Dún Laoghaire TD Barry Ward said the move could help to reduce commute times. Photo: Getty Images
Local authorities and bin companies should introduce time restrictions to help ease traffic congestion, a Fine Gael TD has said.
Dún Laoghaire TD Barry Ward said the measure should be introduced in built-up and suburban areas to help ease issues with traffic.
The proposal would see bin collections being restricted during peak hours for commuters in the mornings and evenings, limiting collections to times when roads are less congested.
Mr Ward he has written to Housing and Local Government Minister James Browne to request him to engage with stakeholders, with an aim to setting up a timetable “to ensure bin trucks are not adding to rush-hour issues in towns and cities”.
Mr Ward said the impact will be “small but positive” in alleviating traffic congestion, adding that he has been contacted “on a nearly daily basis” by residents who have been stuck behind a bin truck “before they even hit the rush hour traffic”.
“I’m particularly conscious of the increased congestion that we are all experiencing in the last couple of months, and while I totally accept this proposal won’t solve the issue, I do think it is a relatively simple change that will have a positive impact,” he said.
While it would be a small change, Mr Ward said it would be a welcome one, even if it reduced commute times by just five or 10 minutes.
“I hope the Minister and his Department officials can work with private bin collectors to put in place a timetable that would benefit commuters while also maintaining a high standard of service at one of the busiest times of year, both in terms of rubbish collection and traffic.
“This time restriction is already in place in Brussels, Rome and Paris where waste collection is generally organised outside of peak traffic windows, often late morning or early afternoons to reduce traffic congestion, and my understanding is that it has had a positive effect for local residents.”
Earlier this month, a report from transport data and analytics company Inrix ranked Dublin as the 11th most congested city in the world, with drivers being delayed by an average of 95 hours per year.
This marked an increase of 17pc on 2024, when an average of 81 hours were lost by commuters.
Dublin ranked as the third most congested city in Europe, behind only Paris and London.