COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF CLONDALKIN, NEWCASTLE, RATHCOOLE, SAGGART AND BRITTAS AREA COMMITTEE

Wednesday, November 16, 2022

QUESTION NO. 9

QUESTION: Councillor F. Timmons

To ask the Chief Executive to respond to Tidy Towns judges' feedback 2022 that Convent Lane had a lot of traffic, and it is wondered if council has thought about promoting safe cycling routes along or near this area. Is this area part of a safe school travel zone? If so, drop-off and walking routes could be identified providing alternative and safe travel options for school pupils. what can SDCC do in this regard?

REPLY:

Following the adoption of the County Development Plan 2022-2028, preparatory work has commenced on the initiation of a Local Area Plan (LAP) for Clondalkin (as per Objectives: QDP14-3 and EDE4-14). Public consultation will be carried out in the first 6 months of 2023, with the aim of publishing a draft LAP in October for further consultation.

Applications for the Safe Routes to School were sought from schools by An Taisce who coordinate the SRTS programme. Scoil Naomh Áine was the only school in the area that applied to the SRTS programme. Safe Routes to School – Green-Schools (greenschoolsireland.org)

There are no proposals to create a school zone on Convent Road. However, the SDCC Active Travel team are working with the Planning Department to ensure that works identified within the LAP are fully coordinated with the proposed Active Travel routes.

We have applied to the NTA for funding in 2023 to enable the acceleration of the Tallaght to Clondalkin Cycle Route and it is anticipated that some rapid delivery measures will be installed over sections of that route in 2023 in tandem with the development of the permanent design.

Works identified under the Clondalkin LAP will be funded from the Capital Budget or through grant funding, once those works are identified and the LAP is adopted.

Additionally, the SDCC Road Safety Officer will continue to work with schools and provided advise to them on waling and cycling to school.

With the assistance of NTA 2022 funding, SDCC has installed or is in the process of installing bicycle stands in three of the schools in Clondalkin Village and will be issuing another call for applications from schools early in the New Year.