Traffic in Dublin is set to slow down to an average speed of eight kilometres an hour in the next few years, a new report predicts.
And car exhaust pollution is going to cause an alarming level of respiratory and other illnesses as well as obesity.
The average speed in urban areas in the the morning peak hour in the capital will have dropped from the current 13kmh to 8kmh in 2016, an official Government report reveals.
The grim scenario also predicts that with a population of five million, car ownership could increase to beyond EU average levels.
The Department of Transport report obtained by the Irish Independent reveals that greenhouse gas emissions from transport could increase to 19 million tonnes of CO2 -- a 265pc increase over 1990 levels.
Under the Kyoto agreement Ireland is allowed to increase its emissions by only 13pc.
The report concludes that such increases in traffic, pollution and health damage are not acceptable or sustainable.
Transport Minister Noel Dempsey is said to be determined to warn the public of the 2016 scenario and get people to leave their cars at home and switch to public transport.
The minister is going to launch a new public consultation process on the issue of sustainable travel and transport early in the coming weeks.
A discussion document is almost ready to be published.
It has to be signed by Cabinet before being published to kick-start the public consultation phase.
The minister's aim is that by June of next year a clear, detailed sustainable action plan will be in place.
His vision is that by 2020 Ireland will have one of the best transportation systems in the world, which will go a long way to tackling the problems.
But according to Mr Dempsey we cannot get to that point by relying on Transport 21 initiatives alone and cycling, walking, flexible work arrangements and car pooling will also have to be involved.
Once the public consultation phase is over, a detailed plan will be drawn up.
A public information campaign will be launched similar to the Power of One campaign or the Race Against Waste.
Mr Dempsey says the plan is about getting people out of cars and into public transport, walking and cycling.
He said: "If we keep our current travel patterns by allowing business as usual and let cars continue to pour onto our streets then traffic congestion will increase, quality of life will fall, economic progress will be impacted negatively and our greenhouse gas emissions will continue to grow."
According to the report:
- The total number of private cars licensed may increase from 1,800,000 to 2,600,000 by 2016.
- Car use will continue to increase and the share of walking and cycling of the total commute will continue to decline.
- Average speed in urban areas in morning peak hour in Dublin will have dropped from 13kmh in 2006 to 8kmh in 2016.
- Increased dependence on cars will contribute to obesity.
- Traffic pollution will cause increasing damage to health and contribute to acute and chronic diseases.
- There will be increased congestion, which could lead to a decline in competitiveness.
- Energy supply could be "fragile" as a result of continued dependence on imported fossil fuels in the transport sector.
Between 1996 and 2006 there was unprecedented economic growth which saw Ireland's GDP double.
Population also increased by 17pc from 3,630,000 to 4,240,000
There was a 115pc increase in total road freight vehicle kilometres travelled and a 250pc rise in total tonnes carried.
There was a 38pc increase in the number of private cars per 1,000 adults from 382 to 528, still below the EU average of 558.
Treacy Hogan Environment Correspondent
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Showing posts with label Dublin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dublin. Show all posts
Friday, 28 December 2007
Tuesday, 7 August 2007
Gasworks sparks plan for €100m theatre
MORE than 650 construction jobs will be created as work begins on Ireland's biggest high-end theatre.
The ailing industry will take centre stage in Dublin this month as the foundations are laid for the €100m building that will replace the old Gasworks site.
Labourers will get a welcome encore as the playhouse, designed by the architect behind New York's Ground Zero memorial, is erected over the next three years.
An additional 100 permanent staff will also be employed to work in the theatre that will front a 10,000 square foot public space in what was once a no-go area at Grand Canal Square.
U2 manager Paul McGuinness, veteran broadcaster and road safety watchdog Gay Byrne, and radio star Gerry Ryan have agreed to sit on the theatre's honorary board.
With 2,200 seats, the theatre will be the focal point of the large square, an effect that will be heightened by red glazed paving that mimics a red carpet to its door.
Its proportions make it the optimum size agreed by the Ancients for an amphitheatre, without the need for artificial amplification.
It has a capacity far ahead of the most comparable venue, the Abbey, which is also set to move to the Docklands.
Theatre, opera and ballet will be staged at the Daniel Libeskind-designed venue. Its neighbours on the square will include a five star hotel, shops and restaurant bars including Ely HQ, which has been trading since February.
One of Dublin's industrial landmarks - the three Victorian circular cast iron ring gas holders, known as Alliance, Clayton and Dickens, will be completely replaced under the plan.
Of these, the only remaining gasholder is the Alliance dating from the 1880s which now forms part of an apartment building on South Lotts Road.
The project is being constructed for developer Harry Crosbie's Point Village company and the public square is being designed by American landscape architect Martha Schwartz.
"Eight years ago this was an abandoned, polluted and unused no go area," said Mr Crosbie. "In a few years, we will have replaced the old gasometers with a brand new theatre bringing the finest formal productions the world has to offer to Grand Canal Harbour."
Anne-Marie Walsh
Irish Independent
The ailing industry will take centre stage in Dublin this month as the foundations are laid for the €100m building that will replace the old Gasworks site.
Labourers will get a welcome encore as the playhouse, designed by the architect behind New York's Ground Zero memorial, is erected over the next three years.
An additional 100 permanent staff will also be employed to work in the theatre that will front a 10,000 square foot public space in what was once a no-go area at Grand Canal Square.
U2 manager Paul McGuinness, veteran broadcaster and road safety watchdog Gay Byrne, and radio star Gerry Ryan have agreed to sit on the theatre's honorary board.
With 2,200 seats, the theatre will be the focal point of the large square, an effect that will be heightened by red glazed paving that mimics a red carpet to its door.
Its proportions make it the optimum size agreed by the Ancients for an amphitheatre, without the need for artificial amplification.
It has a capacity far ahead of the most comparable venue, the Abbey, which is also set to move to the Docklands.
Theatre, opera and ballet will be staged at the Daniel Libeskind-designed venue. Its neighbours on the square will include a five star hotel, shops and restaurant bars including Ely HQ, which has been trading since February.
One of Dublin's industrial landmarks - the three Victorian circular cast iron ring gas holders, known as Alliance, Clayton and Dickens, will be completely replaced under the plan.
Of these, the only remaining gasholder is the Alliance dating from the 1880s which now forms part of an apartment building on South Lotts Road.
The project is being constructed for developer Harry Crosbie's Point Village company and the public square is being designed by American landscape architect Martha Schwartz.
"Eight years ago this was an abandoned, polluted and unused no go area," said Mr Crosbie. "In a few years, we will have replaced the old gasometers with a brand new theatre bringing the finest formal productions the world has to offer to Grand Canal Harbour."
Anne-Marie Walsh
Irish Independent
Monday, 9 April 2007
Ballymore Eustace refurbishment
This is pretty topical after Galway's problems ...
Ballymore is the largest Water Treatment Plant in Ireland and, over the next 5 years, will enhance its status as a state-of-the-art facility, developed to its full potential in serving Dublin City's water consumers.
This plant serves the water needs of approximately 1/3 of the population of Ireland. The contract duration will be for 4.5 years, with a total value of €70m. The Contractors appointed were ASCON Ltd for the Civil Contract and Earthtech Ltd for the Mechanical/Electrical contract.
The Ballymore Eustace Plant is on the shore of Poulaphuca Reservoir and supplies over 250 Ml/d of treated water to Dublin City. It was conceived in 1936 as a 166 million m3 reservoir in a catchment of 312km2 - with the dual purposes of water supply and hydro-electric power generation.
The current development - Stage 3 - which has been underway since 2000, now incorporates Stage 4 and is, by far, the largest to-date, with an expected cost of €70.0m. Initially a Design Build Operate and Finance Pilot, it was re-launched in 2004 as a 'traditional' procurement project. The scope includes:
* A complete refurbishment of the existing Plant to bring it into line with current technical, environmental and safety standards;
* New filtration, sedimentation, chemical, waste water and sludge facilities;
* A 2.4 MW new power system - complete with on-site power generation,
* On-site Electrolytic Chlorination disinfection, in place of less safe chlorine gas;
* A 36 station distributed control system, based on optical communications;
* A 54 Ml underground storage reservoir and outlet control system for treated water supply.
The fully-automated plant will also include modern staff, maintenance and training facilities in line with Dublin City Council's Partnership Forum objectives, an accredited water and environmental laboratory and a contemporary visitor and conference centre.
RPS completed designs and tender documents on the basis of two contracts (IEI Civil and MF1 Mechanical). Tenders were received and contracts were signed on the 29th of January with construction already underway. The construction programme is set for 4.5 years, primarily to accommodate the complex nature of the Works.
Ballymore is the largest Water Treatment Plant in Ireland and, over the next 5 years, will enhance its status as a state-of-the-art facility, developed to its full potential in serving Dublin City's water consumers.
This plant serves the water needs of approximately 1/3 of the population of Ireland. The contract duration will be for 4.5 years, with a total value of €70m. The Contractors appointed were ASCON Ltd for the Civil Contract and Earthtech Ltd for the Mechanical/Electrical contract.
The Ballymore Eustace Plant is on the shore of Poulaphuca Reservoir and supplies over 250 Ml/d of treated water to Dublin City. It was conceived in 1936 as a 166 million m3 reservoir in a catchment of 312km2 - with the dual purposes of water supply and hydro-electric power generation.
The current development - Stage 3 - which has been underway since 2000, now incorporates Stage 4 and is, by far, the largest to-date, with an expected cost of €70.0m. Initially a Design Build Operate and Finance Pilot, it was re-launched in 2004 as a 'traditional' procurement project. The scope includes:
* A complete refurbishment of the existing Plant to bring it into line with current technical, environmental and safety standards;
* New filtration, sedimentation, chemical, waste water and sludge facilities;
* A 2.4 MW new power system - complete with on-site power generation,
* On-site Electrolytic Chlorination disinfection, in place of less safe chlorine gas;
* A 36 station distributed control system, based on optical communications;
* A 54 Ml underground storage reservoir and outlet control system for treated water supply.
The fully-automated plant will also include modern staff, maintenance and training facilities in line with Dublin City Council's Partnership Forum objectives, an accredited water and environmental laboratory and a contemporary visitor and conference centre.
RPS completed designs and tender documents on the basis of two contracts (IEI Civil and MF1 Mechanical). Tenders were received and contracts were signed on the 29th of January with construction already underway. The construction programme is set for 4.5 years, primarily to accommodate the complex nature of the Works.
Tuesday, 9 January 2007
Dublin Coastal Development "The Biggest Construction Project in the History of the State"
The development will be constructed in five phases:
1. The construction of the South Wall motorway to the proposed development site in Dublin bay.
2. The construction of three artificial islands with a total surface area of over 12 square kilometers.
3. Infrastructure finalised. The tracks for the luas link tramway are laid. The completion of the link to the East Point Toll bridge and the N11.
4. The construction of the impressive central business district, the hub of commerce and industry.
5. The construction of the residential areas. The 2 tiers of apartments and villas. Over 42 thousand separate residences.
See more details :http://www.dublincoastaldevelopment.com/development.html
1. The construction of the South Wall motorway to the proposed development site in Dublin bay.
2. The construction of three artificial islands with a total surface area of over 12 square kilometers.
3. Infrastructure finalised. The tracks for the luas link tramway are laid. The completion of the link to the East Point Toll bridge and the N11.
4. The construction of the impressive central business district, the hub of commerce and industry.
5. The construction of the residential areas. The 2 tiers of apartments and villas. Over 42 thousand separate residences.
See more details :http://www.dublincoastaldevelopment.com/development.html
Monday, 11 December 2006
Iarnrod Eireann has revived plans for a €125 million office development at Tara Street Station
Iarnrod Eireann has revived plans for a €125 million office development at Tara Street Station in Dublin. Iarnrod Eireann has revived plans for a €125 million office development at Tara Street Station in Dublin. The proposed 14-storey office block is based on a proposal that received planning permission in 2002. The project was scrapped, however, after it emerged that the station, which is the country’s busiest, would have to close for 18 months during the construction of the building. The Sunday Business Post has learned that the company has revised these plans recently and is preparing to lodge a planning application for the development in mid-2007.
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