MORE THAN half of those living in the commuter belt areas around Dublin have no involvement with their local community and have problems with street drinking and vandalism, according to a survey carried out by the Labour Party.
Senator Dominic Hannigan, the party’s spokesman on the commuter belt, said the survey pointed to the need for action to improve the quality of life for people living in the urbanised areas of Louth, Meath, Kildare and Wicklow.
“In the last decade, there has been significant growth in population in the towns and villages around Dublin. This has generated considerable debate about commuter issues, but yet very little research exists about how residents feel about their quality of life. The purpose of our research is to plug this gap,” said Mr Hannigan.
Forty per cent of those who participated in the survey felt their quality of life had stayed the same, 31 per cent said it had got worse and 29 per cent said it had improved over the past five years.
While almost 60 per cent felt their town was growing at the right pace, more than half of them, 54 per cent, were not involved in any local community group, sports club or voluntary organisation. Despite this, 56 per cent felt there was a strong sense of community among the longer-term residents.
Vandalism and anti-social behaviour emerged as serious problems for people living in the commuter belt. Vandalism was described as a problem by 50 per cent, while property damage affected 28 per cent.
Street drinking was cited by 54 per cent as a problem, while noise affected 40 per cent and intimidation 26 per cent. Littering and dog fouling were a problem for 68 per cent of people.
In terms of services, 55 per cent use buses to get to work, 15 per cent drive, 23 per cent cycle or walk, 5 per cent go by train and 2 per cent work from home – and 95 per cent think bus or train services need to be improved.
People felt their journeys to work have increased over the past five years by an average of 30 per cent and while 90 per cent live within walking distance of a public house, only half live within walking distance to a playground.
Just one in six residents thinks their local council is doing enough to provide land for parks or football pitches, while over half of respondents complain about the quality of the water supply.
A large majority feels that the lack of facilities for young people is a big problem, most think class sizes are too large and 60 per cent do not think there are adequate recycling facilities. Mr Hannigan said to deal with the issues raised in the survey, councils should prioritise developments that offer community benefits and local and national agencies should do more to promote local jobs in business parks so commuting would not be such a big problem.
He also proposed that Garda numbers should be linked to the population growth of an area, more litter bins and recycling facilities should be provided and quality bus networks completed. More playgrounds and youth facilities were also needed, as was proper planning, to ensure there were sufficient school places before new housing was occupied.
The survey was compiled from 1,533 completed forms. A total of 80,000 survey forms were distributed to homes in the region.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Showing posts with label planning and transportation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label planning and transportation. Show all posts
Wednesday, 3 September 2008
Sunday, 23 March 2008
Low-capacity design favoured for Metro North
THE RAILWAY Procurement Agency (RPA) is to go ahead with a low-capacity design for Metro North, according to briefing documents circulated to the four consortiums which are bidding for the project. Tim O'Brien reports.
The agency confirmed to bidders at a specially organised "workshop" in recent weeks that it wanted to develop an underground which uses vehicles that are longer but similar in width and height to the overground Luas trams.
The Luas has already faced criticism from commentators, including Dr Garret FitzGerald, who say its current capacity problems relate to the fact that it is a lower-capacity tram system rather than a heavy-rail metro line.
However, the Green Line Luas was constructed so that it could be converted to a heavy-rail metro line by the addition of faster, wider-bodied carriages - at least from the Beechwood stop outbound.
However concern has been expressed that such an approach would not be possible under ground, unless the tunnel was constructed to a wider specification than that which has been indicated in the pre-tender advice given to the bidding companies at the workshop.
The agency's specification envisages a maximum 18,000-20,000 passengers an hour in each direction, in what would essentially be a 90m (295ft) underground tram.
In contrast, the overground Dart has a capacity of at least 36,000 passengers per direction per hour.
In a further difficulty for Metro North, its catchment area is much wider than the coastal Dart line, encompassing much of the mid-city, and taking in major installations such as the Mater hospital and its future extensions, DCU, Dublin airport and the expanding Fingal area of north Dublin.
RPA chief executive Frank Allen has said Metro North is fully compliant with population projections in the Fingal Development Plan.
However, the Dublin Institute of Technology Futures Academy has calculated that more than one million people could migrate to the Dublin-Belfast axis by 2020.
This would create additional development pressure beyond the Fingal administrative area, which would critically affect the usage projections for Metro North.
Faced with the problem, Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey has decided against asking the Railway Procurement Agency to build additional capacity in the Metro North tunnel, a feature he acknowledged would affect the cost.
However, Mr Dempsey failed to give the agency's plans his outright blessing, remarking that he "could not guarantee" that the capacity of the proposed Metro North was sufficient to meet population forecasts.
Speaking at the recent launch of plans for the CIÉ's underground Dart interconnector, which will use the wider-bodied trains, Mr Dempsey said he had been assured by the RPA that Metro North had sufficient capacity and, while he acknowledged that there were industry concerns about the issue, "the time for consultation and talking is finished".
The agency expects to issue tender documents to the bidders by May.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
The agency confirmed to bidders at a specially organised "workshop" in recent weeks that it wanted to develop an underground which uses vehicles that are longer but similar in width and height to the overground Luas trams.
The Luas has already faced criticism from commentators, including Dr Garret FitzGerald, who say its current capacity problems relate to the fact that it is a lower-capacity tram system rather than a heavy-rail metro line.
However, the Green Line Luas was constructed so that it could be converted to a heavy-rail metro line by the addition of faster, wider-bodied carriages - at least from the Beechwood stop outbound.
However concern has been expressed that such an approach would not be possible under ground, unless the tunnel was constructed to a wider specification than that which has been indicated in the pre-tender advice given to the bidding companies at the workshop.
The agency's specification envisages a maximum 18,000-20,000 passengers an hour in each direction, in what would essentially be a 90m (295ft) underground tram.
In contrast, the overground Dart has a capacity of at least 36,000 passengers per direction per hour.
In a further difficulty for Metro North, its catchment area is much wider than the coastal Dart line, encompassing much of the mid-city, and taking in major installations such as the Mater hospital and its future extensions, DCU, Dublin airport and the expanding Fingal area of north Dublin.
RPA chief executive Frank Allen has said Metro North is fully compliant with population projections in the Fingal Development Plan.
However, the Dublin Institute of Technology Futures Academy has calculated that more than one million people could migrate to the Dublin-Belfast axis by 2020.
This would create additional development pressure beyond the Fingal administrative area, which would critically affect the usage projections for Metro North.
Faced with the problem, Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey has decided against asking the Railway Procurement Agency to build additional capacity in the Metro North tunnel, a feature he acknowledged would affect the cost.
However, Mr Dempsey failed to give the agency's plans his outright blessing, remarking that he "could not guarantee" that the capacity of the proposed Metro North was sufficient to meet population forecasts.
Speaking at the recent launch of plans for the CIÉ's underground Dart interconnector, which will use the wider-bodied trains, Mr Dempsey said he had been assured by the RPA that Metro North had sufficient capacity and, while he acknowledged that there were industry concerns about the issue, "the time for consultation and talking is finished".
The agency expects to issue tender documents to the bidders by May.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Wednesday, 27 February 2008
City to get its own 'tube' in new plan
It dwarfs the scale and impact of the Port Tunnel.
The €2bn underground Dart through the heart of Dublin city centre will run every three minutes and carry up to 70,000 commuters an hour.
New images showing the scale of what will be one of the biggest ever infrastructure projects in Ireland, due to open in 2015 and comprising two entirely new Dart services, were also released yesterday.
The 5.2km line, an underground tunnel from the Docklands to Heuston station, will increase rail capacity from 33 million passenger journeys annually now to over 100 million.
Dr John Lynch, Iarnrod Eireann and CIE chairman, yesterday described the Dart underground line as "the missing link, not only in our rail infrastructure, but in our transport infrastructure".
"It will be the most critical project under Transport 21 in enabling people to switch from private transport to public transport, and will transform the capacity of the greater Dublin area rail network."
As part of the exciting plans, the northern line Dart services from Balbriggan and Howth will branch off the existing line after Clontarf Road, going underground at Docklands station, where they will connect with the red Luas line.
The Dart interconnector will continue underground to Pearse Station, before connecting with the green Luas and Metro at St Stephen's Green, and proceeding to Heuston. The Dart will go overground to Adamstown and Hazelhatch in Co Kildare.
A second new Dart line will connect Maynooth -- and a massive M3 park and ride at Pace -- to the existing Bray/Greystones Dart line, stopping at Glasnevin and Drumcondra.
Crucially, the new links join all rail modes -- Dart, commuter rail, intecity, Luas and the proposed Metro. A railway order application is being submitted for the project in 2009.
Timetable for underground link
- 2001: Project included in blueprint for integrated greater Dublin transport.
- 2006: Scheme is approved under the massive €34bn Transport 21 package.
- 2007: Public consultation.
- 2008: Detailed site investigations.
- 2008: Iarnrod Eireann will apply for a Railway Order for the project -- equivalent to planning permission.
- 2009: Public hearing into the underground, followed by an inspector's report. The many parts of the project will then be put out to tender.
- 2010: Construction work will begin involving a twin-bore tunnel at 30 metres depth. Some stations will be mined (Christ Church, St Stephen's Green), with others built using 'Cut and cover' methods (Heuston, Docklands).
- 2015: Underground open.
Treacy Hogan Environment Correspondent
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
The €2bn underground Dart through the heart of Dublin city centre will run every three minutes and carry up to 70,000 commuters an hour.
New images showing the scale of what will be one of the biggest ever infrastructure projects in Ireland, due to open in 2015 and comprising two entirely new Dart services, were also released yesterday.
The 5.2km line, an underground tunnel from the Docklands to Heuston station, will increase rail capacity from 33 million passenger journeys annually now to over 100 million.
Dr John Lynch, Iarnrod Eireann and CIE chairman, yesterday described the Dart underground line as "the missing link, not only in our rail infrastructure, but in our transport infrastructure".
"It will be the most critical project under Transport 21 in enabling people to switch from private transport to public transport, and will transform the capacity of the greater Dublin area rail network."
As part of the exciting plans, the northern line Dart services from Balbriggan and Howth will branch off the existing line after Clontarf Road, going underground at Docklands station, where they will connect with the red Luas line.
The Dart interconnector will continue underground to Pearse Station, before connecting with the green Luas and Metro at St Stephen's Green, and proceeding to Heuston. The Dart will go overground to Adamstown and Hazelhatch in Co Kildare.
A second new Dart line will connect Maynooth -- and a massive M3 park and ride at Pace -- to the existing Bray/Greystones Dart line, stopping at Glasnevin and Drumcondra.
Crucially, the new links join all rail modes -- Dart, commuter rail, intecity, Luas and the proposed Metro. A railway order application is being submitted for the project in 2009.
Timetable for underground link
- 2001: Project included in blueprint for integrated greater Dublin transport.
- 2006: Scheme is approved under the massive €34bn Transport 21 package.
- 2007: Public consultation.
- 2008: Detailed site investigations.
- 2008: Iarnrod Eireann will apply for a Railway Order for the project -- equivalent to planning permission.
- 2009: Public hearing into the underground, followed by an inspector's report. The many parts of the project will then be put out to tender.
- 2010: Construction work will begin involving a twin-bore tunnel at 30 metres depth. Some stations will be mined (Christ Church, St Stephen's Green), with others built using 'Cut and cover' methods (Heuston, Docklands).
- 2015: Underground open.
Treacy Hogan Environment Correspondent
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Sunday, 20 January 2008
Three-year M50 upgrade to start
Motorists using Dublin's M50 are set for further disruption, as phase two of the €1 billion upgrade starts on Monday.
Phase two, which involves additional lanes and the rebuilding of junctions on the northern and southwestern sections of the motorway, will take three years to complete. Phase one is due for completion next August.
The latest phase is a larger and more expensive project and will cost some €650 million.
The National Roads Authority (NRA) yesterday cited commercial reasons for not revealing how much of the €650 million is to be contributed by the State. The contractor, a Spanish-Irish consortium comprising FCC Construction SA, Itinere SA and J P Hegarty and Sons will maintain and service the entire motorway for the next 35 years.
It will be paid directly by the NRA from receipts it receives from tolls levied on cars passing the West-Link bridge. A spokesman for the NRA said there are no plans to collect tolls on sections of the motorway not already tolled.
Work is to begin between the M1 and M2 junctions only, on Monday, but will be expanded as the project progresses.
A small section from the Blanchardstown interchange with the N3, to the West-Link, which has been described as phase three, has already begun.
The section from Sandyford to the junction with the M11 is not being upgraded.
Further projects to improve capacity on the N7 and N4 roads resulting from the proposed increase in capacity on the M50 are also due to get under way this year. These include a free flow, "up and over" pass for the N7 at Newlands Cross and improvements to the Palmerstown junction on the N4.
Spokesman for the NRA Seán O'Neill said that while it was true phase two was to be a year longer than phase one, there was less traffic on phase two.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Phase two, which involves additional lanes and the rebuilding of junctions on the northern and southwestern sections of the motorway, will take three years to complete. Phase one is due for completion next August.
The latest phase is a larger and more expensive project and will cost some €650 million.
The National Roads Authority (NRA) yesterday cited commercial reasons for not revealing how much of the €650 million is to be contributed by the State. The contractor, a Spanish-Irish consortium comprising FCC Construction SA, Itinere SA and J P Hegarty and Sons will maintain and service the entire motorway for the next 35 years.
It will be paid directly by the NRA from receipts it receives from tolls levied on cars passing the West-Link bridge. A spokesman for the NRA said there are no plans to collect tolls on sections of the motorway not already tolled.
Work is to begin between the M1 and M2 junctions only, on Monday, but will be expanded as the project progresses.
A small section from the Blanchardstown interchange with the N3, to the West-Link, which has been described as phase three, has already begun.
The section from Sandyford to the junction with the M11 is not being upgraded.
Further projects to improve capacity on the N7 and N4 roads resulting from the proposed increase in capacity on the M50 are also due to get under way this year. These include a free flow, "up and over" pass for the N7 at Newlands Cross and improvements to the Palmerstown junction on the N4.
Spokesman for the NRA Seán O'Neill said that while it was true phase two was to be a year longer than phase one, there was less traffic on phase two.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Sunday, 30 December 2007
State to spend millions on land sold for 12
THE state is to spend tens of millions of euro reacquiring land for the planned DublinNavan rail line previously sold off by CIE to adjoining landowners for sums as low as IR£10 or less.
The alignment of the route is still intact, has only one public level crossing and is largely free of development.
However, it is no longer owned by CIE as the line from Clonsilla in west Dublin to Navan was sold off in its entirety in the late 1960s.
The old Navan rail line was closed completely in 1963. A subsequent decision to sell the land was made because, at a time of severe cutbacks in the rail network, there would have been ongoing costs of maintaining the land along the abandoned line, including fencing and drainage.
Given the narrow strips of land on offer, the only people interested in acquiring it at the time were adjacent landowners, primarily farmers.
This de facto buyers' market resulted in rock-bottom prices being charged for it . . . in some cases believed to be less than IR£10 ( 12.70).
That land must now be bought back as part of the project to re-instate the Navan rail line.
Presuming a positive outcome in Iarnrod Eireann's application for a Railway Order (the equivalent of planning permission for rail schemes), construction of the first phase of the Navan rail line . . . from Clonsilla to Dunboyne to the M3 interchange at Pace, north of Dunboyne . . . is likely to begin late next year and be completed in early 2010.
Around 40% of the project costs on Clonsilla-Dunboyne (M3) will be taken up by property acquisition, although not all of this relates to the land sold off 40 years ago.
The bill from this acquisition will run to tens of millions of euro and is provided for in the government's Transport 21 plan.
Sunday Tribune
www.buckplanning.ie
The alignment of the route is still intact, has only one public level crossing and is largely free of development.
However, it is no longer owned by CIE as the line from Clonsilla in west Dublin to Navan was sold off in its entirety in the late 1960s.
The old Navan rail line was closed completely in 1963. A subsequent decision to sell the land was made because, at a time of severe cutbacks in the rail network, there would have been ongoing costs of maintaining the land along the abandoned line, including fencing and drainage.
Given the narrow strips of land on offer, the only people interested in acquiring it at the time were adjacent landowners, primarily farmers.
This de facto buyers' market resulted in rock-bottom prices being charged for it . . . in some cases believed to be less than IR£10 ( 12.70).
That land must now be bought back as part of the project to re-instate the Navan rail line.
Presuming a positive outcome in Iarnrod Eireann's application for a Railway Order (the equivalent of planning permission for rail schemes), construction of the first phase of the Navan rail line . . . from Clonsilla to Dunboyne to the M3 interchange at Pace, north of Dunboyne . . . is likely to begin late next year and be completed in early 2010.
Around 40% of the project costs on Clonsilla-Dunboyne (M3) will be taken up by property acquisition, although not all of this relates to the land sold off 40 years ago.
The bill from this acquisition will run to tens of millions of euro and is provided for in the government's Transport 21 plan.
Sunday Tribune
www.buckplanning.ie
Wednesday, 5 December 2007
Lee Valley bridge part of €500m road
A LANDMARK high-level bridge over the environmentally sensitive Lee Valley is included in the preferred route for the first phase of Cork’s €500 million northern ring road.
Engineers from the National Roads Authority (NRA) will announce the preferred route corridor for the western section of the crucial highway project later today.
But the Irish Examiner has learned the shortest route which requires the least number of new structures has been selected.
The 300-metre wide corridor which runs from Ballincollig, west of the city, to Rathpeacon in the north, is a combination of two of the nine routes which were considered — the so-called “grey” and “purple” routes.
The grey section runs from the Poulavone Roundabout, north through rolling countryside between Kerrypike and Clogheen to join the main Cork to Mallow road. The purple section will then link the western section to the main Cork to Dublin Road.
The section affects the least number of houses and has the least noise and vibration impact on a lower number of existing dwellings, engineers said.
However, the grey section includes a vast landmark high-level bridge, between 35m and 40m high, running for several hundred metres across the Lee’s floodplain below Carrigrohane Castle.
It is likely to spark a controversy from local groups who have vowed to fight any such project. Residents living within the preferred corridor will be briefed by NRA officials this morning before the route goes on public display. In documents to be distributed today, engineers said the preferred route was selected for a number of reasons, including the fact that it is the shortest. They also said it:
Uses the existing Poulavone link, constructed as part of the Ballincollig bypass project.
Requires the minimum number of new structures.
Performed well under environmental studies.
Is the best option under cost benefit analysis.
Is one of the preferred options with regard to planning.
They said the use of high-level bridge structures has already been successfully used in Ireland, to cross the environmentally sensitive Boyne Valley.
“Preliminary designs indicate the required bridge would be 35 to 40 metres in height,” the documentation says.
“It is envisaged this new bridge crossing could form a landmark feature for Cork, similar to the Boyne Valley Crossing.”
Drawing and maps of the preferred route will be on display in the Kingsley Hotel from 2pm to 8pm today.
Irish Examiner
www.buckplanning.ie
Engineers from the National Roads Authority (NRA) will announce the preferred route corridor for the western section of the crucial highway project later today.
But the Irish Examiner has learned the shortest route which requires the least number of new structures has been selected.
The 300-metre wide corridor which runs from Ballincollig, west of the city, to Rathpeacon in the north, is a combination of two of the nine routes which were considered — the so-called “grey” and “purple” routes.
The grey section runs from the Poulavone Roundabout, north through rolling countryside between Kerrypike and Clogheen to join the main Cork to Mallow road. The purple section will then link the western section to the main Cork to Dublin Road.
The section affects the least number of houses and has the least noise and vibration impact on a lower number of existing dwellings, engineers said.
However, the grey section includes a vast landmark high-level bridge, between 35m and 40m high, running for several hundred metres across the Lee’s floodplain below Carrigrohane Castle.
It is likely to spark a controversy from local groups who have vowed to fight any such project. Residents living within the preferred corridor will be briefed by NRA officials this morning before the route goes on public display. In documents to be distributed today, engineers said the preferred route was selected for a number of reasons, including the fact that it is the shortest. They also said it:
Uses the existing Poulavone link, constructed as part of the Ballincollig bypass project.
Requires the minimum number of new structures.
Performed well under environmental studies.
Is the best option under cost benefit analysis.
Is one of the preferred options with regard to planning.
They said the use of high-level bridge structures has already been successfully used in Ireland, to cross the environmentally sensitive Boyne Valley.
“Preliminary designs indicate the required bridge would be 35 to 40 metres in height,” the documentation says.
“It is envisaged this new bridge crossing could form a landmark feature for Cork, similar to the Boyne Valley Crossing.”
Drawing and maps of the preferred route will be on display in the Kingsley Hotel from 2pm to 8pm today.
Irish Examiner
www.buckplanning.ie
Monday, 29 October 2007
DTO to prepare Transport Strategy to 2030
The Dublin Transportation Office is to develop a new Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area (GDA), which will set out the infrastructure and other requirements for the region for the period 2010-2030.
The new Strategy will be published in two years' time and will be the successor to the DTO's previous strategy proposal - A Platform for Change: Strategy 2000-2016 - published in 2000, which was the first plan to propose Luas, Metro and a Quality Bus Network for the GDA (Dublin, Kildare, Meath and Wicklow).
The DTO Strategy Team's plans include major consultation - to involve all companies, agencies and representative groups involved in providing and using transportation in the region - as well as an inclusive public consultation programme, which will invite views, suggestions and feedback from everyone in Ireland.
Extensive use of the DTO's state-of-the-art Transportation Modelling software will be used to determine the ideal transport network, modes, capacities and frequencies to cater for the levels of demand forecast for the region in 20 years' time.
To prepare the Strategy, the DTO has issued a comprehensive Tender Notice, which includes -
* Transport and land use planning advice (transport infrastructure and services, demand-side measures)
* transport/land use studies;
* data collection (transport, land use and environmental);
* data analysis;
* transport and land use modelling work (including enhancement of DTO model and model calibration);
* data analysis;
* Strategic Environmental Assessment - and
* related technical and administrative advice.
Announcing the move, DTO Director/CEO John Henry said - "Transport impacts on everyone and has a direct impact on people's quality of life. It is timely that we are now starting to visualise the type of City and Region we want for the year 2030 and putting the plans in place that will meet those objectives and take us there.
"We will be involving all the agencies involved in providing transport in the GDA and we will be seeking the involvement of people living and working in the region - as well as people living throughout the rest of Ireland, who visit their Capital region for leisure or other reasons."
Mr Henry added - "We will also be involving policy-makers from other relevant sectors - including Environment, Land Use, Health, Education and Energy - in our planning. Real improvements in quality of life for all Dubliners will come from coordinating all our long-term planning in this way."
The new Strategy will be published in two years' time and will be the successor to the DTO's previous strategy proposal - A Platform for Change: Strategy 2000-2016 - published in 2000, which was the first plan to propose Luas, Metro and a Quality Bus Network for the GDA (Dublin, Kildare, Meath and Wicklow).
The DTO Strategy Team's plans include major consultation - to involve all companies, agencies and representative groups involved in providing and using transportation in the region - as well as an inclusive public consultation programme, which will invite views, suggestions and feedback from everyone in Ireland.
Extensive use of the DTO's state-of-the-art Transportation Modelling software will be used to determine the ideal transport network, modes, capacities and frequencies to cater for the levels of demand forecast for the region in 20 years' time.
To prepare the Strategy, the DTO has issued a comprehensive Tender Notice, which includes -
* Transport and land use planning advice (transport infrastructure and services, demand-side measures)
* transport/land use studies;
* data collection (transport, land use and environmental);
* data analysis;
* transport and land use modelling work (including enhancement of DTO model and model calibration);
* data analysis;
* Strategic Environmental Assessment - and
* related technical and administrative advice.
Announcing the move, DTO Director/CEO John Henry said - "Transport impacts on everyone and has a direct impact on people's quality of life. It is timely that we are now starting to visualise the type of City and Region we want for the year 2030 and putting the plans in place that will meet those objectives and take us there.
"We will be involving all the agencies involved in providing transport in the GDA and we will be seeking the involvement of people living and working in the region - as well as people living throughout the rest of Ireland, who visit their Capital region for leisure or other reasons."
Mr Henry added - "We will also be involving policy-makers from other relevant sectors - including Environment, Land Use, Health, Education and Energy - in our planning. Real improvements in quality of life for all Dubliners will come from coordinating all our long-term planning in this way."
Tuesday, 7 August 2007
Proposed 30kph speed limit in Dublin city centre
Dublin City Council is considering the introduction of a 30kph speed limit in the core of Dublin City Centre.
This is being proposed as a safety measure and is in line with the current Road Safety Plan. The area under consideration is between Parnell Square and St Stephens Green - and, on the quays, between the Four Courts and the Custom House.
Under current legislation, it is not possible to introduce such speed limits on National Primary Roads. The National Roads Authority (NRA) is proposing to de-list National roads in the City area - following which, work on drafting the bye-laws will commence. As the de-listing process is at the discretion of the NRA, it is not possible, at this juncture, to confirm when the proposed routes will be de-listed.
Draft bye-laws would then be submitted to the Transportation Strategic Policy Committee (SPC), prior to initiating a public consultation process. Following public consultation, the bye-laws would then be brought back before the Transportation SPC ahead of being submitted to a full meeting of the City Council.
The making of speed limit bye-laws is a function reserved for the elected members of the City Council.
This is being proposed as a safety measure and is in line with the current Road Safety Plan. The area under consideration is between Parnell Square and St Stephens Green - and, on the quays, between the Four Courts and the Custom House.
Under current legislation, it is not possible to introduce such speed limits on National Primary Roads. The National Roads Authority (NRA) is proposing to de-list National roads in the City area - following which, work on drafting the bye-laws will commence. As the de-listing process is at the discretion of the NRA, it is not possible, at this juncture, to confirm when the proposed routes will be de-listed.
Draft bye-laws would then be submitted to the Transportation Strategic Policy Committee (SPC), prior to initiating a public consultation process. Following public consultation, the bye-laws would then be brought back before the Transportation SPC ahead of being submitted to a full meeting of the City Council.
The making of speed limit bye-laws is a function reserved for the elected members of the City Council.
Friday, 3 August 2007
'Suas' the cable car planned for quays
A COMPANY is seeking to fast-track the planning process and secure permission to develop a cable car service along the Dublin quays.
The Liffey Cable Car Company is among 53 applicants who have sought permission from An Bord Pleanala to build a range of large projects under a new system allowing applications to be processed more quickly.
The cable car - known as Suas - would run between Heuston Station and the Docklands and would transport sightseers at heights close to 80 metres above the river from the Guinness Brewery near Heuston to a terminal near the planned national conference centre at Spencer Dock.
Said to be inspired by the success of the London Eye, it is designed more as a tourist attraction than for public transport.
But a poll on an architect's website found that just 10pc of respondents welcomed the scheme, with 41pc saying it would destroy the visual appearance of the city. The remainder described it as "Disneyland gimmickry" and a "complete waste of money".
The proposal is among dozens received by An Bord Pleanala under the Strategic Infrastructure Act, which came into effect last January. This allows certain projects to be dealt with directly by An Bord Pleanala, rather than having to be adjudicated by local authorities. Other schemes seeking approval include the controversial Corrib Gas pipeline, the €1bn redevelopment of Galway's Ceannt Station and the extension of the Luas Red line from Tallaght to Citywest.
Another application relates to the reopening of the railway line between Clonsilla and Dunboyne, Co Meath, which would be good news for commuters if approved swiftly.
Paul Melia
Irish Independent
The Liffey Cable Car Company is among 53 applicants who have sought permission from An Bord Pleanala to build a range of large projects under a new system allowing applications to be processed more quickly.
The cable car - known as Suas - would run between Heuston Station and the Docklands and would transport sightseers at heights close to 80 metres above the river from the Guinness Brewery near Heuston to a terminal near the planned national conference centre at Spencer Dock.
Said to be inspired by the success of the London Eye, it is designed more as a tourist attraction than for public transport.
But a poll on an architect's website found that just 10pc of respondents welcomed the scheme, with 41pc saying it would destroy the visual appearance of the city. The remainder described it as "Disneyland gimmickry" and a "complete waste of money".
The proposal is among dozens received by An Bord Pleanala under the Strategic Infrastructure Act, which came into effect last January. This allows certain projects to be dealt with directly by An Bord Pleanala, rather than having to be adjudicated by local authorities. Other schemes seeking approval include the controversial Corrib Gas pipeline, the €1bn redevelopment of Galway's Ceannt Station and the extension of the Luas Red line from Tallaght to Citywest.
Another application relates to the reopening of the railway line between Clonsilla and Dunboyne, Co Meath, which would be good news for commuters if approved swiftly.
Paul Melia
Irish Independent
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