COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF CLONDALKIN AREA COMMITTEE

Wednesday, January 17, 2018

QUESTION NO 8.

QUESTION: Councillor F. Timmons

"In regard to the 3 questions below what can SDCC do to assist the people of Newcastle?"

1- Why are there no bus route from Rathcoole and Newcastle to Hazel Hatch train station?. The station its self is 3.5km from the centre of Newcastle village to the station.

2 - Why are there no foothpaths connecting Newcastle to Hazel Hatch train station?

3 - Why are there no Cycle Paths connecting Newcastle to Hazel Hatch train station?

With all of the above, it would certainly ease traffic in the Newcastle / Rathcoole area.

REPLY

The main route for pedestrians and cyclists from Main Street in Newcastle is via the R405 to Hazelhatch. This a distance of approximately 3.55km. There are no dedicated cycle routes along this route and cyclists share the carriageway with other vehicles. There is a footpath close to Newcastle on one side of the road. There are no footpaths along the majority of the rest of the route as far as the Grand Canal overbridge. A footpath is in place on one side of the road north of the Grand Canal. Closer to Hazelhatch a footpath is on both sides of the road and there is a good pedestrian link to the train station close to the railway overbridge.

Bus routes are determined by the NTA. Bus route No.68 connects Newcastle Village to the Luas at the Red Cow Depot.

In order to provide standard footpaths and cycle tracks on both sides of the road it would require the road to be widened by up to 8m. This would require a CPO. A similar scheme is  currently being constructed for the R120. It consists of the widening of the existing road in order to provide footpaths and cycletracks. This is estimated at costing nearly €20m, including CPO and design costs. It is likely that similar costs would be incurred on the Hazelhatch Road if such a scheme were to be implemented. As this road has only been designated as an inter-urban route in the NTA’s proposed cycle network for the greater Dublin Area, it is unlikely it would receive any funding from them.

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