The Green Party today welcomed the traffic management changes in Dublin City Centre that were put in place over the weekend.Green Party Councillor Ciarán Cuffe, chair of the City Council's Transportation Strategic Policy Committee stated:“These changes are being put in place to improve public transport in Dublin. According to Dublin City Council's Traffic Management Centre bus users saw a 40% improvement in their journey times this morning through one of the biggest bottlenecks in the city. This morning I took a No. 145 bus from Houston Station, and reached Donnybrook in half an hour. The trip to O'Connell Bridge took only fifteen minutes and the driver told me this can often take forty minutes. 7,000 people travel down the North Quays by bus every morning between 8am and 9am, compared to 500 cars. These changes will result in real time savings for thousands of commuters. There will also be improvements for cyclists and pedestrians. All the car parks are open for business, but motorists should plan their journey and seek alternative routes to the Quays where feasible.“September will be the real test as traffic levels increase, and I am calling on the Minister for Transport Shane Ross TD to ensure that there is sufficient capacity on bus services to and from Dublin City Centre.“As we prepare for the launch of the Cross City Luas in December it is important that we improve Dublin City as a place to live, work and relax in. Today's changes are a step towards reducing carbon emissions, and creating a more liveable city.”ENDSPress release issued 21st August 2017, last updated 19th September 2017