‘Tsunami’ of traffic feared

LOCALS in Dublin 7 fear a tsunami of traffic around Arbour Hill and Stoneybatter if the preferred option for the Liffey Cycle Route is given the green light.

Plans for the continuous six kilometre cycleway connecting the Phoenix Park and Heuston Station along the Liffey to the Tom Clarke Bridge have been ongoing since 2012.

Currently, more than 800 cyclists travel along the quays during the morning peak hour and planners say the Liffey Cycle Route will cater for these and an anticipated growth to 1,200 cyclists per hour by 2021.

However, finding a way around a pinch point between Ellis Quay and Arran Quay has proved a problem, with seven options put forward for consideration.

The preferred option will see all private traffic rerouted from the quays between James Joyce Bridge and Fr Mathew Bridge up to North King Street and North Brunswick Street.

Traffic will then come back down Queen Street or Church Street.

Dublin City Council says a detailed constraints analysis conducted on the preferred option concluded there are no physical impediments for its implementation.

The council also consulted with the National Transport Authority and says it is supportive of the plan.

However, chairman of Stoneybatter Pride of Place, Joe Costello, believes the option will create a “tsunami” of traffic driving onto existing congested streets.

“It will cause mayhem at the junctions of Blackhall Place, North King Street, North Brunswick Street, Arbour Hill and Stoneybatter,” he said.

“Likewise, Brunswick Street, with its primary and secondary schools and its equally congested junctions with Constitution Hill, North King Street and Church Street will be a nightmare for traffic.

“The new traffic from the quays will come directly into contact with the traffic and students accessing the primary and secondary schools in Stanhope Street, the primary and secondary schools in North Brunswick Street the Educate Together Primary School in Grangegorman and the new DIT college with its thousands of third level students at Grangegorman.”

The former Dublin Central Labour TD believes the extra traffic will split the village of Stoneybatter into two and undo work done by Stoneybatter Pride of Place, which recently succeeded in having the area designated the premier ‘Urban Heritage Village’ in Ireland. 

Costello outlined his concerns to Dublin City Council Chief executive, Owen Keegan, who replied in a letter that he’d expect the overall volume of traffic to be reduced if the council proceeds with its preferred option.

“In any event, I want to assure you that the concerns you have expressed will be considered before any decision is taken on the preferred Liffey Cycle Route option,” he added.

It’s expected the preferred option will be put out for public consultation in the near future.