Ten years ago, the National Transport Authority launched a BusConnects plan for Dublin. It was designed to combine high-frequency services with 12 new corridors where buses would get priority and cyclists safe passage. Once delivered, it would transform a bus system still running on tram routes from the 1870s, while making Dublin a great city again to get up on a bike.

There followed an extensive public consultation process, which raised opposition from locals understandably concerned that the corridors would take some of their front gardens, cut down much-loved trees or change the character of their village forever. In fairness, the engineers were listening and adapted their designs. Slowly but surely, they won people over, not just in communities but also with a majority of public representatives.

In the end there was widespread support for what was planned, and the officials confidently went into the planning system looking to get the official stamp of approval. Ten years later, we finally have the necessary permissions. Eight of the 12 Dublin corridors have been fully approved and the remaining four are in the last throes of the judicial review process.

Such was the initial success of the approach that it was decided to deliver similar BusConnects schemes for both Cork and Galway. In Cork, the public consultation again raised real........

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