Making changes to the road and transport networks to provide sufficient movement and mobility capacity to cater for changed travel patterns and ensure safe access to the city to help support and economic recovery are the main aims of Dublin’s mobility recovery plan, launched this week.
The document, Enabling the City to Return to Work is a joint effort between Dublin City Council (DCC) and the city’s National Transport Authority (NTA). It offers a framework of proposals to address the new and urgent needs relating to commercial activity and mobility in Dublin City Centre, as a result of the impact of COVID-19.
Improving pedestrian safety through the provision of additional space for movement and enhanced pedestrian areas, enabling more people to cycle by providing safer cycling facilities and implementing various bus route changes required to enable the roll-out of cycling and walking measures, while still maintaining a strong public transport network are the main aims along with providing additional space at many bus stops in order to facilitate social distancing and accommodating a certain level of car use, calibrated with other transport needs, including possible additional parking provision on the periphery of the city core area.
This, according to the document, is to; ensure safe access to, and movement within, Dublin City for all users, to provide sufficient movement and mobility capacity to cater for the changed travel patterns and ultimately, to support the economic recovery of the city and the region.
There will be a phased approach to implementation over a six to 12-month period. Measures will be implemented on a temporary basis and will be subject to review, says the plan.
“As the economy re-opens on a post-Covid basis, travel patterns will change dramatically. Many more people will use walking and cycling to access work, school and shop. While social distancing requirements persist, there will be a greatly reduced passenger capacity available on public transport. Many people will use their cars to travel to their places of employment and other destinations,” says the document.
To read the full plan, please click here:
https://www.nationaltransport.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Covid_Mobility_Plan_22.5.20_FA_WEB.pdf
