News

Question: Councillor D. Smith

“To ask the Chief Executive to repair the potholes on the 200 metre stretch of
road beyond Jones’ Butterfly Farm in Balheary?”

Reply:

The stretch of road in question is included in the 2018 maintenance programme
for patching repairs and it is anticipated that the work will be carried out in Q2.

Motion: Councillor D. Smith.

“That this Council commends the announcement of a Pilot Public Bike Scheme
and for endorsing the Staying Alive at 1.5 cycling campaign and calls for further
development of both schemes, including compatibility tests between the Fingal
Bike Scheme and Dublin Scheme and prepares a draft strategic plan of cycle
lane and road improvements throughout Fingal in line with the current Fingal
County Development Plan.”

Report:
On the 23rd January, the Transportation Strategic Policy Committee approved
the introduction of a pilot bike sharing scheme for North Dublin including
Swords and Dublin 15 areas.

Through this pilot scheme, Fingal County Council will have the opportunity to
gain a deeper understanding of the operational requirements and impacts of
the schemes. It will enable the council to be proactive and use the opportunity
to inform the content of bye-laws for bike share services within the County.

The objectives of the pilot scheme will be as follows:
1. Determine how bike share services can be introduced within Fingal.
2. Identify how the system can co-exist with Dublin City Council:
3. Develop solutions for potential challenges:
a. Maintenance
b. Impacts on public realm
4. Identify new challenges and test solutions.
5. Develop Bye Laws based on experience with pilot.
6. Explore opportunities for greater public benefit:
a. New partnership models
b. New marketing mechanism for increasing uptake of cycling.

The Greater Dublin Area Cycle Network Plan was produced by the National
Transport Authority in 2013. The main cycling proposals for Fingal from this plan
have been adopted into the Fingal Development Plan 2017-2023. The
development of cycle routes has generally been carried out in conjunction with
new development or through funding from the NTA. Much of the development
in Fingal at present is happening in the Swords/ Balbriggan/ Hansfield area. The
cycle routes prioritised are generally routes between urban areas with a central
business area/ schools / transport hubs or in tourist amenity areas. Apart from
area where there are new cycle lanes in conjunction with ongoing development
there are other cycleway schemes within Fingal which are in design stage. These
include the Fingal Coastal way. For this route concept design between Sutton
and Malahide is underway. A cycleway within the proposed Baldoyle park along
with a scheme for the Broadmeadow estuary is being send to An Board Pleanala
for planning approval. The Donabate to Balbriggan section will also be
progressed this year. Also underway is concept design for the Royal Canal
Greenway from the M50 to the County Boundary with Kildare. A consultant is
being appointed to carry out a feasibility study for cycleway and pedestrian
linkage to the Kinsealy area. A consultant is also being appointed to carry out a
design for a cycleway along the Harry Reynolds Road in Balbriggan.
Where new cycle ways are being created it is intended to provide the best level
of service possible as indicated by the National Cycle Manual. On busy roads the
cycle lanes are left off road. It is difficult to retrofit cycle lanes on to existing
roads and often this cannot be achieved without significant land take or
reduction in traffic lanes. There is also a cost benefit analysis to be carried out to
justify the loss of traffic lanes or the resultant cost in construction which often
involves expensive utility diversions.

Motion: Councillor D. Smith

“That the Chief Executive acknowledges the junction of the recently named
Barnageeragh Road (formerly Townparks Distributor Road) and Dublin Road in
Skerries is a dangerous junction with high volumes of traffic and to outline
solutions to be put in place to make this junction safer and to include the right
turn from the Barnageeragh Road into Townparks Estate as part of this solution.”

Report:

The visibility splay at the yield line has been assessed and is considered
adequate. Traffic signals cannot be provided at this junction due to the entrance
layout along the Dublin Road.
Additional paint markings and a solar powered driver feedback sign will be
provided in the vicinity of the junction of the Barnageeragh Road and the
entrance into Townparks.

Question: Councillor D. Smith

“To ask the Chief Executive for a report on the progress for a Bike Sharing
Scheme for Fingal with specific reference to Swords and the Donabate
peninsula?”

Reply:
On the 23rd January, the Transportation Strategic Policy Committee approved the
introduction of a pilot bike sharing scheme for North Dublin including Swords
and Dublin 15 areas.

Through this pilot scheme, Fingal County Council will have the opportunity to
gain a deeper understanding of the operational requirements and impacts of
the schemes. It will enable the council to be proactive and use the opportunity
to inform the content of bye-laws for bike share services within the County.

The objectives of the pilot scheme will be as follows:

1. Determine how bike share services can be introduced within Fingal.
2. Identify how the system can co-exist with Dublin City Council:
3. Develop solutions for potential challenges:
a. Maintenance
b. Impacts on public realm
4. Identify new challenges and test solutions.
5. Develop Bye Laws based on experience with pilot.
6. Explore opportunities for greater public benefit:
a. New partnership models
b. New marketing mechanism for increasing uptake of cycling.

Expressions of Interest will now be sought from various operators of bike
sharing schemes, with a view to initiating competitive technical dialogue
procure a pilot for Fingal.

Question: Councillor D. Smith

“To ask the Chief Executive to make safe the entrance onto Burrow Beach
Portrane, behind the Brook Pub as this is an immediate safety concern?”

Reply:
Work on the entrance onto Burrow Beach Portrane, has now been completed.

Question: Councillor D. Smith

“To ask the Chief Executive to remove the old Dublin bus stop on Watery Lane,
opposite the white houses and adjacent to the factory gates as it has not been in
use for over 15 years and there are no bus routes on this road?”

Reply:
Arrangements will be made to meet with Dublin Bus with a view to having the
bus stop removed. However with the imminent temporary closure of a section
of the Rathbeale Road and the consequential diversion of a number of bus
routes down Watery Lane it would make sense not to carry out the removal
before then.