COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

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

Wednesday, December 17, 2025

QUESTION NO. 6

QUESTION: Councillor S. O'Hara

To ask the Chief Executive for an update on the traffic survey and subsequent traffic management plan for Saggart, Rathcoole, and Newcastle.

REPLY:

The objective to carry out a traffic study for Rathcoole, Newcastle and Saggart is in the County Development Plan 2022-2028.

I attach an extract of that objective below:

"SM6 SLO 1: To investigate the need 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."

South Dublin County Council are pleased to say that progress is being made on the Traffic Plan for this project.  The Council are working hard to scope the main deliverable for the Local Transport Plan which are outlined below:

Overall Vision for the Transport Plan.

The Transport Plan must look at the current baseline traffic trips generated in the study area.  The current mode share - car, bus, walking and cycle trips generated.  Particular focus on peak times of travel.   Morning a.m. and evening p.m. peak times studies.  Baseline capacity checks on the existing junctions in the study area.  Current capacity shortfalls for all travel modes in the study area.  Infrastructure gaps identified.

Study Area Description: 

Rathcoole, Saggart, Greenogue and Newcastle areas including the existing and proposed transport network links required between these urban centres.  Please note full Transport Plan will include other areas interest in the County.  

Initial Consultations:

Allow for non statutory consultation with all stakeholders - resident and public workshops, elected member workshops, National Transport Authority, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, and Department of Transport workshops.  It is also important that SDCC consult and work together with Fingal County Council on any adjacent Local Authority initiatives.

Local Transport Plan Outputs:

Identify the zoned areas for future growth, and calculate the increases in transport demand for all travel modes.  Add these demand growths to the existing trips currently generated.  Model the trips generated onto the existing transport network.  Include the planned major projects like Bus connects, Cycle South Dublin and TII proposals into the model.  Identify, the key gaps in infrastructure required.  Calculate a phased timeline for delivery of each scheme. Have a low growth, medium growth and high growth suite of proposals. Develop a first draft list of proposals.  Ensure that these proposals are aligned with known Environmental constraints. Appropriate Assessment and Screening reports.  Map up the first draft of proposals ready for the second round of public consultations.

Secondary Consultations:

Carry out a public consultation process on the first draft of transport proposals.   Shortlisting and refinement of proposals post round 2 of consultation.

Transport Plan Finalisation:  Final Draft of Transport scheme proposals with estimated costs for each. A table of proposed schemes (projects) and a phased delivery timeframe for each. Final mapping of transport proposals.  

Final Transport Plan Agreement Adoption:

Transport Plan adoption/agreement.  Transport Plan monitoring and review: Interim Review / Final Review at end of Transport Plan term.

Termination of Transport Consultant contract, including phase completions.

The initial estimate to produce the Transport Plan is 18 months.  It is important to note that the final Transport plan will also include a study of the Lucan area congestion issues and the western South Dublin Local Authority lands as part of the residential zoning review.