Noel Dempsey is to be commended for taking a lead in disapproving of Dublin city council’s plans to scale down the ban on private vehicles passing through College Green at rush hour. The transport minister has correctly pointed out that opposition to this initiative, designed to prioritise public transport, is confined to owners of expensive car parks who are creating the incorrect impression that the capital is somehow inaccessible.

The “bus gate” operates from 7am to 10am and 4pm to 7pm on weekdays, restricting all but public-transport vehicles and cyclists. It has reduced bus travel times for 93m passengers a year, as well as creating a safer environment for cyclists and pedestrians. This has been achieved without cutting off access to the many car parks that surround this area, which remain accessible via various routes.

Retailers are claiming their business is down by between 30% to 70%, conveniently ignoring the fact that the recession is a more likely culprit, followed by their high prices. Such has been the fuss they have created, however, that John Tierney, the city manager, is now offering to limit the ban, at least until mid-January.

Mr Dempsey is right to oppose this. If anything, public transport should be given even greater priority during the busiest shopping months of the year. In any case, the minister’s involvement in this debate is welcome, because the issues are far wider than just the bus gate. Far for too long, public transport has been shunted onto the hard shoulder of Ireland’s infrastructure while cars and private vehicles hog the central highway. In the 1980s, the fabric of Dublin was almost torn apart by planners in their desire to build new roads and routes for cars. This was done in response to political pressure from the motoring lobby, retailers and developers.

There has been a belated recognition that this was the wrong approach and that it was ludicrous to facilitate tens of thousands of cars entering the city centre every day, hopelessly jamming it up in the process. Road space needs to be divided out in an efficient manner, enabling the maximum numbers to get from A to B. The bus gate is doing the right thing, and it must continue.

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