With a trial ban on traffic from Dublin city centre imminent are there other suggestions to relieve congestion?
In December 1970, Minister for Local Government Bobby Molloy suggested that motor traffic might be banned from using the centre of Dublin city for an experimental period of one week in February 1971. Since then, there has been much debate on how to tackle Dublin's traffic problem.
The number of private cars in the city centre is disrupting public transport timetables. Some women waiting at a bus stop on Camden Street have been waiting much longer than the expected 20 minutes. They are not sure why,
They come in convoys and then there's a big lull.
A delivery driver welcomes the idea of banning traffic from the city centre. He suggests drivers visiting the city should park their cars in Phoenix Park,
To give us fellas who are delivering a chance to get to these premises.
Another delivery man does not think banning cars from is the correct solution, even though cars are responsible for congestion.
If a man pays road tax he's entitled to drive his car where he wants to innit.
After much consideration, he decides bigger and better roads may be the answer.
Another man thinks banning traffic is the wrong approach. If current parking restrictions were properly enforced, and parking restricted on main bus routes, the flow of traffic out of the city centre would be vastly improved. In his opinion, there is a choice to be made,
Either spending a lot more on roads or restricting the number of cars coming in to the city.
The cheaper option is to try and cut down the numbers of private cars coming into the city and in this way use the city more effectively.
Another man thinks staggering traffic leaving the city is a solution for easing congestion. Motorists would display a coloured disc. Specific colours would indicate a time period to leave the city. There would be strict fines for breaking the time slot.
Meanwhile, another man thinks the Minister for Local Government's suggestion to ban traffic in central Dublin for a trial period of a week, needs more planning if it is to be a success. It will involve rerouting bus journeys, with organised parking on the periphery to link up with the bus service.
There is no point in having the experiment unless you can fully evaluate the results of it afterwards. This needs to be done using survey techniques, which need much preparation. Most importantly, for an expedient to be successful the participants, need to on board.
The general public, the motorists in particular, have to be shown that this experiment is worthwhile, that it's for the good of the community as a whole, and that the results will be evaluated in a balanced way.
Before rushing to implement a traffic ban, a considerable amount of public relations will have to be done.
A 'Newsbeat' report first broadcast on 14 January 1971. The reporter is Peter McNiff.
