COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SDZ, LAPS AND PLANNING PROJECTS

Friday, January 26, 2018

MOTION NO. 107

MOTION: Councillor W. Lavelle

That table 4.3 be amended to include the following additional requirements in each phase: “The provision of a minimum of 20 additional AM peak hour bus services leaving Clonburris for Dublin City Centre and 12 additional PM peak hour hours arrivals into Clonburris from Dublin City Centre for each 1,000 new units.”

Co-sponsored by Cllr’s Casserly, Egan, Higgins, Lawlor, C. McMahon & Donovan

REPORT:

Response

In accordance with the Transport Assessment and Strategy that accompanies the Draft Planning Scheme, core orbital bus routes and local bus routes are planned to connect existing and future communities with each other and with Tallaght, Clondalkin, Kishoge Railway Station and Clondalkin Fonthill Railway station. The provision of additional bus routes between Clonburris and Dublin City centre are not considered necessary to service trip demands generated by Clonburris and the motion would unnecessarily inhibit the development of the SDZ Lands.

The NTA’s Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area 216 – 2035 provides for a Core orbital bus routes between Tallaght and Blanchardstown vis the SDZ land and it is indicated that this services will run along the Fonthill Road North connecting with the Clondalkin-Fonthill Railway Station. In addition to this core service, a proposed Tallaght-Liffey Valley Secondary Orbital Route together with a Lucan-Park West Route and a Grange Castle-Liffey Valley local bus routes are proposed to serve the trip demands of the Draft Planning Scheme. This network of routes will connect existing and planned communities with each other, with both the Kishoge and Clondalkin-Fonthill Railway stations and with the planned Lucan Luas.

This is in addition to the No. 13 bus also currently operates as a high frequency service between Dublin City and Grange Castle Business Park, via the southern boundary of the SDZ Lands.

Details of the planned bus routes are provided for under Chapter 7 of the Transport Assessment and Strategy that accompanies the Draft Planning Scheme. It is not a function of SDCC to deliver bus services and this is within the remit of the NTA.

A submission from the NTA on the Draft Planning Scheme confirms that the NTA is committed to deliver theses bus routes in accordance with the Transport Assessment and Strategy, which indicates that they will be operating by 2026. The submission of the NTA states that it is intended to complete the BusConnects Programme by 2019 including aspects that will cater for the demands of the SDZ Planning Scheme.

Further to additional correspondence (January 2018), the NTA advises that it is envisaged that the Kishoge railway station will open in 2020 once development occurs in its vicinity. The exact timing of the DART Expansion Programme will be influenced by the Government’s 10 year Capital Plan, which is expected to be announced shortly. The NTA also advises that it intended to provide the new orbital service through the SDZ lands linking Blanchardstown to Tallaght in the short term.

Within the context that the NTA’s Transport Strategy for the GDA does not include for additional bus services between Clonburris and Dublin City Centre and such transport infrastructure is not required to serve the trip demands of the Draft Planning Scheme, the subject motion would unnecessarily inhibit the development of the SDZ lands.

Recommendation

It is recommended that this motion is not adopted.

Strategic Environmental Assessment of Chief Executive’s Recommendation

No interaction with Strategic Environmental Objectives.

Strategic Environmental Assessment of Proposed Motion

The transport assessment and NTA advice is considered sufficient to facilitate public bus options to serve the planning scheme and achieve consistency with Material Assets SEOs; therefore this motion is not recommended for adoption.

Appropriate Assessment Screening of Chief Executive’s Recommendation

No likely significant effects on European sites within the SDZ’s zone of influence are predicted.