How Dublin is dealing with the car overload
Were you stuck in a traffic jam yesterday evening, trying to get home? If you're from Dublin, you probably did. The Irish capital is the world's most congested city, according to a study led by mapmaker TomTom. In an attempt to reduce traffic jams in the city centre, parts of Dublin's quays are now closed to private cars and delivery vehicles between 7 and 19. The goal is to reassign public space to cycling, walking and public transport in a city that is among the most congested in Europe. On the north quays, cars represent 2% of daily traffic but get 50% of road space.
The move is part of a broader six-year plan to breathe life back into the heart of the capital. 60% of its traffic is not shopping, working or even stopping by. It's just driving through, affecting transport and air quality along the way without benefiting the local economy. By encouraging other modes of transport, the city hopes to help locals reconnect with an area where soaring rents have usually forced them to desert.
Dubliners' reliance on the car is particularly striking, not just because of unreliable public transport. Recently, a relative of mine told me that their neighbour had moved to Paris (a city with ostensibly better transport) and preferred to drive an hour to work than take the metro for half that time. Decongesting cities also means building back trust in public transport.