COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF LUCAN AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

MOTION NO. 11

MOTION: Councillor W. Lavelle

"That this Area Committee, noting the Chief Executives intention to conduct a trial of a mini-roundabout to replace traffic lights at Newcastle Road/ Hillcrest Road junction, requests the Chief Executive to:

• Confirm that a safe crossing point for school children, school warden and mass-goers will be retained on Newcastle Road;

• Outline what surveys have/will be conducted before and during the trial to ascertain any beneficial or adverse impact on traffic flow and queue lengths at each of Newcastle Road and Hillcrest Road;

• Commit to immediately canceling the trial if there is a disproportionate adverse effect on motorists’ ability to exit from Hillcrest estate;

• Conduct a separate analysis of the operation of traffic lights at the N4 overbridge, in tandem with this trial, to examine if further ‘green time’ gains can be achieved to increase the number of cars that can turn right onto the N4 in each cycle;

• Install in 2015 a new UTC/SCOOTS system to provide greater coordination of all sets of traffic lights along Newcastle Road, including those at the Tandy’s Lane/Esker Road junction;

• Review the design of the Supervalu roundabout and examine if Musgraves would be willing to fund works to improve traffic flow at this roundabout;

• Continue to press for a broader range of transport solutions to address traffic congestion in the Newcastle Road area including the proposal for the introduction of a new 25C bus route, to serve the Adamstown/Newcastle Road (including Finnstown, Westbury, Hillcrest, etc) which would access the N4 at Junction 4 (Adamstown) before travelling straight in the N4 to the City Centre."

REPORT:

As the members are aware proposals for a trial roundabout at Hillcrest Junction are currently being finalised. It is the intention of the pilot to assess whether traffic flows through the junction can be improved by the introduction of a mini roundabout at Hillcrest with minimal disruption to vulnerable road users particularly school children and other traffic. Pedestrian and school warden services will be maintained. A minimum of 3 months duration will be required to make the necessary assessment and members will be kept informed of progress.  

Journey time information on the Newcastle Road in this area is currently being collected and will be used to assess the impact of any changes to the road layout in the area.

Regarding the other measures mentioned, these are currently being examined by the Traffic Section under the Lucan Access Study and it is hoped to bring a package of proposals under this Scheme to the Members early  this year, subject to the allocations for capital funding received from the NTA in 2015.