COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF CLONDALKIN AREA COMMITTEE

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

MOTION NO. 12

MOTION: Councillor T. Gilligan

That this Committee requests the Manager to arrange that all traffic driving within Corkagh Park is strictly monitored, no vehicles allowed into the park unless absolutely necessary and only within given times, i.e. 8 to 10 am or 4 to 5 pm.  The barrier at the entrance to the park should be kept locked and keys issued to SDCC staff and open/closed as required.

REPORT:

The driving of vehicles within Corkagh Park is closely monitored at all times by the Parks Section to ensure that the current speed limit of 20kph is complied with.  In this regard, it was noted some years ago, that members of the public were using the park as a shortcut between the Naas Road and Clondalkin and steps were taken to successfully deal with the issue at the time.

This issue is also raised at regular staff health and safety meetings and staff are made fully aware of their obligations in this regard. The Park Depot in Corkagh Park is situated in the centre of the Park and remains the operational centre for the maintenance of all parks and open spaces in the south Clondalkin and Kingswood areas.  It is therefore, unavoidable that staff and the various goods suppliers etc. have a requirement to drive through the Park throughout the day although certain times of the day are busier than other times, for example when staff are mobilising and returning to the depot after work.

Corkagh Park is not unique in this context and a similar situation also arises in Regional Parks in other parts of Dublin.  It would not be feasible or practicable, from a work/operational viewpoint, to restrict vehicle traffic to designated times during the day. 

The path system in Corkagh Park ranges between 2.4 and 2.7metres in width.  It is acknowledged that some paths are subject to greater volumes of traffic than others and it is on these routes that drivers need to and generally do so, show greatest consideration for pedestrians.

The main access road from the St John's entrance to the Depot has been identified as the main vehicular route between the park depot and the majority of the work locations in Clondalkin. Consideration is being given to the possibility of widening and re-surfacing this route and providing line-marking to clearly separate vehicular and pedestrian traffic. The next step is to prepare an estimate of the cost of carrying out this work with a view to seeking possible sources of funding, from both within the Council's resources as well as from external agencies.  Given the likely overall cost of the footpath upgrade works, a phased construction process, over a number of years, may be the best way to advance the matter, having regard to the financial resources available in any given year.