COMHAIRLE CHONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF TALLAGHT AREA COMMITTEE 2

Monday, January 22, 2007

QUESTION No. 9

QUESTION: Councillor K. Warren

“To ask the Manager if he would consider a proposal which would allow an additional lane be established between Woodstown Roundabout and the M50 to operate on a counter-flow basis, thereby having two lanes in the morning and 2 lanes in the evening, and if he would also state what, if any, other measures are being considered for this major traffic bottle neck, and if he will make a statement on the matter?”

REPLY:

The fundamental problem at this location is the increasing volume of northbound traffic on the M50 since the opening of the South Eastern Motorway last year. There are now extended periods in the morning and afternoon when northbound traffic tails back to Ballinteer and beyond. This situation will not be relieved until the proposed upgrade of the interchange is completed towards the latter end of the M50 Upgrade programme. The problem was exacerbated by the number of M50 drivers trying to rat-run "up & over" the off and on ramps, but this has reduced substantially due to a combination of garda presence during the morning peak and the VMS signs introduced earlier in the year.

Following meetings with residents and local representatives in late 2005, the Roads & Traffic Department carried out traffic surveys with a view to determining if signalising the western leg of the roundabout would improve flows for straight through traffic. The conclusions reached were that this would be likely to increase tailbacks for all traffic approaching the interchange from Ballycullen during the morning peaks and, in addition, tailbacks from east to west during evening peak would be worsened. 

The Roads & Traffic Department has previously considered creation of an additional lane to differentiate between straight-ahead traffic and traffic accessing the M50 but, apart from the need to acquire land as this could not be accommodated within the existing road space, it was considered this would have little benefit as it would not solve the difficulty for traffic problems seeking to access the motorway and therefore would bring little change over the present situation. 

The new link road to Stocking Lane will bring some relief when it opens, and the merits of signalising Scholarstown interchange will be reconsidered in the light of the impact of the Stocking Lane link. In the meantime, the Gardai have been requested to maintain a presence on the interchange, especially during the morning peak.