No More Driving “Through” This City Center

Dublin, Ireland, has announced a ban on private cars and commercial vehicles driving through the city starting in August.

“People will see a transformation this August when we take the through traffic out of the city center. We will see a tipping point where we will see a large increase in cycling and walking as a mainstream form of transport for our city,” says Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan.

It is important to note that the ban will apply to cars driving through the city centre, but not to vehicles driving to the city itself. According to the Dublin City Council, two out of every three cars go through the city centre without it being their final destination, exacerbating traffic congestion within the city. Public surveys for the measure reveal an 80 per cent support rate for the ban. Furthermore, Ireland recently announced a €290 million funding allocation for the further development of walking and cycling across the state. New public plazas are also in the works to encourage increased socialization among residents.