By Business & Finance 
Retail Ireland, the Ibec group that represents the retail sector, has expressed serious concern at the effect of ongoing industrial action by Luas drivers on Dublin retailers and the plan for further action on two dates in March including St Patrick’s Day.
Tens of thousands of Dublin commuters have faced disruptions to their journeys thanks to disputes over Luas workers’ pay.
The strikes will cost Irish businesses thousands of euros in lost productivity, but it’s not just the bottom line that is at stake. With consumer expectations for 24/7 service accessibility, businesses that are unable to respond and interact with their customers face losing their reputation and the trust of their customers.
Thomas Burke, director, Retail Ireland, said: “The Luas is a crucial part of Dublin’s transport infrastructure and carries 15% of total daily shoppers into the city centre. At a time when retail businesses are only getting back on their feet after six years of recession, this interruption to transport services has the potential to seriously impact traders in the city centre and along the Luas routes. The prospect of action occurring during the St Patrick’s Day period, when the city is full of tourists, must be avoided.”
Hailo data from the last strike shows that demand for taxis was up 25% from 7.30am-9.30am on strike days (versus an average Thursday and Friday) and demand is expected to be high at these times again.
The data from the last strike also shows that journeys generally took longer, with more cars and traffic on the roads.
The average journey duration was up 35% week-on-week – stretching a usually 15-minute journey to over 20 minutes.
