On the day that Dublin's hard pressed motorists heard that the strike on the toll bridges was over comes the suggestion that in the future they could be charged for entering the city.
The idea comes from the ESRI, the Government's independent advisors, in a report on how to solve the capital's traffic problems.
The report also suggests an increase in parking fees and greater use of park and ride facilities to allow people to park on the outskirts of the city and use public transport to get into city centre.
In its Analysis of the Economic, Employment and Social Profile of the Greater Dublin Region report, the ESRI says that the population of the Greater Dublin region is expected to grow by 100,000 to 1.6 million in the next five years. The report says this will create an urgent need for over 35,000 more houses, as well as causing further congestion and creating a range of social problems.
The report predicts more people travelling even greater distances to work in Dublin city, with no time to integrate into the communities where they live.
Written by the ESRI's Edgar LW Morgenroth, the report points out that as the population of counties Kildare, Meath and Wicklow expands at a faster rate than Dublin, the commuter belt around the city faces extreme pressure.
It also indicates that a smaller percentage of people are using public transport to get into the city, with most people opting for their cars. The report highlights the personal cost on the commuter who is forced to spend a considerable amount of time travelling, faces increased congestion and excess pressure on infrastructure.
According to figures compiled by the ESRI, 45% of people traveled to work in Dublin by car in 1996 compared to a figure of over 50% by 2000. It added that while 17% of people took the bus to work in 1996, this figure had dropped by almost 10% last year. The number of people using the Dart also fell.
Unemployment is still an 'important problem' in the greater Dublin region, the ESRI report says. This is in spite of the fact that many firms are having difficulty attracting staff.
The report found that although the rate of joblessness in Dublin fell from 65,200 in 1996 to 32,300 in 2000, the number of long-term unemployed in 2000 was 13,300 - 41% of all those without a job in the city.
