COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
Monday, January 14, 2013
MOTION NO.7
MOTION: Councillor W. Lavelle
That this Council notes the recent CSO report “Census 2011: Profile 10 Door to Door – Commuting in Ireland” and requests the Manager to prepare an assessment, based on the data contained in this CSO report, on commuter patterns in our county including reliance on various modes of transport and how this has changed over recent years with reference to similar and relevant data from previous censuses or other sources; and to identify any key conclusions emerging from this assessment, for discussion with the elected members.
REPORT:
The 2011 Census indicates that the population of South Dublin County continues to increase and had grown by 6.9% to more than 265,000 people since 2006. The number of people residing in the County at work decreased by 7% to approximately 106,000 persons over the same period. There were 59,701 people residing in the County and in education in 2011 (primary, secondary and third level). This represents a 6.6% increase over 2006. The biggest change in numbers in education was at primary level, with an increase of 11.6% between 2006 and 2011.
Travel to Work
In terms of travel to work, the 2011 Census indicates that in South Dublin, 66% of journeys were made by car as either driver (62%) or passenger (4%). This is a slight increase over 2006, when the corresponding combined figure was 65%. Trips to work by car as passenger or driver in South Dublin in 2011 compare to a national average of 70%, a Greater Dublin Area (Dublin, Kildare, Meath & Wicklow) average of 61% and a four Dublin county average of 55% in 2011. South Dublin had the highest proportion of journeys to work by car of the four Dublin local authorities and also has had relatively the greatest increase since 2006.
In terms of travel to work by other modes in South Dublin, there has been no change in the proportion of trips by bike or by train/luas between 2006 and 2011, at 3% and 2% respectively, whilst there have been decreases in those walking to work from 7% to 6% and travelling by bus to work from 13% to 12% over the same period. This compares with a 2% mode share increase in cycling in the DCC and DLRCC areas and no change in Fingal between 2006 and 2011. There was a similar decrease in mode share by bus in all four Dublin Counties of 1% mode share or more over the same period.
The Census indicates that the main employment destinations for South Dublin residents are within the County: 32.5%; the M50 periphery outside SDCC: 30.2% and Dublin City Centre 24.1%.
Travel to School
The largest proportion of trips to primary school in South Dublin, or 48%, were made by car as a passenger in 2011. This is an increase from 43% in 2006, when there were nearly 12% less such trips overall. Those walking decreased from 42% to 41% over the same period, whilst those cycling increased from 1% to 2%. Those travelling by bus decreased from 6% to 5% from 2006-11. The most similar County to South Dublin in terms of primary school mode share is Fingal. There, travel by car increased by relatively less, from 46% to 47% whilst walking and cycling both increased by 1% of mode share to 40% and 2% respectively over the period 2006-11.
The largest proportion of trips to secondary school in South Dublin, or 41%, were made by walking in 2011. This is a slight increase from 40% in 2006 although those cycling decreased from 5% to 4% over the same period. Those travelling by car increased from 24% to 28% between 2006 and 2011, whilst those travelling by bus decreased from 26% to 24%. In the Dublin area, South Dublin has one of the highest proportions of students walking to secondary school in 2011, but in common with Fingal, has the lowest proportion cycling in both 2006 and 2011.
The largest proportion of trips to third level education in South Dublin, or 46%, were made by bus in 2011. This is a decrease from 49% in 2006. Those walking, cycling or travelling by train remained relatively constant, at 7%, 5% and 5% respectively in 2011. The biggest change was the increase in those driving, from 25% to 33% between 2006 and 2011. South Dublin had the highest proportion of third level students driving to college in the Dublin area in 2011, the nearest comparable County being Fingal, with 30%.
General Findings
The Census indicates a relatively high level of car usage in South Dublin, for 59% of all trips to school and work combined in 2011. This compares to 54% in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) as a whole (Dublin, Kildare, Meath and Wicklow). Bus use is similar to that in the GDA as a whole and walking, cycling and train use are below the GDA average.
South Dublin had the highest proportion of journeys to both work and third level education by car of the four Dublin authorities in 2011. It also has the lowest proportion of trips to work or for any journey to education by train/luas. Walking trips to work and to both primary and secondary education are relatively high in comparison with the other Dublin authorities, whereas trips by bike to work and all forms of education are relatively low. South Dublin also had the highest proportion of journeys to work by van (5%) in 2011 and 2% of residents indicated that they work from home, up from 1% in 2006.
Within South Dublin, the highest proportion of walking trips are in the Rowlagh, Fettercairn Kilnamanagh and Springfield DEDs. The lowest proportions are in the Newcastle and Saggart DEDs. The highest proportion of bike trips are in the Rathfarnham, Templeogue and Terenure DEDs. Bus usage is highest in Palmerstown and Clondalkin-Cappaghmore and lowest in the more rural DEDs. Train and LUAS use is the lowest in the region, but is relatively high in the Tallaght and Ballymount DEDs.
Time of departure indicated a trend of relatively early set-off in South Dublin compared to the region as a whole. Tallaght and Rathfarnham/ Terenure depart later than the rest of the County (except for Rowlagh) and a relatively high proportion of trips under 15 minutes to work, particularly in Tallaght and Clondalkin. The majority of journey times in the County are less than 45 minutes, with more than half being 30 minutes or less.
Although largely an urban/suburban County with a large population, significant employment numbers and relatively good public transport, South Dublin has a level of car use close to the National average. Car use has increased for all trips to work or education between 2006 and 2011. When all motorised modes are combined, more than 7 out of every 10 journeys to work were made by motorised vehicle in South Dublin in 2011, compared to just approximately 1.5 in 10 in journeys to work by all forms of public transport and less than 1 in ten by walking or cycling combined.
Initial Conclusions
Car use continues to increase despite National, regional and local planning and transport policy that seek to promote more sustainable modes, such as walking, cycling and public transport. This is partly attributable to several factors, including significantly, the scattered nature of employment throughout the County and wider region and the overall segregated pattern of land use that has occurred over many years for a variety of reasons.
However, a significant number of journeys to work are made within i.e. internal to the County and reported journey times overall are relatively short, especially in the Lucan and Clondalkin areas, which does indicate potential for modal shift to other non-motorised modes. Similarly, a further significant number of residents are employed in the City Centre on which most public transport links and cycle routes are focussed, indicating further potential for modal shift, especially on these routes and in areas in closest proximity to the City Centre.
Another significant barrier to modal shift are perceptions regarding safety, particularly for cycling. It is of note that there has also been a small increase in the numbers and mode share of those cycling in South Dublin overall. This is in common with a trend nationally and in Dublin, with the most significant increases in both numerical and percentage terms apparent in the Dublin City Council and Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council areas over the period 2006-2011.
The small increase in the number of primary school students in South Dublin cycling between 2006 and 2011 contrasts with the decrease in secondary school students cycling over the same period, when one would expect the latter proportion to at least be maintained if not follow the primary school trend, given the older age profile of secondary school students. The small shift in primary school trips by bike may be attributable to behaviour change initiatives such as the ‘Green Schools’ programme. A note of caution however would be that where a shift in favour of cycling occurs, it may be at the expense of walking rather than car use.
There is however, most significant potential for greater cycling activity in the County, especially focussed on the main centres such as Tallaght and Clondalkin and the areas inside the M50 closest to Dublin City Centre, such as Rathfarnham, Terenure, Tempelogue and Palmerstown, as well as focussed on school catchments locally. This will require both infrastructural improvement and behavioural change, a programme of which the Planning and Roads Departments have begun working on in conjunction with the National Transport Authority in recent years.
Similarly, the relatively low proportion of trips by train/luas will require further co-ordination with the relevant agencies, including the NTA, RPA, Dublin Bus and Irish Rail in order to ensure that both greater service provision and improved access to infrastructure including better physical connections and supports such as bike/car parking and bus services/ticketing etc.. This also applies to bus services, but to a lesser extent as South Dublin has maintained mode share in comparison to trends elsewhere and nationally.