COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SDZ, LAPS AND PLANNING PROJECTS

Friday, January 26, 2018

MOTION NO. 299

MOTION: Councillor B. Bonner

This council agrees that public transport needs to be significantly improved before the development of the SDZ.  A proper radial bus services needs to be instituted linking Tallaght , Clondalkin and Lucan via the proposed SDZ area. In tandem with this, an enhanced rail service needs to be instituted serving the two rail stations.  The aforementioned improved bus service can serve these stations also.

REPORT:

The Chief Executive generally agrees with the sentiments of the motion and considers the strategic public transport services are planned through the NTA Greater Dublin Area Transport Strategy 2016 – 2035.

The Transport Assessment and Strategy that accompanies the Draft Planning Scheme outlines that the Orbital Bus Route and the DART Underground/Expansion as well as additional local and secondary orbital bus routes will serve the trip demands of the Draft Planning Scheme. Further to concerns raised in the motions in relation to committing to the planned public transport proposals, a submission from the NTA on the Draft Planning Scheme confirms that the NTA is committed to delivering the planned public transport infrastructure in the area.

At a national level, the National Transport Authority has responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger land transport services. This includes the provision of subvented bus and rail services by Bus Éireann, Dublin Bus and Irish Rail.

The NTA has stated that it is envisaged that the Kishoge railway station will open in 2020 once development occurs in its vicinity. At present, the NTA outlines that 7 services operate on this line inbound between 6:30am and 9:28am and 8 outbound in the evening. The NTA indicate that Kishoge will be served by the same number of trains as the existing service to Adamstown, including those which are provided via the Phoenix Park Tunnel. The NTA indicate that off peak services will be introduced in 2018. Prior to the roll out of the DART Expansion Programme, the NTA have indicated that further improvements to the service will occur to deliver a higher capacity, higher frequency service to Clonburris.

Furthermore, in January 2018, the NTA advises that it intended to provide the new orbital service through the SDZ lands linking Blanchardstown to Tallaght in the short term. Additionally, the NTA indicate that as part of the BusConnects network review, a number of high frequency local, radial and further orbital services are being considered to serve Lucan and Clondalkin, some of which will serve Clonburris directly, and some which can be adapted to serve Clonburris as development occurs in the future.

Recommendation

It is recommended that the motion is not adopted.

Strategic Environmental Assessment of Chief Executive’s Recommendation

No interaction with Strategic Environmental Objectives.

Appropriate Assessment Screening of Chief Executive’s Recommendation

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