COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, September 12, 2011

QUESTION NO. 26

QUESTION: Councillor E. Walsh 2009

Cathain a gceapfaí go mbeadh deireadh leis na pléití maidir leis an Tairiscint a ritheadh ag baill na Comhairle seo chun Scéim Rothaíochta Bhaile Átha Cliath nó a macasamhail, a sheoladh? An bhfuil spriocdháta i gceist? 

When is it thought that there would be an end to the discussions regarding the Motion passed by members of this Council that the Dublin Bike Scheme or its equivalent, be launched?  Is there a target date?

REPLY:

Níos luaithe i mbliana, d'iarr an Rannóg Pleanála ar mhaoiniú Ón Údarás Náisiúnta Iompair (UNI), chun staidéar a dhéanamh chun fiosrú a dhéanamh ar an fhéidearthacht atá ann rolladh amach agus forbairt a dhéanamh ar scéim um rothair ar cíos ar an tsráid, (cosúil le Scéim Rothar Chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath) agus béim ar Lár an Bhaile, Tamhlacht. 

Bhí an maoiniú seo i gcomhthéacs an mhaoinithe a bhí Á lorg Ó CCáT le haghaidh réimse tionscnamh ‘Iompar níos cliste' Ón UNI a d'iarr na Ranna Pleanála agus Bóithre, go príomha do bheartais a bheadh ann ar leas coisithe agus rothaithe agus chun daoine a spreagadh le húsáid níos mó a bhaint as an chóras iompair poiblí.

Sa bhuntogra bhí sé beartaithe go mbeadh Stáitse 1 bunaithe ar staidéar a dhéanamh ar na féidearthachtaí atá ann do scéim rothar agus sa dara stáitse den tionscadal go mbeadh ullmhúchán déanta ar phlean líonra rothaíochta soiléir ina mbeadh na bealaí agus infreastruchtúr tacaithe le feiceáil.  Tar Éis idirbheartaíocht a dhéanamh leis an UNI, Áfach, aontaíodh go bhfaigheadh CCáCT maoiniú chun líonra rothaíochta soiléir don cheantar a ullmhú, ach nach mbeadh sé ag díriú ar an scéim um rothair ar cíos amháin agus go ndéanfadh an UNI iad féin an staidéar féidearthachta le Scéim Rothar Bhaile Átha Cliath a leathnú amach.  Tá an staidéar ar an líonra rothaíochta ar siúl faoi láthair sa Rannóg Pleanála.

An chúis taobh thiar den chur chuige seo ag an UNI ná, leis an fhéidearthacht atá ann an scéim rothar a leathnú amach taobh istigh agus taobh amuigh de limistéar Chomhairle Cathrach Bhaile Átha Cliath go n-eascraíonn ceisteanna comónta do na rialtais Áitiúla a mbeadh suim acu a bheith páirteach i scéimeanna Éagsúla agus/nó scéimeanna méadaithe agus gurb É an UNI an dream is fearr chun an cur chuige céanna a chur i bhfeidhm agus chomh tábhachtach leis sin freisin comhoiriúnacht na gcóras sa todhchaí.  Chomh maith leis sin tá gnéithe gnó Áirithe le beith pléite agus socraithe, mar go bhfuil Scéim Rothar Bhaile Átha Cliath bunaithe ar go leor den fhógraíocht lasmuigh chun an t-infreastruchtúr rothaíochta a chur air fáil.  Cé go mbraitear ar gach rialtas Áitiúil na scéimeanna Áirithe a bhunú, ceaptar go mbeadh sé níos fearr comhsheasmhacht agus comhoiriúnacht a bheith ann Ón tús.  D'iarr an UNI freisin a bheith in ann Éascú a dhéanamh ar líonra rothaíochta níos fearr atá soiléir, díreach, sábháilte agus compordach chun tacú le haon scéim sa todhchaí i limistéar CCáCT trí mhaoiniú a dhéanamh ar phlean líonra chun díriú ar uasghrádú  agus feabhsú.

Tá cruinniú ar Úsáid talún um lánpháirtíocht Iompair beartaithe idir na Ranna Pleanála agus Bóithre agus an UNI i gceann cúpla seachtaine, agus ag an bpointe sin beidh tuairisc suas chun dáta tugtha ar na féidearthachtaí atá ann don scéim rothar don Chomhairle.

Earlier this year, the Planning Department sought funding from the National Transport Authority (NTA) for a study to investigate the potential roll-out and development of an on-street bike rental scheme (compatible with the existing Dublin Bike Scheme) focussed on the Tallaght Town Centre area. 

This was in the context of funding being sought by SDCC for a range of ‘smarter travel’ initiatives from the NTA by both the Planning and Roads Departments primarily for measures intended to benefit pedestrians and cyclists and encourage greater use of public transport

The original proposal was that Stage 1 would comprise the bike scheme feasibility study and that Stage 2 of the Project would be the preparation of a coherent cycle network plan to include routes and supporting infrastructure. However, further to negotiation with the NTA, it was agreed that SDCC would be funded to preparing a coherent cycle plan for the area, not exclusively focussed on a bike rental scheme, and that the NTA would themselves undertake the feasibility for the extension of the Dublin bike scheme.  The cycle network study is currently underway within the Planning Department.

The reasoning behind the NTA approach was that the potential extension of the bike scheme within and beyond the Dublin City Council areagives rise to issues common to all local authorities who may wish to consider separate and/or extended schemes and that the NTA would be best placed to ensure a consistent approach and importantly, the compatibility of any future systems.  There are also particular commercial considerations to be addressed and overcome, as the Dublin Bike Scheme is based on a significant element of outdoor advertising in return for the provision of cycle infrastructure.  Whilst it is open to individual local authorities to progress separate schemes, it was considered that it would be appropriate to seek consistency and compatibility in the first instance.  The NTA has also sought to facilitate an improved coherent, direct, safe and comfortable cycle network to support any future scheme in the SDCC area through funding a network plan to focus upgrade and improvement.

A land-use transport integration meeting is scheduled to take place between the Planning and Roads Departments and the NTA during the coming weeks, at which an update in respect of progress on the bike scheme feasibility will be sought and reported to the Council.