The number of people coming into Dublin city centre each morning has increased for the second year in a row.

According to figures published today by the National Transport Authority (NTA) there was a 1% increase in the total number of people coming into the city centre in 2012. But it is still down over 10% or 22,000 trips on the 2006 peak.

This decrease is almost equivalent to all trips on Irish Rail and DART across the cordon in the morning peak in 2012. The NTA puts this down to the general economic downturn and the resulting rise in unemployment.

 Over 185,000 trips in 2012

The figures are drawn from the number of people crossing the canal cordons around Dublin either by bus, car, walking, cyclists, taxi and commercial vehicles.

Taking these means of travel into account there were were over 185,000 trips in 2012 down from the high of over 207,000 in 2006.

Bus accounted for over 60% of all incoming commute trips representing over 52,000 passengers in 2012. Walking and cycling were also up with car trips down in 2012.

Over the 10 year period 2002 to 2012 the volume of cars and taxis during the morning peak alos fell by 7.7%. There was also a 0.02% decrease in the last year.