The Green party has accused the Government and the Minister for Transport Shane Ross of ignoring the traffic problems of Dublin in recent days. The Green party's Transport Spokesperson Councillor Ciarán Cuffe said:"Minister Ross needs a reality-check on the conditions that tens of thousands of commuters face everyday on their way to work in Dublin. Travelers are hemmed in like sardines on limited Luas services, face massive delays in buses on Dublin's Quays, and are stuck in growing traffic on the M50. It is time that Minister Ross knocked heads together to find solutions to traffic problems, rather than suggesting that Luas has been a victim of its own success.In the short term Minister Ross needs to sit down with Transport Infrastructure Ireland, the National Transport Authority, CIE and Dublin City Council to implement the following:

1. Remove taxis during peak times in College Green
2. Introduce contra-flow bus lanes on Nassau Street and Lombard Street in Dublin 2
3. Provide a protected bus lane on Tara Street
4. Fast-track the provision of segregated cycle lanes throughout the city centre including Pearse Street
5. Schedule DART trains every ten minutes as was promised over a year ago
6. Ensure the Garda traffic corps protect crucial yellow boxes on College Street and elsewhere from being blocked by stalled vehicles
7. Take action to stop footpaths and bike lanes are not used for parking and loading.
8. Legislate for fixed penalty notices for a range of traffic offences including loading and unloading on clearways during peak hours.

"In the longer term he needs to proceed more quickly with Metro North Plans, expand the Dublin Bus Fleet and ensure the Bus Connects project proceeds without delay. He must also invest in Dublin Bikes and other walking and cycling measures."Shane Ross needs to take the bus more often and experience for himself the difficulties hard-pressed commuters face on their journeys to work. He needs to take action to solve the difficulties on our streets"Ultimately Dublin needs a directly-elected Mayor who has the power, the funding and the mandate to coordinate and plan for the city's long-term transport needs. The stop-start approach of toothless revolving-door mayors in each local authority must end. Dublin needs the equivalent of London's Mayor Sadiq Khan and a 'Transport for Dublin' body similar to Transport for London that can take charge and plan for our capital's transport needs. ENDSIssued and uploaded 21st February 2018