The Transport and Planning Departments appear to be dragging their heels on this. The design as implemented is blocking access to the Scout Hall and to Claremont Beach, and pushing pedestrians out of their route. In March I raised detailed questions about this and a further report was promised to the committee. That never came so I put down a question last week. The reply ignores the undertaking to report to the committtee and promises to give me a copy of the decision when it is made. Unfortunately this kind of failure to follow up on commitments to previous meetings is not unusual. I will now have to put down a motion to the next area committee.
FINGAL COUNTY COUNCIL
MALAHIDE/HOWTH AREA COMMITTEE MEETING
(Services A – Transportation, Environment & Water Services)
Thursday, 5th October, 2006
ITEM NO. 14
PARKING/PEDESTRIAN ACCESS – HOWTH DART STATION
Question: Councillor D. Healy
“To ask the Manager to bring the report on the parking and pedestrian access and safety issues at Howth Dart Station in relation to planning permission F03A/0782/C1 back to this Committee as undertaken on 30th March 2006?”
Reply:
A submission for compliance in relation to this permission has been submitted to the Transportation Department and is currently under consideration.
The issue of pedestrian access will be dealt with as part of the Transportation’s report and a copy of this decision will be furnished to the Member when available.
The minutes of 30th March 2006 read as follows:
MHA/125/06
HOWTH – WORKS ASSOCIATED WITH UPGRADING WORKS AT DART STATION
In the absence of Councillor D. Healy it was proposed by Councillor R. Kelly, seconded by Councillor J. Maher:
"That the Manager report on the design of the roads, car parking
footpaths etc. around the extension to the railway platforms at Howth
and in particular to specify:
(a) whether all the work carried out has been the subject of agreement with the Transportation Department;
(b) whether all relevant compliance conditions relating to the
design of these areas and in particular condition 2 of F03A/0782 have
been met;
(c) whether the Transportation Department’s approval has been sought
or given for the built design which involves car parking blocking
access to the Scouts’ Quarterdeck which will prevent them getting boats
and other equipment out of the building this summer, considering that
in all likelihood the Scouts have a private right of way for their
boats;
(d) whether the Transportation Department’s approval has been sought
or given for the built design which involves cars are now parked
directly outside the Scouts’ Quarterdeck creating a safety hazard for
children leaving the building;
(e) whether the Transportation Department’s approval has been sought
or given for the built design which involves pedestrians leaving
the Dart Station and walking east to find there is no footpath where
there used to be one and that they are walking behind nose-to-kerb
parked cars.
- what steps can now be taken to remedy the safety and access problems identified."
The following report by the Manager was READ and NOTED:
Planning Permission Reference Number F03A/0782/C1 was granted to
Iarnrod Eireann by An Bord Pleanala for the following development:
Development and upgrading works at Dart Station including platform
extension, provision of new emergency gates, stairs and ramp,
construction of boundary wall, parking and all associated works.
The issues raised in this motion will be taken up with the
Architects for Iarnrod Eireann and a further report on this matter will
be submitted to the Committee.
In addition the traffic situation in this area will be monitored by
the Transportation Department in the context of the preparation of the
Howth Traffic Management Scheme in relation to the provision of further
traffic management measures if considered appropriate