The BusConnects corridor linking Tallaght and Clondalkin to Dublin city centre, has been approved by An Bord Pleanála, almost a year after the decision was initially due.
The National Transport Authority (NTA) has sought permission for 12 dedicated bus lanes as part of its programme to overhaul the capital’s bus system. The Tallaght/Clondalkin core bus corridor is the ninth scheme approved to date.
The NTA submitted the Tallaght/Clondalkin application in April 2023. The board had been due to issue its decision in November 2023, but despite determining there was no requirement for an oral hearing, permission was not granted until this month.
The 15.5km corridor will run from The Square Shopping Centre, Tallaght and Nangor Road, Clondalkin, to Nicholas Street near St Patrick’s Cathedral in the city centre.
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The route passes through Ballymount, Walkinstown, Drimnagh, Crumlin and Dolphin’s Barn, and is expected to remove more than 100,000 daily car trips from the roads.
The BusConnects programme has two strands: a network redesign and the 12 bus corridors. Unlike the redesign project, which involves the reorganisation of services on existing road infrastructure, the corridors require construction to achieve segregation of bus and cycle lanes from traffic. In some instances this necessitates road widening, and the acquisition of property, including parts of front gardens, and felling of trees.
An Bord Pleanála received 55 submissions on the Tallaght/Clondalkin project, mostly from local residents along the route, as well as 19 objections to compulsory purchase orders (CPOs) for land acquisition, the majority of which came from commercial property owners.
The 55 submissions varied from residents concerned about the loss of privacy, green space and safety concerns in relation to road widening; to the reduction in space for cars and the requirement for private motorists to take more circuitous routes. Other submissions said insufficient provision had been made for cyclists, with bicycles required to share space with buses and cars over parts of the route.
Most CPO objections related to loss of parking for customers and deliveries. One homeowner objected to the acquisition of 3m of his driveway, leaving him with 10m, which was insufficient, he said, as “parking is required for at least six cars and space to turn in the driveway”.
In recommending permission be granted the board’s inspector Donal Donnelly said the scheme would “make a significant contribution to carbon reduction, the easing of congestion and the creation of more sustainable travel patterns for the growing population”. It was also “essential to bring about improved connections, particularly for non-car users, the disadvantaged and vulnerable road users”.
The impact on private car users had “been kept to a minimum”, he said. “The fact that two-way general traffic has been retained throughout most of this core bus corridor, indicates to me that the proposed scheme may have gone further to accentuate modal shift from the private car to bus transport/active travel.
“Had the proposed scheme been designed at the present time, when climate change is becoming increasingly apparent, rather than a number of years ago, it may have been more radical in tackling car dominance.”
However, he said, “on balance, I have concluded that the overall benefits of the proposed scheme considerably outweigh the negatives”.
The eight other schemes approved by the board run to the city from Liffey Valley, Clongriffin, Belfield/Blackrock, Ballymun/Finglas, Swords, Ringsend, Blanchardstown and Lucan.
Routes from Templeogue/Rathfarnham, Kimmage and Bray await the decision of the board.
Three of the approved schemes, Clongriffin, Belfield/Blackrock and Blanchardstown, are the subject of ongoing judicial review proceedings.
Construction of the first schemes is due to start next year.
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