O’Gorman welcomes clarification from Dublin Bus about buses parking on Diswellstown Road

dub-bus-response-april-092

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.

Changes to Clonsilla Road must not create inconvenience for St Mochta’s residents – O’Gorman

29/03/09

Green Party Castleknock ward candidate, Roderic O’Gorman has called on Fingal County Council to ensure that residents of St Mochta’s estate are not blocked in their estates as a result of proposed changes to the Clonsilla Road to remove the current one way system and reinstate two way traffic.

“Fingal County Council is currently considering whether to remove the current one way system and reinstate two way traffic along the Clonsilla Road. There has been considerable pressure to undertake this change as the existing one way system makes it difficult to reach Clonsilla Village”.

“A number of residents of the St. Mochta’s estate off the Clonsilla Road have contacted me about their fears that they will find it difficult to exit the estate in the event of the proposed change back to two way traffic being made. Exiting the estate was difficult before the current one way system was introduced and they fear a return to this situation”, stated Roderic O’Gorman.

“I have written to Fingal County Council and urged them to ensure a full set of traffic lights is installed at the junction of the Clonsilla Road, the Porters Road and St. Mochtas Estate and that these are timed to give adequate opportunity for traffic exiting St. Mochta’s estate. The current proposal from the Council makes reference to “upgrade traffic signals” at this point, which is somewhat vague, as is the map of the works provided”.

“I agree that returning to the old two way system on this section of the Clonsilla Road will probably ease traffic congestion in the area. However, it is absolutely vital that the people of St Mochta’s are not made suffer for this. I strongly urge the Council to take note of my submission and ensure that residents have adequate time to enter and exit their estate”, concluded Roderic O’Gorman.

Ends

Further Information
Roderic O’Gorman: 087 417 9777
www.rodericogorman.com

No progress on widening footpath at Castleknock Station (yet)

Roderic O'Gorman at narrow footpath outside Castleknock Train Station

A few weeks ago I raised the issue of the narrow footpath on the humpback bridge linking Blanchardstown to Castleknock Train Station.

I was disappointment by the response from Fingal County Council that it has not current plans to wider the footpath at the humpback bridge over the rail line and the canal at Castleknock Station.

I regularly see pedestrians forced out onto the road when they meet someone else on the footpath. There they cause a real risk for motorists and cyclists whose visibility is severely restricted when they cross the crest of the bridge.

I had this issued raised at a meeting of Fingal County Council earlier this month but unfortunately the County Manager has responded by saying there are no plans to deal with the problem in this year’s Transportation Works budget. This strikes me as ridiculous I have found minutes of Fingal County Council meetings dating back to 2002 when this exact issue was being raised and still nothing has been done about it.

I will continue to highlight this issue and work to have remedial works included in the 2010 Transportation Budget. It is simply unacceptable that such a dangerous situation for pedestrians, motorists and cyclists alike is permitted to continue.

Press Release – O’Gorman calls for safety railings to be installed along Carpenterstown Road and Diswellstown Road

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.

Bridge design chosen for Metro West Liffey Valley crossing

In recent weeks, the RPA awarded the contract to build the Metro West Liffey Valley crossing to Bruno Happoid and Explorations Architecture.

You can view some images of the proposed bridge here.