COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF DEVELOPMENT PLAN MEETING

Thursday, February 04, 2016

MOTION NO. 123

MOTION: Councillor W. Lavelle

Luas to Lucan

In light of the commitment of the National Transport Authority to “reassessing all of the potential route options” for the planned Luas to Lucan, the draft plan should be amended:

Co-sponsored by Cllr. Casserly, Higgins

REPORT:

TM Policy 2 contains a number of Policy Objectives that seek to expand and improve public transport services within the County, namely: 

TM2 Objective 1:

'To secure the implementation of major public transport projects as identified within the relevant public transport strategies and plans for the Greater Dublin Area'

TM2 Objective 2:

'To establish future public transport routes that will support the County’s medium to long term development, in particular orbital routes'

Reference to specific projects are detailed in the Actions listed under this Policy, including:

‘Maintain a reservation along the Emerging Preferred Routes, as identified by the Railway Procurement Agency, for the Lucan Luas (linking Lucan, Liffey Valley and the City Centre) and the Metro-West (linking Tallaght, Clondalkin, Liffey Valley, Blanchardstown, Ballymun, Dublin Airport and Swords) for the future provision of high frequency public transport services’

In October 2015 the National Transport Authority published the Draft Transport Strategy 2016-2035 for the Greater Dublin Area.  The ‘Lucan Luas’ has been retained in the Draft Development Plan.  It should be noted however that the Metrowest has not been retained, and in its place a high frequency orbital bus route has been proposed between Tallaght and Blanchardstown.

The route shown in the Draft Transport Strategy reflects that shown on the Development Plan Maps as the Emerging Preferred Route for the Lucan Luas.  The Metrowest route has also be retained to facilitate orbital bus services.  Each route may however be the subject of a further route selection process.

The Actions of TM Policy 2, which reference specific routes, can be amended to reflect recent circumstances and take note of future route options with the aim of establishing a direct and efficient route. 

Recommendation­

It is recommended that this motion is adopted with amendment:

That the Actions of TM Policy 2 that reference the Lucan Luas and Metro-West be amended (as two separate Actions) as follows:

‘To support the delivery of the Luas to Lucan (linking Lucan, Liffey Valley and the City Centre).  To facilitate this service the reservation along the Emerging Preferred Route for the Lucan Luas, as identified by the Railway Procurement Agency will be maintained, subject to a future reassessment of all of the potential route options to ensure the most direct and efficient route is taken'.

And

'To support the delivery of the Core Orbital Bus Network with a high frequency service between linking Tallaght, Clondalkin, Liffey Valley and Blanchardstown.  To facilitate this service the reservation along the Emerging Preferred Route alignment of former Metro-West subject to a future reassessment of all of the potential route options to ensure the most direct and efficient route is taken'.

And 

To add a note to the marked Emerging Preferred Route on Maps 1 & 2 stating ‘Route may be subject to reassessment’.