These are the current (well, 2019) and targeted (2028) mode share splits for Dublin city centre (sourced from here):

The biggest planned change is a ~41% reduction in cars, taxis & goods entering the city centre. More specifically though, the plan contemplates a reduction in the number of cars in the core. The number of taxis and goods being moved around are both expected to increase.

To achieve this, the city is targeting drivers that pass through rather than stop in the city centre. Supposedly, about two out of every three drivers are currently doing this, and so the goal will be to redirect them.

Though, to be clear, this is not a plan to stop people from driving into the city centre. It is rightly about reducing the amount of road space allocated to private vehicles, prioritizing other modes of transport, and creating more "traffic-free civic spaces" for Dubliners and visitors.

Of course, this is what many cities around the world are trying to do. So perhaps the most noteworthy aspect of this plan is that most Dubliners actually support it.

According to The Irish Times, the plan received more than 3,500 public submissions, and 81% supported "reducing road space for private vehicles to facilitate a more efficient public transport system." Further, 82% said they wanted more pedestrianized public spaces.

There were, however, some concerns expressed. The carpark operators in the city centre are naturally worried about the impact to their businesses. This is expected and self-serving.

Guinness (owned by Diageo) is also asking about how its delivery trucks will get to and from their brewery. This is obviously a crucial consideration. But I'm confident in saying that, whatever gets implemented, I'm sure that nobody is going to mess with the operations of St. James's Gate Brewery.

In fact, I'd be surprised if this weren't written into the Constitution of Ireland somewhere.

I came across this video the other night. (If you can't see it embedded above, click here.) It is a tour of the UK and Ireland's different accents by Andrew Jack. It is an extraordinary demonstration of his skill.

Did he get any of them wrong?

Sadly, Andrew died last month from COVID-19.

“The concentration of economic growth and prosperity in large metro areas defines the modern global economy, creating both opportunities and challenges in an era in which national political, economic, and societal trends are increasingly influenced by subnational dynamics.” -Brookings Institute

The Metropolitan Policy Program at the Brookings Institute has a new report out for 2018 called the Global Metro Monitor.

Here are some of the highlights (data is from 2014 to 2016):

- The 300 largest metro areas in the world accounted for 36% of employment growth and 67% of GDP growth.

- Metro areas in China and the Asia-Pacific region outperformed, whereas Latin American cities, and in particular the largest Brazilian cities, were weaker performers.

- The majority of large metro areas had growth rates that exceeded that of their respective regions. So again, cities are the driver.

And here is an interesting interactive chart (better to click through) that shows the % change in GDP per capita. 

Look at how much of an outlier San Jose is. Though, check out Dublin in the footnote. And if you look at the actual data table, it is all China, except for Dublin at the top.

For the rest of the charts, click here. And to download the full Global Metro Monitor report, click here.