COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

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

Wednesday, November 20, 2024

QUESTION NO. 13

QUESTION: Councillor F. Timmons

To ask the Chief Executive to give an urgent update on the agreed traffic plan in the County Development plan for Rathcoole , Newcastle and Saggart and to ask what measures will SDCC do to alleviate traffic congestion in the short term given the amount of planning SDCC is approving?

REPLY:

 The South Dublin County Council - County Development Plan contains the following Sustainable Movement Objective (SM6 SLO1): 

To carry out a traffic and transport study for Rathcoole, Saggart and Newcastle and the surrounding areas following the publication of the GDA Strategy review to 2042 which will clarify the context within which the road network in the area will function and to include a review of HGV movement.

The estimated timelines to produce an Area Based Transport Study are ass follows:

Scoping Document - 3 months.  NTA approval of Scoping Document -2 months.  Procurement of Traffic Consultant - 3 months. Draft Report -7 months. Elected member and Public Consultation - 2 months.  Final Draft -3 months. NTA Final Draft Approval -2 months.

The County wide HGV review has begun.  This will be completed in 2025.

In the short term, the straight through W6 service from Maynooth to Tallaght will be coming into service in January 2025, following improvement works at Hazelhatch.

In Newcastle main street, SDCC has installed a new pedestrian crossing point at Supervalue, which also serves the Bus stops for the 68, W6 and W62 routes. See attached picture.

In Rathcoole, a Section 38 planning has been advertised to make pedestrian improvements including a controlled crossing to the Bus Stop 104301 which is on the junction 4 Slip road of the N7 .  This stop has multiple frequent services including the 124, 125, and 125 Bus services. This project will be delivered by the TII in 2025.

On main street Rathcoole, SDCC are planning to install a new pedestrian crossing at the Bus stop 3440 serving Bus routes 69 and 69X and the Rathcoole shopping centre in 2025.

On any planning permissions granted across the areas in question, low car parking provision, cycle and pedestrian infrastructure provision and permeability to public transport are all included as the conditions of their planning grant. This ensures that travel mode share continues to move to sustainable movement options.  This ensures the most efficient movement of people in these areas.

Bus connects services continue to be rolled out across the city.  There are growing numbers using public transport.  These statistics are being monitored and further enhancements to the sustainable travel network are being targeted.

SDCC aims to deliver further sustainable infrastructure with the assistance of our Transport partners like the National Transport Authority and Transport Infrastructure Ireland to continue this transition to more efficient transport modes.  

This will have the effect of reducing car congestion on our road network if we continue to support these better ways to travel.