COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, November 13, 2023

QUESTION NO. 7

QUESTION: Councillor L.Guéret

To ask the Chief Executive for a report on the SDCC Road Safety Plan. Report to include if school cyclists are specifically targeted and if the plan is promoted and implemented in all schools in the SDCC area to increase the need for everyone who are road users to do so in the safest possible way.

REPLY:

South Dublin County Council (SDCC) launched the Road Safety Action Plan 2022 – 2024 on 6th December 2022.

This plan was informed by a review of the previous plan which supported specific cycling initiatives including but not limited to "Cycle Right" training for over 6,500 primary school students, the delivery of a pilot adult "Cycle Right" initiative with Go-Ahead Ireland employees, and the development of additional cycle tracks as part of  the Active Travel Cycle South Dublin Programme which is aimed at providing c 45 routes that would deliver approximately 263km of new and improved cycle lanes over the next ten years.

This Council recognises that, while a combined national approach is required to make a noticeable and long-lasting change to our roads, Local Authorities have a responsibility to work at the local level to bring about this change.

While this Council has a statutory obligation under the Roads Act 1993, we also have a social obligation to the people of South Dublin County and all those who traverse our roads network, including cyclists. Therefore creating the safest roads possible and raising awareness among road users of the risks associated with roads and promoting responsible behavior when using them, is an extremely high priority for SDCC.

The Council's Road Safety Plan aims to identify areas to promote and improve road safety for all road users, including cyclist, within our County. There is an annual action plan to help support delivery of the 2022 – 2024 plan and there are 11 Safety Performance Indicators (SPIs) to help monitor our road safety performance as follows:

  1. Delivery of Cycle Right training to primary school children within the County,
  2. Increase the number of cycle totems and monitoring,
  3. Cycling parking installations,
  4. KM’s of cycling and walking infrastructure installed,
  5. Use of Speed Display Signs to monitor speed limit compliance,
  6. Improved junction safety/redesign of junction,
  7. Speed limit review to commence in 2023,
  8. HGV mobility policy review,
  9. School Crossings Reviews and safety measures implemented outside schools,
  10. Continuing collaboration with SDCC RSWTG on a quarterly basis in oversight of the strategic aspects of the Council’s Road Safety Strategy and Plan.
  11. Continuing liaison with ASG in the analysis of collision data.

There is a recognised increase in appetite for cycling (and walking) to work, college, and school, and is very much supported through the Council's Transport Department's varied programme of works.

Those that cycle and walk are less protected than those that drive, and therefore require increased attention to improve the perception of safety associated with these modes.   Accordingly, the Road Safety team continues to work in collaboration with the Roads Maintenance, Traffic and Active Travel teams to ensure that ambitious programmes of work reflect the increasing importance of making cycling a realistic and integral part of mobility within the County.   Similarly, the Road Safety unit will continue to work with external agencies, including An Taisce Green Schools to promote the Green Flag for Travel or Global Citizenship Travel as part of the Green-Schools Programme.

There is also a particular focus on improving road safety in the vicinity of schools with programmes like "School Streets" and "Safe Routes To School" in hand at a number of our schools across the county, aimed at providing "front of school" safety treatments.