Chapter 4

Traffic Management

64 .— (1) The Authority shall prepare, adopt and implement a strategic traffic management plan for the GDA (“ traffic management plan ”) to identify the actions to be taken to secure, in the view of the Authority, the optimal movement of persons, goods and vehicles.

(2) In preparing the traffic management plan, the Authority shall have regard to—

(a) current and projected traffic volumes,

(b) relevant regional planning guidelines under Chapter III, Part II, of the Act of 2000,

(c) Transport 21 or any subsequent capital investment framework for transport published by the Minister or Government,

(d) the Department of Transport’s sectoral plan under the Disability Act 2005 or any subsequent sectoral plan under that Act,

(e) demographic, economic and social trends in the GDA,

(f) existing, planned and projected land use developments,

(g) any significant impacts on the movement of persons, goods and vehicles arising from construction and other works, and

(h) such other matters as may be prescribed by the Minister from time to time or as the Authority considers appropriate.

(3) A traffic management plan shall in particular identify the actions to be taken to ameliorate the impact on the movement of persons, goods and vehicles arising from construction works and other works in relation to the provision of transport infrastructure and utility works, whether carried out by a road authority or a third party. The plan shall also identify the actions to be taken to provide and maintain accessible routes for people with disabilities during any such works.

(4) The Authority shall, in the course of preparing a traffic management plan, consult with and consider the views of the NRA, road authorities, the Garda Síochána, local communities, transport users, public transport operators, port and airport authorities and companies and other interested parties in the GDA and shall invite written public submissions on the plan.

(5) The Authority shall ensure that the traffic management plan is reviewed and a new plan adopted not later than 6 years after the adoption of the previous plan.

(6) Notwithstanding subsection (5), the Authority shall review its traffic management plan and adopt a new plan at any time where the Authority deems it appropriate to do so or following a direction from the Minister to carry out such a review.

65 .— (1) A road authority shall prepare, adopt and implement a traffic plan (“ local traffic plan”) for its functional area for the effective management of traffic which is consistent with the strategic traffic management plan under section 64 within 6 months of its publication.

(2) A road authority shall have regard to any relevant guidelines issued by the Authority under section 66 in preparing a local traffic plan.

(3) A local traffic plan shall—

(a) specify the—

(i) use by the road authority of the net proceeds of parking or other traffic management revenues for traffic management or other transport-related purposes within its functional area, and

(ii) measures to be taken to manage utility or other works, whether carried out by the road authority or a third party, on roads in the functional area of the road authority to ameliorate the impact of such works on the movement of persons, goods and vehicles, and

(b) identify the actions to be taken to—

(i) ameliorate the impact on the movement of persons, goods and vehicles arising from construction works and other works in relation to the provision of transport infrastructure and utility works, whether carried out by the road authority or a third party, and

(ii) provide and maintain accessible routes for people with disabilities during any such works.

66 .— (1) The Authority may, in relation to the implementation of its traffic management plan or otherwise for the purposes of traffic management, issue guidelines to road authorities in relation to all or any of the following:

(a) the location and provision of traffic signs (within the meaning of section 95 of the Act of 1961),

(b) the location of bus stops and bus stands,

(c) the design, provision, maintenance and operation of traffic information systems and traffic management control systems,

(d) the design, provision, maintenance and management of bus priority schemes and walking and cycling facilities,

(e) the design, provision and management of facilities for the parking of vehicles,

(f) the design and management of planned construction works which are likely to affect traffic management, and

(g) the additional works or activities, if any, within the statutory responsibilities of road authorities that the Authority deem appropriate for the effective implementation of its traffic management plan.

(2) Before issuing guidelines to a road authority under subsection (1), the Authority shall consult with and consider the views of the NRA in relation to the proposed guidelines.

(3) The Authority may, until the commencement of section 16 of the Road Traffic Act 2002 , in relation to the implementation of its traffic management plan or otherwise for the purposes of traffic management, issue guidelines to the Commissioner in relation to the location of bus stops and bus stands.

(4) The Authority may where it deems it appropriate to do so revise or withdraw a guideline under this section.

(5) Road authorities and the Commissioner, as the case may be, shall have regard to guidelines issued by the Authority under this section.

67 .— (1) The Authority may, for the purposes of the implementation of the traffic management plan or otherwise for the purposes of traffic management, give a direction to a road authority to—

(a) acquire land by making a compulsory purchase order or otherwise,

(b) prepare, or arrange for the preparation of, designs for specified works,

(c) undertake specified works,

(d) undertake, or arrange for the undertaking of, a traffic management scheme, and

(e) do anything which arises out of or is consequential on or is necessary or expedient for the purposes of or would facilitate traffic management.

(2) Before giving a direction under subsection (1) to a road authority, the Authority shall consult with and consider the views of the road authority.

(3) A direction under subsection (1) may specify the time within which such direction is to be complied with and such other matters as the Authority considers necessary.

68 .— (1) Where—

(a) a road authority refuses or fails to comply with a direction under section 67 , or

(b) in any case in which it appears to the Authority that the circumstances so warrant,

the Authority may decide, notwithstanding any other enactment, to perform the function specified in the direction subject to such modifications (if any) as it considers appropriate.

(2) The Minister may prescribe a class of case in which a decision by the Authority under subsection (1) does not have effect unless or until it is approved by him or her.

(3) Where a decision is made by the Authority under subsection (1) to perform a particular function otherwise than through a road authority, the following have effect—

(a) the Authority is empowered (notwithstanding any other enactment) to perform the function and to do any other thing which arises out of or is consequential on or is necessary for the purposes of or would facilitate the performance of the function, and

(b) any enactment concerned applies in relation to the performance of the function subject to such modifications as may be necessary.

69 .— The Authority may allocate moneys and make payments to road authorities or other persons in relation to traffic management.

70 .— (1) Where it appears to the Authority that an agreement ought to be made between road authorities in relation to traffic management or other functions of the Authority, the Authority may request the road authorities to enter into an agreement in accordance with such terms and conditions as the Authority may specify.

(2) Any agreement made under subsection (1) shall be submitted to the Authority for its approval and shall have no force or effect until approved by the Authority.

(3) Where any road authority concerned refuses or fails to comply with a request under subsection (1), the Authority may, after affording an opportunity to the road authorities concerned to make representations to it in writing and considering any representations made, give a direction to them to enter into an agreement in accordance with such terms and conditions as it may specify.

(4) An agreement entered into under this section shall not be revoked save with the consent of the Authority.

71 .— (1) The Authority shall pursue the implementation of demand management measures in the GDA.

(2) The Authority may make a demand management scheme for the GDA setting out the measures which it proposes to take itself or through public transport authorities or other persons to implement demand management measures.

(3) The Authority may, notwithstanding any enactment, other rules of law or, in the case of a company any provision contained in the memorandum and articles of association of that company, give a direction to a public transport authority in relation to the implementation of demand management measures.

(4) (a) The Authority may issue guidelines to public transport authorities or to other public bodies in relation to the implementation of demand management measures.

(b) In this subsection “ public body ” means Minister of the Government or any body established by or under statute.

(5) The Authority may allocate moneys and make payments to public transport authorities or other persons in relation to demand management measures.

(6) The Authority shall keep under review—

(a) existing and future transport demand in the GDA,

(b) the effectiveness of demand management measures in operation under this section,

(c) policies, practices and technologies in relation to demand management in other jurisdictions, and

(d) the effectiveness of the provisions of this Act and any other relevant statutory provisions, in relation to demand management measures,

and may from time to time submit to the Minister such proposals in relation to additional measures as it considers necessary or desirable and which would require additional statutory powers to implement.

(7) In this section “ demand management measures ” means measures which promote a reduction in the total amount of travel or reduced growth in the total amount of travel and includes measures to—

(a) reduce the need to travel,

(b) reduce the use of mechanically propelled vehicles and particularly private cars,

(c) increase travel by public transport, bicycle or on foot as an alternative to the private car,

(d) encourage travel at less congested periods other than by means of a congestion charge, and

(e) reduce trip length.