Blog covering Roderic’s local election campaign in the Castleknock/Blanchardstown ward
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The campaign is heating up now and I’m in with a shot of getting a seat on Fingal County Council but it will be a battle. If you’d like to lend a hand on the campaign trail you’re more then welcome. Just leave a comment or send me an email.
Roderic
Cars attempting to overtake a 37 bus parked on the Diswellstown Road
19/04/09
Green Party Castleknock ward candidate, Roderic O’Gorman has welcomed clarification from Dublin Bus about the parking of buses on the Diswellstown Road.
“Over the last year I have been engaging with Dublin Bus and Fingal County Council over the issue of buses on the 37 route parking on the Diswellstown Road outside Fernleigh and causing a traffic hazard. I have put questions to the County Manager and wrote letters to Dublin Bus management, including a number of pictures I took of cars attempting to pass parked buses”.
“In their most recent correspondence with me, Paddy Doherty, the Business Development Manager for Dublin Bus, stated that the company has applied to Fingal County Council to construct a new terminus for the 37 route on the Blanchardstown Road South between the new Ongar Road and the Dr. Troy Bridge. This will require approval from the Department of Transport”.
“Mr. Doherty also assured me that bus drivers are now being told to use the bus lay-by opposite Castleknock Community College quote “when they have sufficient lay-over time”. While I am pleased that the issue is at least being highlighted to drivers, I am not satisfied that Dublin Bus fully appreciate the danger that is being created, particularly when a number of buses are parked on the road at the same time”.
I also had a question put to the Fingal County Manager, asking to him to raise the issue of safety on the Diwsellstown Road with Dublin Bus. While the County Manager referred to Dublin Buses plan to create a new terminus, I think the Manager needs to go further and specifically raise the serious safety issues arising from buses parking on the road outside Fernleigh with Dublin Bus management”.
“I will continue to put pressure on Dublin Bus and Fingal CC on this issue. I have asked residents in the area to contact me if they see buses persisting to park along the Diswellstown Road”, concluded Roderic O’Gorman.
Ends
Further Information
Roderic O’Gorman: 087 417 9777
o Please see below answer from Fingal County Manager at April Council meeting.
o Please see link to reply from Dublin Bus at top of post.
FINGAL COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING
Wednesday 15th APRIL 2009
ITEM NO. 14
BUS TERMINUS ON DISWELLSTOWN ROAD
Question: Councillor J. Corr
“To ask the Manager if Fingal County Council could contact Dublin Bus and request that their drivers cease the practice of the 37 bus parking on the Diswellstown Road outside Fernleigh before it commences its inbound journey due to the road safety risks this creates?”
Reply:
It is understood that Dublin Bus proposes to relocate the bus terminus on Diswellstown Road to a suitable location on Blanchardstown Road South between the Clonsilla Road Roundabout and the Ongar Road Roundabout. This is subject to the necessary funding being made available to construct the proposed new terminus.
'Kissing-gates' at Laverna Way
While I was canvassing door-to-door in Laverna recently a number of residents raised concerns with me about increases in anti-social behaviour and a lack of Garda presence in the area. In particular, the problem of gangs gathering and drinking at the gates between Laevena Way and Bramley Green was highlighted.
Continue reading ‘Anti-social behaviour in Laverna’
15/03/09
Green Party Castleknock ward candidate, Roderic O’Gorman has called on Fingal County Council to install safety railings separating estate green spaces from busy roads.
“I’m calling on Fingal County Council to install safety railings at the roundabout on the Carpenterstown Road outside the Carpenter Pub, to separate the road from Burnell Park and also along the Diswellstown Road to separate the road from the Luttrellstown Glade and Luttrellstown Grove estates”, stated Roderic O’Gorman.
“The lack of safety railings has been a consistent concern for residents of these estates, particularly as there are a large number of young children living locally and both roads are notorious for speeding”.
“I recently had a question raised at a Fingal CC meeting regarding these two locations. The County Manager has stated that there are no plans to work on these under the current Transport Works plan for 2009. However, I will continue to pressure the Council on this issue as it not acceptable to leave young children at risk in this way”, concluded Roderic O’Gorman.
Ends
Further Information
Roderic O’Gorman: 087 417 9777
FINGAL COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING
MONDAY 9TH MARCH 2009
ITEM 11
RAILINGS – BURNELL PARK & LUTTRELLSTOWN GLADE/GROVE
Question: Councillor J. Corr
“To ask the Manager whether the Council will consider erecting railings at the south-west side of the roundabout on the Carpenterstown Road outside the Carpenter Pub, to separate the road from Burnell Park and along the south side of the Diswellstown Road to separate the road from the Luttrellstown Glade and Luttrellstown Grove estates in the interest of public safety?”
Reply:
The railings provided at Burnell Park were provided by the developers of the estate as part of the boundary treatment between the estate and the Diswellstown Road. No provision is included in current Works Programmes to extend the railings around the turning circle bordering the Carpenterstown Road.
No provision is included in the 2009 Transportation Works Programme to provide safety railings at Luttrellstown Glade and Luttrellstown Grove adjacent to the Diswellstown Road. These areas will be listed for examination and further consideration when future Works Programmes are being drawn up.
Cars attempting to overtake a 37 bus parked on the Diswellstown Road
Over the last few months, I’ve been in contact with Dublin Bus regarding the practice whereby out of service buses on the 37 route park on the Diswellstown Road beside Fernleigh before they being their inbound journey. This causes a serious traffic hazard as cars have to drive on the opposite side of the road to get around and sometimes there may be two or even three buses at this point. Many local residents in Luttrelstown, Fernleigh and Riverwood have raised this issue with me. I reckon it is only a matter of time before an accident occurs.
Last week I cycled over to the point where the buses park to take some photos to demonstrate the danger for motorists. There was one bus parked at the time and just as it pulled off, a second bus arrived. Interestingly, this second bus dropped off its passengers, then drove round the Riverwood roundabout, back up to the roundabout outside St Patricks NS, and then pulled into the bus lay-by between Luttrellstown and the back entrance to Castleknock Community College.
This is exactly what residents and motorists want. The buses should use the safe lay-by provided on the Diswellstown Road. I’m not sure if the bus driver in question was just more careful than some of his colleagues, or whether he got nervous when he saw me taking photos. Either way, it shows real inconsistency on the part of Dublin Bus that the drivers are taking different actions.
Up to now, Dublin Bus have justified their inaction by saying that they were waiting for the Minister for Transport to decide upon their request to extend the 37 route to Blanchardstown Road South before resolving the problem. However, this excuse is no longer valid as the Minister has again stated that he will not permit this extension of the 37 route due to competition concerns. I have again written to Dublin Bus, enclosing photos showing the danger created by cars attempting to overtake the parked bus on the Diswellstown Road, and the much safer example of a bus using the lay-by.
I am asking Dublin Bus to notify all its drivers working on the 37 route to use the lay-by rather than parking on the Diswellstown Road outside Fernleigh. I think that it is abolutely essential that Dublin Bus resolve this issue before a serious accident occurs.
