COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF DEVELOPMENT PLAN MEETING

Tuesday, March 01, 2022

MOTION NO.51

MOTION: Councillor William Joseph Carey, Councillor Derren Ó Brádaigh

SD-C195- 245 National Transport Authority SM2 Objective 4 Pg 94 Amend SM2 Objective 4 from: 'To ensure that connectivity for pedestrians and cyclists is maximised and walking and cycling distances are reduced in existing built-up areas, by removing barriers to movement and providing active travel facilities in order to increase access to local shops, schools, public transport services and other amenities through filtered permeability, while also taking account of existing patterns of anti-social behaviour in the removal of such barriers. To read; 'To ensure that connectivity for pedestrians and cyclists is maximised and walking and cycling distances are reduced in existing built-up areas, by removing barriers to movement and providing active travel facilities in order to increase access to local shops, schools, public transport services and other amenities through filtered permeability, while also taking account of existing patterns of anti-social behaviour in the removal of such barriers, with due consideration and consultation to be provided for local residential input, where the need is evident or expressed'. Submitted By: Cllr Derren Ó Brádaigh & Cllr William Carey

REPORT:

The Motion seeks to amend SM2 Objective 4 to include the following wording at the end of the objective: with due consideration and consultation to be provided for local residential input, where the need is evident or expressed'. 

SM2 Objective 4 of the Draft Plan currently reads as follows: 

‘To ensure that connectivity for pedestrians and cyclists is maximised and walking and cycling distances are reduced in existing built-up areas, by removing barriers to movement and providing active travel facilities in order to increase access to local shops, schools, public transport services and other amenities, while also taking account of existing patterns of anti-social behaviour and other unintended consequences of removal of such barriers’. 

Following Public Consultation on the Draft Development Plan and submission from the National Transport Authority under SD-C195-245, the following amendments have been recommended in the CE Report for SM2 Objective 4: 

‘To ensure that connectivity for pedestrians and cyclists is maximised and walking and cycling distances are reduced in existing built-up areas, by removing barriers to movement and providing active travel facilities in order to increase access to local shops, schools, public transport services and other amenities through filtered permeability, while also taking account of existing patterns of anti-social behaviour and other unintended consequences in the removal of such barriers.’ 

 

The amendment proposes that the objective would now read: 

'To ensure that connectivity for pedestrians and cyclists is maximised and walking and cycling distances are reduced in existing built-up areas, by removing barriers to movement and providing active travel facilities in order to increase access to local shops, schools, public transport services and other amenities through filtered permeability, while also taking account of existing patterns of anti-social behaviour in the removal of such barriers, with due consideration and consultation to be provided for local residential input, where the need is evident or expressed'. 

In addition to SM2 objective 4, the Draft County Development Plan provides for the following objectives which align with the requirements for increased permeability within our public realm as well as increased safety for vulnerable road users: 

SM1 Objective 4: To ensure that future development is planned and designed in a manner that facilitates sustainable travel patterns, with a particular focus on increasing the share of active modes (walking and cycling) and public transport use and creating a safe and attractive street environment for pedestrians and cyclists, in accordance with RPO 5.3 of the RSES/MASP. 

SM2 Objective 5: To ensure that all streets and street networks are designed in accordance with the principles, approaches and standards contained in the Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets so that the movement of pedestrians and cyclists is prioritised within a safe and comfortable environment for a wide range of ages, abilities and journey types. 

To ensure public consultation is at the centre of decision-making, in regard to transport related initiatives, SM1 Objective 7 of the Draft Plan states ‘To engage with relevant agencies including the National Transport Authority (NTA) and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) in relation to strategic and local transportation issues including delivery of transport projects and to encourage consultation with local communities’. 

The motion seeks to ensure that SM2 Objective 4 facilitates engagement with local residents in the event existing barriers are to be removed to ensure greater permeability for walking and cycling. In order to keep the objective as clear and concise as possible and to ensure the emphasis remains on the necessity for connectivity for pedestrians and cyclists to be maximised and walking and cycling distances to be reduced in existing built-up areas, it is considered that additional text could be included to provide for the intent of the motion.   

As such it is considered that SM2 Objective 4 as set out in the CE Report be further amended to read as follows:  

'To ensure that connectivity for pedestrians and cyclists is maximised and walking and cycling distances are reduced in existing built-up areas, by removing barriers to movement and providing active travel facilities in order to increase access to local shops, schools, public transport services and other amenities through filtered permeability, while also taking account of existing patterns of anti-social behaviour in the removal of such barriers with due consideration of consultation with local residents where need is evident or expressed’. 

CE Recommendation: It is recommended that the motion is adopted with amendment such that SM2 Objective 4 as set out in the CE Report would be further amended to read as follows:  

'To ensure that connectivity for pedestrians and cyclists is maximised and walking and cycling distances are reduced in existing built-up areas, by removing barriers to movement and providing active travel facilities in order to increase access to local shops, schools, public transport services and other amenities through filtered permeability, while also taking account of existing patterns of anti-social behaviour in the removal of such barriers with due consideration of consultation with local residents where need is evident or expressed’.