Since bus gates were installed on some of the quays a little more than four weeks ago, there has been a rise in the use of public transportation and foot traffic in Dublin's city centre.

The numbers were disclosed during yesterday evening's inaugural meeting of the National Transport Authority, which was held to oversee the execution of the new traffic regulations.

It was informed that a recent survey reveals a 60% drop in the number of private vehicles utilising the quays, translating into an hourly reduction of around 400 autos travelling through the city.

The south quays see an average of 270 fewer cars per hour, while the north quays see an average of 170 less cars per hour.

In addition to hearing about improvements for public transport, the meeting which was presided over by Dublin's Lord Mayor James Geoghegan heard that the plan has been improved.

Since 25 August, the number of people using public transport has increased by 11%.

Additionally, according to the National Transport Authority, over the previous month, public transport trip times on the north and south quays were reportedly cut by almost 24%.