Taxis will be allowed use bus lanes during peak traffic times in Dublin.
Since the introduction of bus lanes to Dublin, taxi drivers have been demanding to use them alongside buses. For a two month experimental period taxis will be allowed to travel in the bus lanes when they come into operation at peak traffic times.
The two bus lanes involved in the experiment are on the Swords Road via Drumcondra Road to Dorset Street and Merrion Square via Mount Street and NorthumberIand Road to Pembroke Road.
Why should taxis have equal rights with buses which carry scores of people?
President of the Irish Taxi Federation John Ussher explains why he believes taxis should have access to bus lanes, even though buses carry a greater number of passengers. Both provide a public transport service and
We work side by side, all day long, except the hours of the bus lanes and I don’t think either one should have an advantage over the other from the times the bus lanes are introduced.
The go ahead for the bus lane experiment was given by the Dublin Transportation Task Force but not without some reservations. Tom Power says taxis do not have the same passenger capacity of buses and are more like cars. Generally, motorists recognise the equity of the bus lanes,
They accept buses carrying sixty people or more should have greater priority in terms of the road space than other cars, than other road users.
The bus lane experiment period will run from 25 February - 23 April 1984 following which, the position will be reviewed.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 17 February 1984. The reporter is Joe O’Brien.
