Motorists who flout a ban on right-hand turns from Dublin's north quays onto O'Connell Street, which takes effect from Sunday, will be hit with a €60 fine and have a penalty point put on their licence.

Cars will be reduced to one lane of traffic on the north and south quays on the approaches to and from O'Connell Bridge, with a ban on right-hand turns from Bachelor's Walk onto O'Connell Bridge, Dublin City Council has said.

The changes are designed to reduce delays for buses and to facilitate Luas Cross City, which begins operations in December.

This will result in trams crossing O'Connell Bridge every three minutes.

Dublin City Council's head of technical services Brendan O'Brien said that up to 500 cars which use the north quays in the morning peak would be hit with delays. Some 160 per hour take the right-hand turn to cross the River Liffey.

But he said motorists on the north quays could take a right at Watling Street towards St James's Street, or at Church Street, towards Christchurch, which would speed up journey times.

"There will be some additional delays but there are other routes motorists can use," Mr O'Brien said.

Under the new system, an extra bus lane on the north quays, from Upper Ormond Quay to Eden Quay, will be installed and an extra bus lane on the south quays between Burgh and Essex quays.

This will reduce cars to one lane. New bus priority traffic signals on Bachelors Walk, some 100 metres before O'Connell Bridge, will control traffic flows and give priority to public transport. Cars can continue straight ahead to Eden Quay and turn left onto O'Connell Street.

Mr O'Brien said the changes were not designed to penalise motorists and they would be reviewed in February.

Irish Independent