COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF RATHFARNHAM / TEMPLEOGUE / FIRHOUSE / BOHERNABREENA AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, November 14, 2023

MOTION NO. 1

MOTION: Councillor L. Hagin Meade

With reference to the noise from traffic along the M50 at Castlefields , Knocklyon, to ask the manager for an update/response from the TII with a timeline and actionable items to remedy the noise levels in Castlefields.

REPORT:

EU Directive 2002/49/EC was transposed into Irish law by Statutory Instrument No. 140 of 2006 (the ‘Environmental Noise Regulations 2006'), and this calls for the development of strategic noise maps and action plans for major roads, railways, airports, and cities. Under these Regulations, Transport Infrastructure Ireland TII is responsible for the development of strategic noise maps for all national roads carrying more than 3 million vehicles a year and for light rail lines (i.e., the Luas network) which has more than 30,000 passages per year.  TII is the responsible authority for the M50 and the other major roads such as N4, N7, and N81 in this county. 

The cities of Dublin Cork and Limerick are jointly involved in a project which entails the completion of Strategic Noise Maps and Noise Action Plans for Round 4 of the European Communities (Environmental Noise) Regulations 2018.

The Dublin agglomeration includes all four local authorities, SDCC,DCC, Fingal and DLR Rathdown. The M5O runs through three of these authorities with Dublin City being the exception. South Dublin is represented on the National Noise strategic committee by Environmental Health and Road Traffic departments with input and involvement also from Planning Department. TII are also on this strategic committee.

Castlefield is directly adjacent to the M50 on the northern side.   The key components to reducing the noise in areas adjacent to the major national roads is primarily influenced by the speed at which traffic is travelling at, the overall quantity of vehicles in the traffic flow, the proportion of heavy commercial vehicles (HCVs) in the flow and the type of road surface in the area and the installation of wooden or concrete noise barriers or the creation of earth banks.

South Dublin County Council are meeting with TII later this week and the matter of Castlefield will be will actively raised with them in relation to their infrastructural plans for the M50.  Further updates will be provided to the elected members.