COMHAIRLE CHONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF TERENURE-RATHFARNHAM AREA COMMITTEE (1)

Tuesday 6th December 2005

HEADED ITEM No. 9

Dublin Port Tunnel

REPORT:

Further to report presented to the November Meeting of the Terenure-Rathfarnham Area Committee, it is advised that all matters relating to the construction, operation and maintenance of the Dublin Port Tunnel are outside the remit of South Dublin County Council. In addition, it is a matter for Dublin City Council to manage the movement of heavy goods vehicles within its own administrative area, and this would include the management and control of access to, and egress from, the Port Tunnel. 

It is further advised that there are no provisions within existing legislation to introduce a permit system restricting access to the city centre  at the canal boundaries, either by this or any other local authority.  Any such restriction would result in an immediate increase in congestion on all radial routes outside the canal zone, including those in South Dublin, and an associated increase in rat-running on adjoining routes. In the circumstances, the Roads & Traffic Department could not recommend a restriction of this nature on traffic management grounds.

If the wish of this Committee, nevertheless, is to request the Dublin City Manager to consider restricting HGV access in this manner, such a request will be conveyed to the City Manager on behalf of the members.  It is recommended, however, that the issue would be better dealt with in the context of Regional Traffic Management arrangements (to which all four Dublin local authorities are party) and in association with the introduction of agreed Travel Demand Management measures on foot of the GDA Travel Demand Management Report currently being finalised on behalf of the Dublin Transportation Office as part of its "Platform for Change" Strategy.