Category Archives: Walking & Cycling / Siúil & Rothaíocht

Portmarnock to Baldoyle Greenway gets go-ahead

An Bord Pleanála has approved the Baldoyle to Portmarnock Greenway. Here’s the decision.

Provision of this important link for people walking and cycling in the Baldoyle and Portmarnock areas has been a priority for local residents and Councillors.  This is an important part of a wider network. The use of segregated routes to link the suburban towns in the area is an approach I hope will be followed. This is also an amenity route similar to the coastal promenade from Sutton to Sandycove and gives access to the new parkland between Baldoyle and Portmarnock.

I particular welcome the scaling down of the lighting proposed for the route, which I called for in my submission. It is very positive to see An Bord Pleanála take proper account of the impact on bats and on the visual character of the Green Belt by requiring that the lighting be by bollards rather than the 6m poles originally proposed.

Further info:

My submission to An Bord Pleanála

Wider context of work on Greenways in Fingal (Report to Planning and Strategic Infrastructure SPC 23rd July)

Fingal to work on improving cycling access to Howth/Malahide Secondary Schools

Following discussions with teachers in two of the local secondary schools, I proposed the following motion to the Area Committee last week:

“That the Council consults with students and teachers in the secondary schools in the Howth / Malahide Area in relation to the improvements needed in order to improve the safety of the access routes to the schools and in order to facilitate an increase in the numbers of students travelling to and from school by foot or by bicycle and a reduction in the numbers travelling to school by car.”

The motion was agreed at the meeting. I think there is a mixture of approaches needed, varying between schools. Two important aspects of this are the Green Schools Committees, one of whose targets for getting Green Flags is transport, and the potential to get students involved in solving the problems they experience cycling to school

Make your observation in relation to the Baldoyle to Portmarnock Greenway by Friday

Friday is the deadline for observations on the proposed greenway from Baldoyle to Portmarnock. Observations should be made to An Bord Pleanála in relation to application 300840. My submission strongly supports the route which has been one of my main goals as a Councillor. The changes I propose to the application are that a) the lighting needs to be minimal to protect both the wildlife and the landscape and b) the path structure and surface need to be designed and built to a high standard.

Baldoyle to Portmarnock Greenway is before An Bord Pleanála

Fingal County Council has applied to An Bord Pleanála for permission for a greenway between Baldoyle and Portmarnock. Details of the application are online here as well as in Baldoyle Library and the Council’s offices in Swords and Blanchardstown. Observations on the proposal can be made to An Bord Pleanála until 23rd March.

The cycling and walking route between Baldoyle and Portmarnock will provide for a high quality transport link and amenity route through the Green Belt between these towns. It responds to the demand from local residents for improved green transport opportunities along what is now a hostile stretch of road. It is part of the Bray to Balbriggan coastal greenway which the Green Party has been working for over many years.

 The application is for a high quality route with pedestrians and cyclists separated. This recognises the importance of the route for transport cyclists as well as its role as an amenity for the public walking along the nature conservation area at Baldoyle Estuary and the Mayne River.screen-shot-2018-02-07-at-8-13-34-pm

However, I am concerned about the proposal for 6m high lighting columns along the route. I will be proposing to An Bord Pleanála that these be replaced with low level lighting or path markings instead.

An Bord Pleanála deletes Grange Road Junction from planning permission

In response to my observation, An Bord Pleanála has deleted the Grange Road junction redesign from the planning permission.

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These are the relevant findings in the inspector’s report:
“The proposed development includes works to increase the capacity of the signalised junction between Grange Road and Longfield Road. They would provide an extra lane on the Longfield Road approaching that junction, removing one that heads north away from the junction. They would also provide a left turning lane on the Grange Road approaching the junction from the east and move the signals there forward, removing an existing advance stop line for right-turning cyclists. The proposed works have been justified by the applicant and the Roads Division of the council by reference to modelling of vehicular movements, but an elected member has objected to them as they fail to provide a sufficient level of service for cyclists on a route identified for such in the development plan. The proposed works to the junction would diminish the level of service for cyclists travelling east on Grange Road by removing an advanced stop line and introducing another slip lane, but only to a limited extent. However the local area plan sets out a comprehensive set of proposals regarding roads and access that do not include the works to this junction. The details submitted in the course of the application do not address the potential impact of the proposed works on pedestrians and cyclists, nor do they address the role of Grange Road as an main route serving an area much wider than that covered by the LAP, or the implications of the designation of a school site beside the junction. In these circumstances it would not be prudent to authorise the works to the junction as part of the proposed development. If works are required to this junction, their effects would need to be properly considered by the council before the design was finalised. It would therefore be appropriate that the applicant’s contribution to such works was in the form of a special contribution under section 48(c) of the planning act.”

The full report is online at: http://www.pleanala.ie/casenum/248970.htm

I have included the issue of redesigning the junction for the safety of cyclists and pedestrians on the agenda of the January area committee meeting.

Malahide to Donabate Greenway to go to An Bord Pleanála early in 2018

At yesterday’s Area Committee meeting we received this presentation on the Malahide to Donabate Greenway, which will run along the west side of the railway across the Broadmeadow Estuary. It is great to see the proposal so well advanced. I made some comments on the details which can be seen at item 23 of the webcast.

Report from Vélo-City Conference in Netherlands

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In June I attended the Vélo-city conference in Nijmegen. It featured both presentations on how to provide for people of all ages and abilities using bicycles in the Netherlands and worldwide, and site visits to successful cyclist- and pedestrian-oriented road and street design in Nijmegen and neighbouring areas. I have submitted this report on some of the lessons I have taken from the trip. I’m happy to give any more information as I can.

A copy of the Brief Dutch Design Manual for Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridges, referred to in the report is here.

Observation to An Bord Pleanála on Grange Road Junction

Following my observation to Fingal County Council in relation to the Grange Road junction, the Council granted permission including a condition that the details of the junction be revised to prioritise cyclists. This means that the basic junction won’t change and that the revised design would be agreed with no public participation. I have made an observation to An Bord Pleanála  asking them to require the submission of a revised design and suggested a possible approach based on Dutch practice on distributor road junctions. I am grateful in particular to the local residents who cycle through this junction and who gave me feedback on the issue.

Response to Parks and Open Spaces Bye-laws consultation

There was a public consultation earlier in the year in relation to bye-laws for Open Spaces and Parks. I opposed the provision in relation to dogs and cyclists before they went on display and made the following submission to the consultation. It also addresses the use of motor vehicles in parks.

Cycling in parks and open spaces, giving way to pedestrians

Chapter:
Section One – Bye Law 4.6(A) Traffic, Bicycles, …
Chapter topic:
I disagree with the proposed amendment

The proposed bye-law bans all cycling in parks and open spaces, including linear routes, except on
– designated routes and
– for children under 12 accompanied by adults.

To the best of my knowledge there are no such designated routes. Certainly there’s no information online as to any such routes.

The bye-law is a slight adjustment of the existing bye-law.

Routes through a number of Fingal parks and open spaces are included in the GDA Cycle Network Plan. The National Cycle Policy Framework promotes the use of parks to create traffic-free routes.
Objectives of the County Development Plan include providing cycle routes through a number of Fingal Parks and implementing the Cycle Network Plan . Renewing a bye-law banning cycling on these routes is not acceptable and is not in compliance with the County Development Plan.

Many Fingal parks are important routes to for local students accessing secondary schools by bicycle. For example Seagrange Park Baldoyle and Malahide Demesne.

Suggested bye-law: Cyclists must behave in a manner respectful of other parks users and the character of the area and must give way to pedestrians at all times. Cyclists must not use any route which has been designated as closed to cyclists and must obey any directions of Fingal County Council whether given by signs or by a parks warden.

Priority to pedestrians

Chapter:
Section Two – Bye Law 4.6 (E,G,H,I) Traffic, Bicy…
Chapter topic:
I disagree with the proposed amendment

All vehicles in parks and open spaces should be required to yield to pedestrians. Reports of authorised vehicles effectively telling pedestrians to move out of their way are not acceptable.

Suggested bye-law additional to that proposed:

All motor vehicles must be driven in a manner respectful of the character of the area and other parks users, give way to pedestrians at all times, and obey any directions of Fingal County Council whether given by signs or by a parks warden.

Observation on planning applications at Holywell for a new roundabout and for a petrol station, takeaway and shop

I have made observations on two linked planning applications in Holywell. The proposal for a petrol station and takeaway is not in keeping with the objective of maintaining residential amenity and providing quality sustainable neighbourhoods. The road design is confused and inadequate for pedestrians and cyclists like other road designs in the Holywell area.

The observation on the road proposal F17/A0392 also includes a copy of the observation on the petrol station/ takeaway F17A/0393.