In The News Dublin is the 11th most traffic congested city - can it be fixed?
Jan 14, 2026
Olivia Kelly, Dublin correspondent for The Irish Times, dives into the city's daunting traffic crisis. She discusses how Dublin became the 11th most congested city post-COVID and the impact of rising traffic on the economy and livability. Olivia examines the shelved traffic camera initiative, despite past success, and explores whether congestion charging could alleviate the problem. She sheds light on the Dublin City Transport Plan's mixed outcomes and the ongoing challenges with BusConnects and other transport projects.
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Congestion Has Economic And Social Costs
- Dublin's congestion worsened post-COVID with more commuters returning to offices and long‑standing bottlenecks like the M50.
- Traffic harms productivity and livability by wasting work hours and frustrating commuters.
Traffic Plan Has Shown Early Wins
- Dublin City Transport Plan measures have cut quays bus journey times by about 30%.
- Incremental street restrictions and cycle lanes aim to make the centre more liveable over time.
Restrictions Didn't Push Traffic Into Suburbs
- Council data shows surrounding streets did not become choked after centre restrictions were introduced.
- Many drivers simply chose not to bring cars into the centre, reducing through traffic.