Bus lanes on College Green have been expanded to run 24 hours a day as private cars are banned from driving on the central Dublin Street.  

According to Minister of State Joe O’Brien, taxis, bikes and Luases can travel on the College Green bus gate to create better public transport facilities in the city.  

The bus corridor will operate 24 hours, seven days a week, as opposed to the previous 12 hours.  

Private drivers’ access to the Dame Street and College Green area will be maintained, as well as access to buildings such as Bank of Ireland, but they will not be able to exit using the bus gate and must find alternative routes. 

The decision was made in order to create more space for cyclists, walkers and public transport in College Green and reduce carbon emissions. 

October 4, 2007: Bank Of Ireland College Green, Dublin, Co Dublin, Ireland; 18Th Century Former Houses Of Parliament (Credit Image: © The Irish Image Collection/Design Pics via ZUMA Wire)

"It's not viable"

Despite that, locals in the city are not happy with the decision to ban private cars.  

“For people going across that side of the city, it’s like ‘great, now you’re going to get stuck on The Quays,” one woman said. 

“You’re always going to get people who are just trying to get through [College Green] anyway.” 

Another woman said the decision just “puts more hardship on people”.  

“I know the whole idea of the environment and all that craic, but it’s not really viable,” she said. “We don’t have the infrastructure for it yet.” 

"Well-known diversion routes"

Minister O’Brien said the ban on private cars on College Green will not create issues for drivers.  

“There are well-known diversions routes around the area, so it's not a huge change for people,” he said.  

“Most people would have known how to get around the bus gate during the hours of operation, so I suppose it’s simpler in one sense. 

“It just says, ‘look, there isn’t a time where you drive through the bus gate anymore’.” 

The ban on private cars is one of the first measures to fully pedestrianise College Green.

Work is not expected to begin on a traffic-free plaza until 2024, almost a decade after it was first proposed. 

The proposed plans for the pedestrianisation of College Green in Dublin. Image: DCC