Section 5.4, in particular sub-section 5.4.1 Walking and Cycling, contains a number of objectives and actions relating to the development of cycling and pedestrian infrastructure. They include Draft Greater Dublin Area Cycle Network Plan routes, greenways, blueways, other cycleways and paths between and within a number of towns.
Due to some objectives/ actions being subject to collaboration and/ or funding from other organisations and bodies including the NTA and Waterways Ireland, this section of the document would benefit from a table that lists proposed route sections.
Inclusion of information such as the following would aid with understanding the overall pipeline:
- Source & destination of route (e.g. Celbridge-Maynooth)
- Whether the route section is part of a wider programme (e.g. GDA Cycle Network Plan, Barrow Blueway, Grand Canal Greenway, Royal Canal Greenway, etc.)
- How the route section will be planned and delivered (e.g.Kildare County Council only, Kildare County Council + NTA, NTA only, Kildare County Council + Waterways Ireland, Waterways Ireland only, etc.)
- Source from which funding needs to be obtained (e.g. NTA, Municipal District Budget, etc.)
- Readiness to seek funding and/ or progress with a Part 8 development / whether a feasibility assessment is considered necessary before a route could be progressed
- etc.
Objective TM O11 to "Investigate the feasibility of developing high-quality, suitable, safe and sustainable cycling pathways..." lists distinct routes between a small number of destinations:
- Maynooth/Leixlip and Dublin
- Naas and Dublin
- Naas and Newbridge
- Newbridge to Kildare and on towards Portlaoise
- Kildare to Monasterevin
Unless the feasibility of these routes has already been established, this objective should be updated to also include
- Celbridge and Maynooth
- Celbridge and Leixlip
- Celbridge to Lucan
It is unclear why Objective TM O11 is listed in the table before the 5.4.1 Walking and Cycling sub-section when all other cycle objectives are in sub-section 5.4.1 Walking and Cycling.
- Does this relate to the proposed National Cycle Network?
- Is it that a different quality is anticipated - should all cycleways not be "high-quality, suitable, safe and sustainable cycling pathways"?
Objective TM O12 to "Promote and facilitate the implementation of public transport projects (bus and rail) and encourage transport providers and other agencies (e.g. NTA, developers etc.) to improve public transport (bus and rail) and to have regard to and support recently implemented and/or planned routes under NTA’s Bus Connects and proposed / planned routes under NTA’s Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan.." lists distinct routes between
- Kilcock/Maynooth/Leixlip and Dublin
- Celbridge and Dublin
- Maynooth and Naas
- Celbridge and Naas
- Naas and Carragh
This objective should be updated to also list
- Maynooth to Tallaght (BusConnects route)
- Celbridge to Newbridge (extension of route between Celbridge and Naas onto Newbridge or increased service on GoAhead 120B)
-
Routes proposed as a result of the Strategic Land Use, Employment and Transportation Study of North East Kildare (Objective RE O14) and Area Based Transport Assessments carried out during the preparation of Local Area Plans (Action TM A2) - these may include
- Enhanced connection between Celbridge and Maynooth to include a link between West Celbridge, Maynooth Business Campus and West Maynooth (University / new Research & Technology Park)
- Celbridge to North-West Dublin (Blanchardstown and Dublin Airport)