Category Archives: Transport / Taisteal

Objection in relation to proposed redesign of Grange Road junction with industrial estate and design of roads in new development near Red Arches

I have made the following observation:

Observation in relation to Planning Application F16A/0412 at Stapolin, Baldoyle

A chairde,

Please find my observation below.

Availability of information

The majority of the graphics on the online planning file are poorly copied and only partly legible. The technology is easily available to produce good quality copies and it should be used.

Grange Road junction design

Grange Road is identified in the GDA Cycle Network (https://www.nationaltransport.ie/publications/transport-planning/gda-cycle-network-plan/) as a Secondary Route, with the importance of Baldoyle Industrial Estate as an employment centre emphasised.

The proposed redesign of the Grange Road junction will not provide a quality environment suited to cyclists of all ages and abilities. The opportunity should be taken to provide fully cyclist segregation and traffic light phasing at this junction, providing separate cycle facilities on all arms of the junction.

The Dutch Design Manual for Bicycle Traffic (CROW, 2016, ISBN 978 90 6628 659 7) contains this guidance:

The Irish National Cycle Manual (www.cyclemanual.ie) approaches the division differently but also leads to the same conclusion, given emphasis by its advice that right turning cyclists should not be required to cross multiple lanes of traffic.

The Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets (http://www.dttas.ie/corporate/publications/english/design-manual-urban-roads-and-streets ) contains similar advice.

The County Development Plan requires “the design of roads, including cycle infrastructure, in line with the Principles of Sustainable Safety in a manner consistent with the National Cycle Manual and the Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets.”

Given that large numbers of HGVs use this junction, it is essential that segregated cycle facilities, with adequate visibility and dedicated cycle and pedestrian phases are provided at this junction.

Overall street design principles for the new development

In line with the Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets, the design speed for all roads in the development should be 30km/h and the area should be brought forward for designation as a 30km/h zone straight away so that the designation will be in place before any new streets/roads are opened to use.

Contra flow cycle facilities

One-way routes in the new development should provide for contra flow cycle traffic, as advised in the National Cycle Manual.

Allocation of street space to planting rather than parking

Given the information in the Additional Information response in relation to the over-provision of parking spaces, the fact that the County Development Plan standards are maxima not minima and the proximity of the development to Clongriffin Station, it is important that available street space is used for planting to provide a high quality environment in line with the Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets.

Best regards,

Cllr. David Healy

Moyne River greenway; Hole in the Wall junction

The design for the Hole in the Wall junction proposal came before the Area Committee and full Council this month. See the details of the proposal and my submission for more information.

The significant change in the design is the provision for a wide underpass to facilitate a separate greenway along the Moyne River (linking eastwards to the route under the Red Arches which is being progressed with the Coastal cycleway and westwards to new neighbourhoods and schools in Belmayne as well as future developments in Belcamp.) The design is also being adjusted to ensure the streamflow is maintained and that wildlife can use the underpass to move along the river. These are very welcome changes.

In relation to the specific design of the junction, the indication was that the NTA were happy with the design as proposed. Nonetheless I think this would be a good location to trial a Dutch junction design and will continue to follow up.

Progress on Kinsealy Greenways

At the Area Committee today it was confirmed that the NTA has approved €50,000 for a feasibility study into the Kinsealy Greenways proposal, following the Area Committee’s meeting with them in January.

These are the indicative routes to be studied.

Kinsealy to Holywell via Abbeville

Portmarnock to Kinsealy

Balgriffin to Kinsealy

Access to train stations

Although all national and local policy talks about prioritising public transport, walking and cycling and ensuring as many people as possible can avail of it, it is often not implemented in practice.

Howth Malahide Area Committee (Services A – Operational Matters)

Wednesday, 5 April 2017

Councillor D. Healy – Signage to Sutton Dart Station. AI036626

“To ask the Chief Executive what progress has been made in relation to the provision of signs indicating the routes for pedestrians and cyclists from Dublin Road and Warrenhouse Road to Sutton Dart Station via Binn Éadair View and Railway Avenue and also in the opposite directions since the matter was raised at this Committee in May 2015.”

Reply:

These laneways were intended for local access to the DART Station. It would be inappropriate to sign the area as a pedestrian and cycle route for the general public through these residential areas.

HOWTH-MALAHIDE AREA COMMITTEE MEETING (Services A – Operational Matters)

Wednesday 6th May, 2015

ITEM NO. 11

DIRECTIONAL SIGNAGE FOR SUTTON DART STATION

Question: Councillor D. Healy

“To ask the Chief Executive to provide signs indicating the routes for pedestrians and cyclists from Dublin Road and Warrenhouse Road to Sutton Dart Station via Binn Éadair View and Railway Avenue and also in the opposite directions?”

Reply: The area will be inspected and appropriate signage erected.

Sutton

Between Sutton Train Station and Lauder’s Lane there is a pedestrian route. Unfortunately it is badly surfaced and after rain is a string of puddles. Iarnród Éireann met with the the Area Committee in June 2015 and promised to address it. I’m still following up the lack of progress in this.

Howth Junction

My response to the public consultation on Clontarf to City Centre Cycle Route

My response is here. The deadline for your response is 4.30 on 9th March.

Clontarf to City Centre Cycle Route – contact Dublin City Council

Dublin City Council has published a proposal to redesign the cycle route from Clontarf to Amiens St. This is the main route to the city centre for residents of the Howth/Malahide ward. The previous time they did a redesign in this area for a quality bus corridor in 2006 they failed to design safely for cyclists. Unfortunately they have come up with another unsafe design.

My concerns are as follows:

BICYCLES AND BUSES SHOULD NOT BE MIXED.
This is the busiest arterial cycle route in Dublin, with over 1400 cyclists and over 200 buses crossing Newcomen bridge southwards in the morning peak. The proposed design means buses would continue to pull across the cycle lane to reach the bus stops. This is bad news for both cyclists and bus passengers. We believe the design should be suitable for cyclists of all ages and abilities. This means `island` bus stops.

FAIRVIEW’S STREET TREES SHOULD BE SAVED.

The proposed design involves the removal of all of the footpath trees in front of Fairview Park, over 50 mostly mature trees. There is plenty of space in Fairview for a good design without felling these valuable trees.
SPACE SHOULD BE TAKEN FROM THE ROAD NOT THE FOOTPATH.

Because of a decision to maintain multiple traffic lanes, space will be taken from footpaths for the design. This makes no sense when there is less space for cars in the City Centre and the official goal is to favour walking and cycling. The design should prioritise walking, cycling and public transport because these move the most people along the route.

JUNCTIONS MUST BE SAFE FOR WALKING AND CYCLING.

The design proposes some real improvements to junctions. However other pedestrian crossings and cycle facilities have been ruled out because the required traffic signal timings would reduce capacity for cars through the junctions. Designing for pedestrians’ and cyclists’ safety should be the first priority.

Further information on the proposal is here. If you agree with these points, please make your views known to Dublin City Council, Block 4, Floor 3, Civic Offices, Wood Quay, Dublin 8 traffic@dublincity.ie before 16:30 on 9th March 2017.

Current and future mixing of bicycles and buses

Approach to cycleways being taken in London in recent years

Fingal County Council has agreed to make a submission following a motion I raised at the Howth/Malahide Area Committee.

Submission in relation to redesign of Mayne Road/ Hole in the Wall Road junction

A proposal for a new junction at Hole in the Wall Road / Mayne Road is on public display until 9th March.

I have made the following submission:

As discussed at the Area Committee, i would like to see alternative options for junction design being considered at this location. In particular, the design set out in this video has a lot to recommend it in terms of safety. I have used junctions like this and found them much better than the design proposed.

It’s quite a simple proposal but I particularly urge anyone who cycles or walks on these roads to have a look at contribute their comments.

Fingal agrees to encourage the development of car-free neighbourhoods

The Council today confirmed the following amendment I proposed to the Draft Development Plan:

“At locations where higher density development is being provided, encourage the development of car-free neighbourhoods, where non-motorised transport is allowed and motorised vehicles have access only for deliveries but must park outside the neighbourhood, creating a much better quality public realm with green infrastructure, public health, economic and community benefits.”

It reflects successful experience in neighbourhoods such as Vauban in Germany and entire suburban towns like Houten in the Netherlands, as well of course in old cities around the world.

Fingal agrees to provide 30km/h environment in the vicinity of schools

Following public display, the Council has voted, (by a margin of 1 vote!) to confirm the inclusion of the following in the Development Plan:

“Ensure that as soon as possible, but by the end of the lifetime of the Development Plan, the environment in the immediate vicinity of schools is a safe and attractive low speed (30km/h) environment, and drop-off by car within a given distance restricted.”

The text is copied from the National Cycle Policy Framework; it is something which should be happening at all schools nationwide by 2020.

Amendments to County Development Plan

Fingal County Council is currently preparing the County Development Plan to run from 2017 to 2023. The Draft Plan was on public display between February and April 2016 and a report on the over 900 responses received was supplied to Councillors at the end of July.

As Councillors we had until yesterday, 6th September, to draft proposals to amend the Plan based on the public consultation. Those amendments which the Council agrees to will go on public display in November.

I submitted amendments to a wide range of topics in the plan. A copy of my proposed amendments is here. In order to make them easy to navigate I have grouped them into the following topics:

On Special Amenity Area Order and Dublin Bay Biosphere Reserve
On cycle pedestrian routes to be added to the map
On public transport reservation from Clongriffin/Portmarnock – Balgriffin – Belcamp – Clonshaugh to metro reservations south of Dublin Airport
In relation to the Moyne Road bypass proposal based on discussions at the previous stage of the Development Plan and in response to submissions by the developer of the adjoining residentially zoned land and Portmarnock Community Association
On the zoning of the industrial estates beside Howth Junction railway station based on issues I raised at the previous stage of the Plan and a submission from a local business.
On the process for sub-county level plans based on the experience of Fingal councillors and citizens as well as submissions from public authorities including the National Transport Authority
Based on Fáilte Ireland’s submission
In relation to the circular economy and sustainable resource use
In response to the submission by Keep Ireland Open, Fáilte Ireland and others concerned with access to the countryside
Based on concerns about Fingal’s approach to open space in high density development, an issue raised both by developers and residents
On the transition to a low carbon climate resilient economy, a legal obligation of the Plan under the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act and raised in a range of submissions
On adaptation to climate change
On Ecosystem Services Approach
Transport motions based on a range of submissions by local road users and public transport users and the NTA
Motion incorporating text from the Dublin City Development plan in relation to cycle parking as recommended by the submission from the National Transport Authority
In relation to cycling in response to a wide range of submissions seeking better and safer cycling insfrastructure.
Based on text in the National Cycling Policy Framework, to which some of the submissions refer.