COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF RATHFARNHAM AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

QUESTION NO.  5

QUESTION: Councillor P. Cosgrave

"To ask the Manager to request Dublin Bus to move the present city bound bus stop on Stocking Lane at Prospect Manor nearer to the Pedestrian crossing. This would be done for safety reasons as bus users might start using the new exit from Prospect Heath to cross to the existing bus stop?"

REPLY:

The objective of the proposed Scheme is to provide traffic calming measures on Stocking Lane primarily to slow north bound traffic from the M50 bridge to the entrance to Prospect Manor, and to provide a footpath and off-road cycle-track from the M50 bridge to Scholarstown Road.

The south bound bus-stop adjacent to the entrance to Prospect Manor was provided by Dublin Bus in conjunction with An Garda Siochana. This bus-stop is ideally suited to its current location due to its proximity to the existing signalised pedestrian crossing.

The current entrance to the signallised pedestrian crossing adjacent to Prospect Heath will remain open, i.e. pedestrians from Prospect Manor will continue to use Prospect Heath to access the existing crossing. The provision of the short path from the rear of the bus-stop direct to the path in Prospect Heath will increase safety for bus users as they would not have to walk albeit the short distance along the road either back to the crossing or up to the main entrance. It is proposed to install a pedestrian gate at this location to provide a higher level of safety for children.

 Moving the bus-stop closer to the pedestrian crossing could result in pedestrians attempting to cross the road near the rear of the bus, which could reduce sightlines thereby creating a hazard for pedestrians wanting to cross the road.

 The current proposal to provide a footpath into Prospect Heath is the most economical and practical way to enhance the safety of pedestrians using the bus-stop. This will avoid the unnecessary removal of existing hedgerow, and thereby preserve the rural characteristics of the area.

 It is not envisaged that the proposed arrangement will present a hazard. It is not envisaged that children will cross the road at the south bound bus stop any more than they currently may do for instance, at the existing entrance, which does not seem to present a problem to date. The proposed provision of a pedestrian swing gate should reduce the likelihood of children running straight onto the road at the bus-stop.

 For this reason we consider that the bus-stop is located in a suitable position and that there is not sufficient reason to justify the relocation of the bus-stop.