COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF LUCAN AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

MOTION NO. 16

MOTION: Councillor W. Lavelle

"That this Area Committee:

RECOGNISING the persistent traffic congestion in the Willsbrook Road/Esker cell since the closure of the Esker Lane – N4 exit in 2008;

RECALLING the residents’ petition seeking reopening of the Esker Lane – N4 exit presented to the September 2013 meeting of this Committee;

NOTING specific local objective 19 of the current Development Plan: “To pursue and facilitate the reopening of Tandy’s Lane and Esker Lane exits onto the N4 in an acceptable, safe and efficient layout subject to funding and approval from the National Roads Authority”;

FURTHER NOTING the comments by the National Roads Authority representative at the special meeting of Land Use & Transportation SPC on 23rd April to the effect that the reopening of the exit was a planning matter for this Council;

CALLS on the Chief Executive to prepare plans for the safe reopening of the Esker Lane – N4 exit onto a bollard-separated service lane with a view to initiating a Part 8 planning process."

REPORT:

The Council have no plans to reopen Esker lane to N4 to traffic from the Lucan Area. The National Roads Authority have indicated that will not countenance any access onto the N4 at this location for safety reasons and the consequent additional weaving movements. They have also indicated that they will not fund same. Such an access was discussed at the An Bord Pleanala hearing for the upgrade scheme and discounted by the bord in its adjudication on the scheme. 

In addition any dedicated access from this location would require additional land acquisition and possible retaining wall and new boundary treatment along the entire length from Esker lane to the Newcastle Road Interchange to provide the necessary safety separation from the National traffic. This will add further to the peak time traffic congestion on the Adamstown road junction and not withstanding the planning issues involved in relation to part 8 which would require approval from the NRA in the first place,the Council does not currently have resources to construct such a scheme.