AN ‘OPEN CITY’ initiative by gardaí has kicked off today in Dublin city, with an aim to streamline public transport usage and avoid traffic congestion in the run-up to Christmas.

The operation will run until the end of December to “facilitate the movement of public transport and minimise traffic disruption” for the public, through high visibility and enforcement activity.

“Over the course of the past year, there have been significant changes to street layouts in Dublin city centre to accommodate improved cycling infrastructure and to facilitate outdoor dining,” said Chief Superintendent John Gordon of the Roads Policing Division, in a statement from gardaí.

“We’re asking people who plan on coming into the city over the holiday period to familiarise themselves with the changes, to plan their journeys in advance and to use public transport where possible,” he added. 

Mandatory intoxicant checkpoints will also play a major role in garda Christmas and New Year enforcement operations. 

Gordon said gardaí are reminding motorists who may be out socialising over the holiday period to “leave the car at home and not to risk taking it out too early the next day as you could still be over the legal limit to drive.”

The initiative was developed between An Garda Síochána and other stakeholders, including Dublin’s four local authorities, as well as Transport Infrastructure Ireland and the National Transport Authority.

Operation “Open City” was in place in Dublin from 7am this morning and will until 7pm on Friday, 24th December, 2021.