Objection to NIRR/Gallops Ave.

As a resident in this county who votes in this constituency, I wish to make a submission on the above county development plan.

I object to the inclusion of ‘The Gallops Avenue’ in this plan (Chapter 5 and Table 5.4 - Priority Road and Bridge Projects). This road proposal will not address the transport and movement needs of the county and our county deserves better. Furthermore, it does not have the support of the majority of Naas residents as evidenced by the many thousand submissions over the years to the various Local Area Plans, Transport Strategy etc.

This road proposal was democratically defeated in 2019 by Naas councillors (6:1 votes) who are on the record in Naas MD Council minutes as stating this road proposal is outdated and not fit for purpose. It is entirely unacceptable to disregard this democratic decision and continue to attempt to include it county development plans, The proposed Gallops Ave road must be deleted from the county development plan.

The same route was proposed in 1992 which is some 30 years ago. It is a plan which is out of date for the current and foreseeable population in Naas. Population then was around 11000 in 1992 and now is ~ 20000. Population expectation will be near 25000 in the next 5 – 10 years and this route will not provide much traffic relief as it stands. It will just be another bottle neck either side of Naas and not free flowing.

How can the council justify placing a ring road through so many residential areas without logic or critical thinking. The proposed route and traffic flow will make it extremely difficult to access the road during busy periods without traffic lights at the entrance of each estate. How do KCC expect to monitor the speed limit on this proposed route?

Yours sincerely,

Shane Blake