COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, May 09, 2016

QUESTION NO.4

QUESTION: Councillor W. Lavelle

To ask the Chief Executive for a detailed update on the preparation of an Emergency Plan for the M50; the establishment of an Interagency Incident Coordination Group to manage road traffic incidents and accidents on the M50 network; and the plans for permanently signed diversions in the event of a closure of the M50?

REPLY:

The Interagency Incident Coordination Group (IICG) was established to ensure best possible multiagency response to collisions causing significant disruption occurring on the M50 and surrounding motorways in the Greater Dublin Area. The group was established in late 2015 and meets monthly to discuss relevant issues.

An Garda Síochána, Dublin Fire Brigade, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, the Motorway Traffic Control Centre, Dublin City Council, South Dublin County, Fingal County Council and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council are all represented on the IICG.

The IICG has developed a protocol for the coordinated multiagency response to significant incidents in recent months and this was put into effect on a trial basis in mid April 2016. This protocol will be used henceforth for the management of major motorway incidents in the Greater Dublin Area.

Emergency diversion routes are being prepared to provide an alternative to traffic in the event of a full closure of the M50 for a significant period of hours. These are marked with permanent signs mounted on existing road signs. Consultation with the relevant parties regarding this work is being carried out via the IICG. To date, signs have been erected for the route from the N2 – N3 and design work is underway for other routes. It should be noted that these diversion routes are intended to be the best alternative available route but will have a much smaller traffic capacity than the M50.