Gallops Avenue Proposal will have detrimental impact.

TO: Senior Executive Officer, Planning Department, Kildare County Council, Áras Chill Dara, Devoy Park, Naas, Co. Kildare W91X77F

Dear Senior Executive Officer:

RE: Draft Kildare County Development Plan 2023-2029

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).

I have series objections over the proposed Gallops Avenue linking between the Racecourse Gate and Sundays Well residential estates.  Below are the reasons why I am formally placing this submission.

Health & Safety of our Community

The increased amount of traffic will increase the probability of accidents and incidents along the roadway.  This will remove the safe place we have had for our kids.  In 2019 a kid was knocked down and injured in Monread on a road that is controlled by speed bumps.  The new route will encourage traffic to speed as an alternative route.

Noise Pollution

Currently when the traffic on the N7 reaches 6am each morning I am awakened with the noise levels that are experienced from this motorway.  I have had to make home modifications to allow my family sleep to 7am each morning.  With the additional upgrade to the N7, with increased lanes this noise level has increased independent of any Gallops Avenue (interconnecting road).  This road widening coupled with an inner relief road would raise levels to above European acceptable levels.  When this inner relief road was originally proposed back in 1992 the N7 widening was not in the plans to be such a motorway.  The increased noise that a proposed inner relief road would create coupled with the N7 would again raise the noise levels to above European acceptable levels.

Environment

The fumes & smoke exhausted from the extra traffic will impose an unnecessary health risk to the families in the residential homes in proximity to the road.  The risk level has not been assessed to date.

Traffic Congestion on Gallops Avenue

Traffic congestion on this route will increase significantly with residents getting trapped in there own estates.  This inner relief is adding three bottlenecks to the existing infrastructure, Racecourse Gate, Junction onto Tipper road & at Sundays Well Junction. This route will end up like the Arthgarvan road in Newbridge which is at a standstill at periods throughout each day.

Increased exposure to Theft & Burglaries

The construction of the new inner relief in the proposed location will lead to increased potential for burglaries in the community with greater ease of getaway in the middle of the night.

Tax payers money

I am a member of this community and I respect my community.  I and other community members pay our taxes to the government to design & construct infrastructure that improves the quality of life for all.  This proposed route is a huge waste of our money. This solution is not stopping the traffic congestion but diverting same to another build up area within Naas.  The appropriate amount of funds should be made available to design and construct an outer relief road away from build up residential areas.  Money was spent on similar roadway in 2019 and was voted against by County Councillors (6:1)

Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets contradiction (DMURS)

The design of this Gallops Avenue AKA inner relief is completely contrary to stipulations to the Departments own Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets

For example refer to page 58 of this manual, see excerpt below:

EPA IMPACT

It is clear that no proper consultation took place on the environmental impact that this route will have on the community. As a household that has persons with respiratory illness the fumes and dust will lead to acerbation of this illness.

Not suitable for future development of Naas.

Our local area plan is targeting 29,042 by 2024.  This roadway will only cater for homes built on the outer of the road.  The road should be placed further out into more rural area to allow the town grow in line with the expected population.  The proposed route if constructed will dissect the towns population.

Democratic Rights of the constituents of Naas

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.

Yours sincerely

Declan Holahan