COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF LUCAN AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

MOTION NO. 8

MOTION: Councillor W. Lavelle

"That this Area Committee, NOTING:

• Approximately 2,100 children attend St. Thomas NS, Scoil Áine Naofa & Lucan Community College, located on the Newcastle Road;
• That another approximately 400 children attend Adamstown Community College, (due to rise to 1,000), many of whom currently reside in the Greater Lucan Area, east of the Newcastle Road;
• There remains significant local concern among parents of children attending these four schools regarding pedestrian/cycle safety along Newcastle Road;
• That local residents and parents have been campaigning for introduction of a school-time HGV restriction on Newcastle Road since 2008;
• On foot of the elected members’ request during a discussion on a headed item report at the November 2010 meeting, the Manager wrote to the Garda Commissioner seeking his support for a school-time HGV restriction on Newcastle Road;
• The Garda Authorities wrote to this Council in January 2011 advising that “An Garda Síochána supports the introduction of school time heavy goods vehicles restriction on the Newcastle Road, Lucan”;
• That this Committee, at the March 2012 meeting, agreed my motion requesting “the Manager to conclude any remaining consultations with stakeholders so as to present a report to the May meeting of this committee for the purpose of consideration of the proposal to introduce a school-time HGV restriction on Newcastle Road.”

FURTHER NOTING:

• Policy T30 of the current South Dublin County Development Plan;
• The legal obligation flowing from section 15 (1) of the Planning and Development Act 2000 which states that "It shall be the duty of a planning authority to take such steps within its powers as may be necessary for securing the objectives of the development plan."

RECOGNISING:

• That in line with S.I. No. 331 of 2012, the design of traffic sign number RUS 015 which signify traffic management restrictions based on maximum design gross vehicle weight, is to change from October 1st 2013;

SUPPORTS:

• The need for a separate parallel review to be carried out by the road Department and Transport SPC of road weight restrictions based on the revisions set-down in S.I. No. 331 of 2012;

Now REQUESTS the Manager:

• to immediately proceed to initiate the required statutory process for introduction a school-time HGV restriction on Newcastle Road between the Nangor Road & N4 junctions; to initially involve the existing 3 tonne limit (similar to that in place at Old Lucan Road);
• to provide that signage be updated in October 2013 to reflect the new legal requirement and the outcomes of the council’s review of road weight restrictions."

REPORT:

This matter has been on the Council agenda for some time and because of the impact of this matter on other locations and businesses following on from the support of the garda authories subject to the agreemant of stakeholders it was decided to raise the matter of the operation of HGV's in general throughout the County with the SPC Committees of Transport and Economic Development respectively. A joint meeting of these Committees was held and a subcommittee was formed to address this matter . The subcommittee reported to the Transportation SPC on 8 November 2012. This report was noted and a further report was requested particularly in the light of the new regulations on HGV's which come in to force in the autumn of 2013 as described below.

The Council also undertook to make contact with all the stake holders affected by the restriction referred to and in this regard the Council has recently written to the Chamber of Commerce requesting their members views on this matter.

In relation to the Development plan

Par 2.2.31.iv Policy T30: relates to Heavy Goods Vehicles Restrictions

It is the policy of the Council to introduce a School-Time Heavy Goods Vehicles Restriction on the Newcastle Road, Lucan. Whilst the enforcement of this measure is a matter for the Gardaí, the Council, by way of policy, is considering the safety of all concerned, including school-going children.

In no case is a weight restriction considered in isolation from the adjoining roads. In providing a restriction the Council is in fact identifying the alternative HGV road either by design or by default. For the Newcastle Road this involves a considerable detour through other areas which also accomodate other schools and care should be taken not to transfer the percieved problem to another locality or electoral area. It is not possible and it may also be counter productive to proceed before a general review takes place.

In the meantime a significant study of the use of Newcastle road has been carried out.

Council records indicate that 2 personal injury and 21 material damage accidents occoured on the Newcastle Road from January to October 2012,

All these accidents involved cars with two involving pedal cycles and two pedestrians. None involved Heavy Goods Vehicles.
Seven of the accidents were at the roundabout at Superquinn, three at the Hillcrest Junction lights, three at the N4/Newcastle Road junction.

The vast majority were rear endings.

It is observed that there is a large volume of light vehicles (cars / small vans) at the survey location outside the school.

HGV use of the road is recorded at 2% of total traffic. HGV traffic is predominately local and any restriction that would be implemented will not effect such exempt HGV movements. In addition it should be further noted that over 70% of the traffic at this location is locally generated.

With regard to general road safety any additional information obtained from An Garda Siochana will be utilised to build on previously installed road safety measures which includes a school warden and new traffic lights at Hillcrest road junction, a signalised pedestrain crossing on three arms of the roundabout and associated road markings and pedestrian barriers. (see map enclosed) Additional measures will be considered if necessary.

Revised statuary framework for HGV restrictions

In early November South Dublin County Council was advised of changes to the system of HGV restrictions. On the 1^st of October 2013 all existing ‘three tonne’ HGV restrictions will cease to have a legal basis. A revised system based on Design Gross Vehicle Weight will replace Unladen Weight.

There is no equivalence between the current ‘3 tonne’ restriction and the prescribed options for the Design Gross Vehicle Weight restriction and a simple transfer to a new limit will not be possible unlike the metrication of speed limits.

Therefore a fundamental review of road weight restrictions must now be considered. The future options for HGV traffic will not be known prior to this review. The graded options under the Design Gross Vehicle Weight will permit a better balance of road use and enhance the safety of all road users. This requires a review of the satutory procedures for all weight restrictions now in place accross the County as the existing restrictions will no longer apply when the new regulation comes into force.

It is proposed therefore to carry out a comprehensive review of all Heavy goods transport restrictions in the County during the early part of 2013 and to defer the imposition of a school time HGV restriction until that review is completed. It is intended to incorporate in a report any observations received from the chamber of commerce in developing a new policy with regard to HGV's. This report will be presented in the first instance to the joint SPC's mentioned and to role out the review to all area committees thereafter.