street? This would allow parking space for an extra 40 cars.
I think that is a little too facile. When one is dealing with streets that are not of the same length or width, and which have different conditions operating in each of them, a figure of 20 yards could not be applied overall. It would involve many additional traffic hazards.
Is it not true that a figure of 50 yards from the corner has been applied in practically every street? If the Minister would walk around the city he would see that this is true.
57.
asked the Minister for Local Government what action he proposes to take to remedy the serious parking problems which have arisen because of the activities of the Garda during the past week.
Dublin Corporation and the Dublin Traffic Committee are carrying out an assessment of the effect of last week's traffic improvement experiment and I would assume that problems in relation to parking arising as a result of that experiment will be considered as part of the assessment.
Is the Minister aware of the public outcry over what happened last week? The Minister talked about Deputy Tully being facile a few moments ago. I think the Minister's answers to these questions are very facile.
What is the Deputy referring to?
Does the Minister know anything about this problem?
Which week was the Deputy referring to—this week or last week?
Both weeks.
Traffic conditions were generally accepted to be better as a result of the experiment carried out this week. There were some difficulties the first day. The situation has greatly improved since. The people who have benefited from the greatly improved bus services are the greatest percentage of the commuters on those roads and they should be grateful to those who were responsible for the experiment.
Is the Minister aware that following the activities of the Garda last week the motorists who normally park near the city centre have moved back further out, street by street and people who have been parking for years a few streets from O'Connell Street now find themselves ten streets away from it? There is not any point in such people trying to take a bus because many of them come from the country, as I do, and there is no way of getting in. Would the Minister discuss it in a reasonable way rather than have £2 fines stuck on windscreens?