COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF LUCAN AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

MOTION NO. 18

MOTION: Councillor G. O'Connell

That the Manager bring forward a report on the Traffic situation in Palmerstown and in particular that he include the implications of closing Kennelsfort Road at its junction with Ballyfermot Road/The Coldcut to all traffic except Public Vehicles, the feasibility of making the road through Cherry Orchard Industrial Estate from Kennelsfort Road to Ballyfermot Road a public road as an alternative route, and the replacement of the Pedestrian bridge at the N4 with a surface crossing.

REPORT:

There are significant residential areas serviced by Kennelsfort Road and its junction with the N4. Currently access is provided via this junction,  the Oval and Kennelsfort Road / Coldcut Road with some additional access via private roads in Cherry Orchard industrial estate. The proposal to restrict traffic to using the N4 access points will reduce the access capacity to less than half of the existing arrangement and would have serious implications for traffic congestion. The population of the relevant residential areas cannot be effectively served at the remaining N4 junctions as they are already over capacity at critical periods during the day. Smaller residential areas served with similar access arrangements have suffered severe congestion even though no external traffic was present.

The private roads in Cherry Orchard industrial estate are required to be brought up to taking in charge standard and the appropriate application made.

The provision of an at grade pedestrian crossing within the N4 – Kennelsfort Road junction, replacing the safe crossing provided by the pedestrian bridge, would further reduce the capacity of this junction as not all the required pedestrian movements can be provided without removing ‘green’ time from vehicle movements at the junction. To introduce at grade crossings would also require major re-configuration as space must be found for pedestrian storage areas. The risk associated with the vehicle pedestrian conflict would also be increased as pedestrians cross at road level and cannot therefore be recommended.