Dublin Corporation introduces new measures and upgrades technology to aid city traffic management.
Dublin Corporation hopes that a computerised traffic control system installed at the traffic department in Christchurch Place will help ease the city's traffic problem.
Its task when in operation later this year, will be to monitor and control the performance of the 400 traffic signals in the city.
Initially, it will operate 50 traffic lights in the city centre area.
Any fault or any malfunction of the lights in any part of the city will be instantly detected at the computer centre, both audibly and visibly.
A buzzer and flashing light will alert the operator to the fault in the traffic signal system, and a hard copy will be generated from the computer printout machine.
Repair men will then be alerted and sent out to remedy the fault.
The computer will be able to detect a build-up of traffic at junctions and alter traffic light sequences to accommodate days such as All Ireland finals or rugby internationals. It can be programmed to guide fire brigades along all green light routes out of the city centre.
Other methods being introduced to ease traffic chaos include a clampdown on illegal parking in the city. The number of traffic wardens and metres are to increase. Two multi story car parks are being planned for Marlborough Street and South Great Georges Street between them they will accommodate over 1,000 cars. More buses are planned along with the introduction on a phased bases of bus lanes on major city routes.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 10 April 1981. The reporter is Reg Cullen.
