Motorways are the main cause of city traffic congestion: traffic gets in too fast. The M50
orbital motorway has a limited capacity. It has capacity to deal with vehicles from just five
motorways. The city has equivalent of seven motorways (6 plus 1 made up of local roads).
The two extra motorways overload the M50 along with addition traffic that is now restricted
via the city centre. This overloading leads to traffic delays and accidents etc. that can bring
the city to a standstill several times a year. This causes uncertainly to transport flow.
M50 is also aided by the Toll, as many use local roads to avoid payment. It has another aid
where many drivers come to work, up to two hours early to avoid been delayed on M50
making their working day longer. This longer day could undermine road safety.
The solution is to reduce the volume of traffic entering M50 to a level, that the M50 can
cope and disperse in a safe manner to avoid the delays and accidents that can happen with
overloading. The solution is Motorway Congestion Control until orbital Service Road SR51 is
built. This will cause some inconvenience to motorists: that they will regain later in the plan.
How Plan Works.
On all Motorways into Dublin variable speed signals will apply approximately twenty miles
out or where needed. These Speed signals adjust the speed of vehicles on motorways in
order to slow down traffic entering M50 to a level that the M50 can disperse safely. This will
add ten to fifteen minutes to journey times. This helps traffic on M50 flow freely benefiting
all motorists. With this plan minor accidents will have little effect on traffic movements.
At evening peak the moving vehicle is giving an extra lane on the Motorways outwards. This
is done by converting the hard shoulder to a vehicle lane for cars only creating an extra
lane, between 3 PM and 7 PM. This extra lane will be more than enough for all traffic to
move freely outwards at peak times in a safe manner, making up for inward morning delays.
Another option to ease traffic congestion on M50 is to allow lorries Toll free between 8 PM
and 6 AM. This would encourage more lorries to use the M50 during the night and reduce
the need for lorries using the M50 during the day as by-pass around Dublin.
The M50 is a valuable transport corridor, it’s in the centre of Greater Dublin, it should be
available for Public Transport. One lane could be available for buses, Taxi and lorries only, to
share, with lorries excluded during peak hours. 7 AM until 9 AM and 4PM until 7 PM. If the
Motorway Congestion Control concept is successful there would be no need for a special
lane as all traffic would be flowing freely with no delay to public transport.
When the Service Road SR51 is built from N4 to M1 these restrictions would be lifted, and a
rail line could be built along the same M50 for quick access to all areas of Dublin. This allows
the M50 reach its full potential and play its part in reducing traffic congestion in Dublin.
Present traffic difficulties on M50 must be addressed, accidents frequent, dangerous, adds
to local traffic congestion and the uncertainly undermines the benefits of a great Motorway.
Metro Dart O3 or Metro ACRA Plan (MAP). ACRA = Accommodating Circular Radial Access.