Traffic calming measures in Ringsend are set to stay

Temporary measures put in place to stop rat-running and dangerous driving on Pigeon House Road in Ringsend may become permanent after councillors spoke in favour of the project at last week’s South East Area Committee meeting.

Bollards, planters and a mini-roundabout were installed on Pigeon House Road for a trial period in an effort to deter reckless driving.

A recent public consultation launched by Dublin City Council found that 73 percent of 538 people surveyed were in favour of making the scheme permanent.

Andrew Duff, the local authority’s neighbourhood transport engineer said that local businesses and local residents around Ringsend Park were sent leaflets detailing the consultation.

Overall, the respondents consisted of 91 people who lived on Pigeon House Road, 147 lived nearby, 133 passed through on their commute, and 152 had an unspecified use of the road.

In a council report presented to councillors at the meeting, Duff said that some respondents asked for improvements to the scheme, introducing measures to reduce traffic on neighbouring roads, and stop cars doing U-turns outside the Poolbeg Quay apartment complex.

The report recommended that the measures, including the mini-roundabout at Poolbeg Pump Station and the two sets of planters and bollards located east of the Poolbeg Quay complex be retained.

“Dublin City Council’s recommendation is to make this scheme permanent while enhancing the infrastructure for the scheme in doing so,” the report said.

“The aim of this work will be to make the scheme more attractive and promote cycling and walking in the area while maintaining a safer neighbourhood for all residents and road users.”

Green Party councillor Claire Byrne welcomed the proposal.

“It’s great to see the overwhelming response was to be made permanent because there were concerns raised initially, understandably enough,” she said

“Through the trial process, those concerns were appeased.”

Independent councillor Mannix Flynn also supported the scheme saying that “there’s no doubt that this has been a very good success down there, particularly for the local community who live on Pigeon House Road.”

“It’s all well and good to have a walkability and indeed a cyclability, but also there’s a massive grass verge there that needs to be treated,” he said.

The current condition of the roundabout at the nearby Sean Moore Road was also raised at the meeting.

Duff said he would talk to the external consultant and senior management about the it and other matters.

“We want to work with the people down on Pigeon House Road and the surrounding areas,” he said.

“We’re gonna talk to the residents down there and the businesses to see if we can come up with the best solution going forward to make this trial a permanent structure down there.”