Local residents and campaigners in Dublin's Stoneybatter have held a "Day of Action" to highlight what they say will be the "devastating impact" of plans for a new bus corridor.
The Dublin 7 village comes under the plans for the BusConnects 'Core Bus Corridor' from Blanchardstown to the city centre.
It is one of 16 of the busiest bus corridors in Dublin, as identified by BusConnects for their plan.
The Project aims to deliver 230kms of dedicated bus lanes and 200kms of cycle tracks.
BusConnects says the plan will redesign the bus network to connect more places and carry greater numbers of passengers.
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It says the "next generation" bus corridors will make bus journeys "faster, predictable and reliable". Each corridor upgrade will take up to two years to complete.
The first phase of the Core Bus Corridor Project incorporates four corridors from Clongriffin, Swords, Blanchardstown and Lucan to Dublin city centre.
On these routes, the National Transport Authority says that Dublin Bus services have increased by up to 14% between 2015 and 2017, and that it needs to respond to congestion issues.
However, it has identified traffic changes, land takes, reduction of on-street parking and loading bays, and the removal of trees as some of the potential impacts of the plan.
These are the issues highlighted by locals at today's community event.
Joe Costello, Chairman of Stoneybatter Pride of Place, says Stoneybatter is thriving and that "so much has been done in recent years to build up the community".
He said the plan will bring in a "huge quantity of traffic from as far away as Dunboyne and Navan" through the village.
He's among local campaigners calling for BusConnects to "go back to the drawing board", revise the plans and to do it in consultation with the local residents and business owners.
People at today's event were asked to sign a petition to send to BusConnects as part of the public consultation process.
One woman who has lived in the area for 40 years told RTÉ News the plan as it stands, would "ruin" the village.
Another who is hoping to move into the area said after seeing the plans, it would make her reconsider what the area is going to be like and how it will affect the community.
Seaneen Sullivan is a co-owner of L Mulligan Grocers pub and restaurant in the area.
She said there is in excess of 60 independent owner-operated businesses in the area and claims the BusConnects plan "jeopardise" the community and "continued sustainable growth".
One of the issues she says businesses face is the removal of loading bays.
"It's the reality of business that you need deliveries. With the removal of loading bays, we will have a situation that delivery trucks will stop in the bus lanes, so buses will have to move into the traffic lanes, so the situation will actually be no different to what we currently have."
She said local businesses are very much in favour of improved public transport, but feel there is a better way to do it.
In its information booklet, BusConnects says that "every feasible option is being looked at to minimise the disruption to people, their property and the wider local community".
It says: "Where there is simply no viable alternative and we know we have to remove trees and portions of gardens, driveways or parking, we will ensure appropriate mitigation measures are put in place, where-ever practicable."
Today, a spokesperson for Bus Connects said the plans are "concept designs" and that BusConnects has already met with a delegation from the area.
The spokesperson said it has asked the group to make a submission under the public consultation process, by next Friday.
