A new contraflow bus plan for Dublin city centre came into effect.
In 1980 CIE announced plans for a new plan to enable buses to travel against traffic on designated bus lanes through Dublin city centre.
The main beneficiaries of the new scheme would be the approximate 50,000 commuters who travel each day from the Dublin suburbs of Tallaght, Crumlin and Ballyfermot. The new traffic plan began with the opening of a bus only lane on Parliament Street, which allowed buses to go against the traffic flow.
The objectives of the new plan were to improve the environment, to put more passengers on buses and out of their cars, and to speed up traffic flow in the city and put an end to traffic jams. Although the new bus lane was only about 250 metres long, CIE said that its value would be of much greater proportion than its length. Plans were underway to extend the "contraflow" scheme to other areas.
In addition to buses, the emergency services, fire department, ambulances and Gardaí would be allowed to use the bus lane.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 24 March 1980. The reporter is Michael Walsh
