The Transport Minister has warned against weakening or delaying a traffic plan for Dublin city centre.
Businesses have called for the start date for the changes to ease congestion be pushed out. While Minister of State Emer Higgins raised concerns about the impact on jobs and retail sales.
When published last year, the plan included bus gates on Bachelors Walk and Aston Quay that would be in operation 24 hours a day.
However on Monday, councillors were told the restrictions were modified and would now only apply from 7am to 7pm following consultation with disability groups.
Minister Eamon Ryan yesterday told the Oireachtas Transport committee that the plan needs to proceed immediately;
"I am deeply concerned if we delay and I'm also I would have to be upfront, I'd be slightly concerned around the likes of those variations where we might only apply certain measures between seven in the morning and seven in the evening and I'm thinking do we think it's safer at half eight at night?
You know bring the traffic back in when it's dark."
Image: Sam Boal/Rollingnews.ie
