Latest update - 26 Feb 2021
STC has welcomed the High Court decision to grant a Stay Application against Dublin City Council, preventing the Council from proceeding with the Strand Road Trial Cycle Route Scheme
An Environmental Impact Assessment screening report indicated that the Trial would cause significant traffic displacement in the Sandymount area, rendering other, smaller roads busier and causing increased risks for pedestrians and children. A significant amount of commercial, port- and toll-bridge related traffic would also be affected.
STC Community Group stated that it was regrettable they had to go to the High Court and now hopes that DCC will re-engage with the NTA and Minister Ryan and most importantly the main communities in this proposal - the residents of Sandymount, Ringsend, Irishtown and Ballsbridge - to revisit the original S2S cycle path proposal so it can be enjoyed by everyone including visitors to our wonderful capital City.
To: Eamon Ryan, National Transport Authority, Dublin City Council
We want an Off Road Cycleway for Strand Road/Beach Road
The Government has set aside €360 million per year for the next five years for cycling and walking projects. With such significant budgets available, a permanent off-road cycle path that is consistent with implementations across the entirety of north Dublin and Blackrock Park should also be installed for Sandymount. Using DCC in-house or outsourced innovation, the cycle path can be extended with a cantilever section or otherwise to ensure compliance to the Habitats Directive.
Why is this important?
DCC’s current proposal to close the northbound lane of Strand/Beach Roads will not work for the following reasons:
1. Traffic congestion
DCC has not explained how northbound traffic, with particular reference to industrial and commercial traffic, is to access Dublin Port, the East Link Bridge, the Dublin Port Tunnel, and the recycling centre.
Nor has it addressed the extreme limitations of residential roads, in particular the bottleneck of the narrow and already overloaded Church Avenue at Irishtown, through which all the northbound traffic will need to find its way.
DCC’s own data predicts traffic increases of 110% on Merrion Road and up to 322% in Sandymount. Areas such as Donnybrook, Ballsbridge and Irishtown will also be impacted.
2. Environment
Increases in air pollution caused by this predicted congestion will have a negative impact on air quality for the residents in the impacted areas. Idling traffic sitting in congested roads emits more pollution than traffic which moves freely.
3. Safety
DCC’s proposal calls for making the northbound lane on Strand Road run south. This goes against what is expected, and may lead to accidents as people “look” the wrong way when they join this one-way route. Similarly for pedestrians crossing Strand Road.
Displaced traffic from Strand Road will be pushed into Sandymount Village, making it less safe for pedestrians, many of whom are vulnerable and cyclists.
4. Parking
There will be a loss of car parking on Strand Road when the design of the scheme is further developed as large sections of Strand Road are not wide enough for a 2-way cycle lane, single lane of traffic and formal parking.
5. Urban Planning
Which route will trucks and lorries take for the proposed builds at Maxol Beach Road (90 homes); Poolbeg former Glass Bottle site (3,600 homes) and Roslyn Park Secondary School Strand Road (1500 students)?
Why are DCC and the NTA insistent on 'trialling' a one-way Strand Road Scheme that has maximum traffic disruptions (including displacing Commerical/Industrial and non-local traffic onto residential roads & impacts across South East Dublin communities) and not working together to agree on a Permanent Cycle Path solution?
https://twitter.com/community_stc/status/1330578558721404933
https://twitter.com/community_stc/status/1328759106916773889)
1. Traffic congestion
DCC has not explained how northbound traffic, with particular reference to industrial and commercial traffic, is to access Dublin Port, the East Link Bridge, the Dublin Port Tunnel, and the recycling centre.
Nor has it addressed the extreme limitations of residential roads, in particular the bottleneck of the narrow and already overloaded Church Avenue at Irishtown, through which all the northbound traffic will need to find its way.
DCC’s own data predicts traffic increases of 110% on Merrion Road and up to 322% in Sandymount. Areas such as Donnybrook, Ballsbridge and Irishtown will also be impacted.
2. Environment
Increases in air pollution caused by this predicted congestion will have a negative impact on air quality for the residents in the impacted areas. Idling traffic sitting in congested roads emits more pollution than traffic which moves freely.
3. Safety
DCC’s proposal calls for making the northbound lane on Strand Road run south. This goes against what is expected, and may lead to accidents as people “look” the wrong way when they join this one-way route. Similarly for pedestrians crossing Strand Road.
Displaced traffic from Strand Road will be pushed into Sandymount Village, making it less safe for pedestrians, many of whom are vulnerable and cyclists.
4. Parking
There will be a loss of car parking on Strand Road when the design of the scheme is further developed as large sections of Strand Road are not wide enough for a 2-way cycle lane, single lane of traffic and formal parking.
5. Urban Planning
Which route will trucks and lorries take for the proposed builds at Maxol Beach Road (90 homes); Poolbeg former Glass Bottle site (3,600 homes) and Roslyn Park Secondary School Strand Road (1500 students)?
Why are DCC and the NTA insistent on 'trialling' a one-way Strand Road Scheme that has maximum traffic disruptions (including displacing Commerical/Industrial and non-local traffic onto residential roads & impacts across South East Dublin communities) and not working together to agree on a Permanent Cycle Path solution?
https://twitter.com/community_stc/status/1330578558721404933
https://twitter.com/community_stc/status/1328759106916773889)