A local authority-DTO regional traffic management steering group has been established to provide a strong regional focus for traffic management in the greater Dublin area and to provide a forum to lead policy development and implementation of the traffic management elements of A Platform for Change, for which local authorities have primary responsibility. The steering group is chaired by the director of traffic. I fully support the establishment of this group and my Department is represented on it.
The DTO policy document, A Platform for Change, sets out a comprehensive integrated strategy to respond to the transportation needs of the greater Dublin area in the period to 2016. In this context, the DTO has commissioned a regional freight study to determine the origin and destination patterns of goods distribution and to forecast future demand. It will identify restrictions for general goods distribution and for freight trips to and from Dublin Port, Dún Laoghaire Port and Dublin Airport. It will also review the scope for improved goods distribution strategies, including consolidation centres, night-time deliveries, as well as considering pricing strategies, loading, layover and general distribution management.