COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SDZ, LAPS AND PLANNING PROJECTS

Friday, January 26, 2018

MOTION NO. 312

MOTION: Councillor E. Higgins

That table 4.3 be amended to include the following additional requirements under ‘Prior to commencement of development’: “Works to improve traffic management and flow in the bottleneck area between the Griffeen Road & Grangecastle Road junctions, including provision of two lanes along the entire length of road from the Griffeen Road roundabout to the Grangecastle Road signals; including the full recessing of bus-stops on both sides of the road” and that this requirement also be added to table 4.6 with this phasing requirement only applying to the Kishoge North West development area.

 

Cllrs William Lavelle, Emer Higgins, Vicki Casserly, Kenneth Egan, Paula Donovan, Brian Lawlor and Conor McMahon

REPORT:

The subject motion relates to an existing street section between Griffeen Road and Grangecastle Road junctions. The proposed motion requests a requirement in Table 4.6 that development cannot commence at Kishoge North West pending the ‘Works to improve traffic management and flow in the bottleneck area between the Griffeen Road & Grangecastle Road junctions, including provision of two lanes along the entire length of road from the Griffeen Road roundabout to the Grangecastle Road signals; including the full recessing of bus-stops on both sides of the road’ 

The Street network for the SDZ lands has been formulated in accordance with DMURS (2013), which is the authoritative national manual for the design of streets including the integrated and safe movement of vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians.  

As stated under Section 2.2.3 and 2.2.4 it is also a requirement of the Draft Planning Scheme for all streets to be designed in accordance with the requirements of DMURS and the National Cycle Manual (2011), which both include technical requirements in relation to the promotion of pedestrian and cycle movement and safety. 

The subject street is identified as a link street in the Draft Planning Scheme. The Draft Planning Scheme states that existing link streets will be upgraded as traffic calmed streets. It is noted that the motion includes design parameters and the Chief Executive considers that these provisions are premature pending detailed design. The provision of two lanes along this identified link street, however, would be at variance with DMURS in terms traffic capacity, carriageway width, number of lanes and design speed and in considered unnecessary. Section 2.2 of the Draft Planning Scheme includes an indicative cross section of a link street.  

In relation to the Grangecastle Road junction, the Transport Assessment and Strategy outlines a junction proposal to improve functionality. The provision of the link street upgrade and junction may be carried out in tandem with the development of the Kishoge North West Development Area. Additionally, some junction capacity works may be required as part of the BusConnects scheme. 

In relation to the general traffic management and flow issue identified in the motion, it is noteworthy that the development of the Draft Planning Scheme will provide increased route choice from Griffeen Avenue roundabout to Adamstown Link Road. This will offer opportunities to filter and diffuse traffic in the area. 

It is considered that the addition of infrastructure to Table 4.6 as a Local Level Requirement relating to Kishoge North West has merit as the subject street is within the SDZ boundary and is proposed for upgrading in the Draft Planning Scheme.

Recommendation

It is recommended that the motion be adopted with amendment as follows: 

In Table 4.6, add a new row for Griffen Avenue Upgrade tie into Phase 3 of Table 4.3:

Insert

‘Upgrade of existing link street at Griffeen Avenue and junctions as required’.

This clause will be linked to the Kishoge North West Development Area only.

 

Strategic Environmental Assessment of Chief Executive’s Recommendation

Positive moderate effects around population and human health SEOs and indirect on material assets are provided by the additional proposed text.

Appropriate Assessment Screening of Chief Executive’s Recommendation

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