To: A/Senior Executive Officer, Strategic Projects and Public Realm Team, Housing and Regeneration Department, Level 3, Kildare County Council, Aras Chill Dara, Devoy Park, Naas, Co Kildare, W91 X77F

21/02/2024

 

RE/                                    ‘Part 8 Proposed Sallins Grand Canal Greenway Link’

 

Dear A/Senior Executive Officer

I refer to the above and first of all would like to commend Kildare County Council (KCC) for the work they have completed thus far on the Grand Canal Greenway Phase 1 – Sallins to Alymer Bridge.  I have enjoyed being able to make use of it by driving to Sallins and parking up so that I can go along the Greenway and return back to my car in Sallins.

However, I completely oppose the current development plan ‘Part 8 Proposed Sallins Grand Canal Greenway Link’ with the regard to the way it is detailing how a link between Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the Greenway will be built and operated.  Below you will see my observations on how the current development plan ‘Part 8 Proposed Sallins Grand Canal Greenway Link’ is not a viable option and should be rejected.  I would appreciate if consideration were given to my opposing observations/suggestions as part of this consultation process.

 

Removal of existing vehicular ramps to both Canal View and Church Avenue

• As there was no Traffic Impact Assessment (TIA) carried out as part of the preparation of this planning application, due consideration has not been given by Kildare County Council (who should be ensuring that this Greenway link is well planned and considers all transportation implications).
•  A TIA is a technical analysis that evaluates traffic related issues and safety concerns associated with a specific development project.  Its primary objective is to determine whether a particular development will impact the safety and efficiency of nearby roads.
• The new by-pass road of Sallins was a very welcome solution to alleviating some of the traffic congestion on the main road through Sallins, the R407.  However, it would seem incredulous that the main point of the above development change is to close currently what I would deem high usage vehicular ramps (again a TIA would be required to determine the full usage numbers and implications) and to direct more traffic onto the already ‘busy’ R407 without consideration of the effects of same and the effects on safety of all persons that pass through Sallins village by whatever means.
• I refer to the R407 as the ‘busy’ R407 as that is how it is described on at least four occasions in the ‘Sallins Greenway Link – Part VIII Report’ prepared for KCC by Fehily Timoney (Planning Consultants).  If the report that I read which was prepared for this development refers to the R407 as the ‘busy’ R407 it seems very dismissive of traffic concerns to not have had a Traffic Impact Assessment carried out.
• If the consultant firm Fehily Timoney itself, considers the main road in Sallins to be a ‘busy’ road I would have expected them to have recommended to KCC that another consultancy firm carry out a TIA if they were not qualified to do so.
• In the pre-planning process for this Sallins Greenway Link development, it would have been essential that local roads engineers of KCC be involved so that effects on traffic in this area of the proposed development be put as a priority for the ultimate safety of all persons and to prevent loss of life or limb as a result of the development.
• I note in the ‘Sallins Greenway Link – Part VIII Report’ prepared for KCC by Fehily Timoney (Planning Consultants) that they offer a reason described as a ‘dangerous conflict collision zone’ for the closure of the above ramps and I would like to know how they have come to this conclusion, especially if no Traffic Impact Assessment has been carried out or no traffic surveys or traffic junction surveys by KCC Roads engineers.
•  In fact, if you are a vehicle coming down the ramp (due to the nature of the turn on to the ramp the vehicle has to be moving slowly) and if you are a pedestrian crossing the road say at the corner where the café is and you are looking up at the ramp, it has a very clear sightline for both entities, the vehicle and the pedestrian.  I’m not sure how it can be described as a collision zone.  I drive down both ramps regularly and the vehicle is moving very slowly, because of the turn you have to make to turn on to both ramps.
• However, the addition of new Pedestrian lights to accommodate the new crossing on the Canal Bridge R407 road for Greenway users is not a clear sightline for approaching traffic from the Naas direction.

Solution: I would suggest that both ramps remain open as is the current position but on the Church Avenue side, it could be made into a one-way section of road from the corner of the café out to the exit onto the R407 beside the Railway Inn public house.   

 

Removal of existing parking spaces at Canal View and Osberstown Road – total to be removed 24 spaces.

• I strongly oppose the removal of these 24 parking spaces on so many levels on behalf of these groups of persons: -
  • Residents that live in this area and have an expectation to be able to park directly outside their houses as they have done so since they began living there.   A suggestion that one day you can park outside your house and another day you are being informed you now can park by driving across a local bridge and around a busy traffic junction in order to be able to park your car for the night in a public car park, or go over a railway bridge and park in another public car park  – this is simply not acceptable.   For safety concerns who is going to be able to accompany a resident that has to park that distance away from their own home and walk back to their house, when the reason they may have initially purchased their home in Sallins is so they could actually park directly outside it.
• • Leisure users of the village of which I would be one, where I currently use these car parking spaces to park up and then commence my journey on the Greenway.
• • Persons that avail of the many eating/drinking/commercial establishments in Sallins village centre, they would have an expectation of being able to park outside the establishment they are visiting.    I frequently see whole family units, including elderly family members getting out of their cars parked on Canal View and then they only have a few steps to manage to cross the road and go in with the rest of their family to enjoy an afternoon together.
• • Persons bringing children to school and from school – a huge number of parking spaces are used for this very reason now that we have the new Pedestrian Bridge in place right in front of Sallins National School and this is wonderful sight to see in the mornings and evenings.  It would be naïve to think that all parents/guardians and children can walk to and from Sallins National school when so many parents/guardians continue on their journey by car to their place of employment, after bringing their children to school.
• • Visitors/tourists to the village or passing through the village also require to be able to park in Sallins.   Sallins has the enviable position as being known by a huge number of visitors/tourists as the perfect stopping point for refreshments for journeys  going through the village to attend or return from horseracing meetings in Naas, Punchestown, the Curragh as well as many golf clubs in the area including the K Club which hosts golf tournaments of a national interest.   In the future, we will also have Sallins village’s proximity to the new Kerdiff Park and Recreation Centre which I believe is due to open this year and so again more people needing parking facilities in Sallins village when they might wish to stop off on their way to or returning from the new park for refreshments.
• • Persons that may have mobility issues or may be caring for family members with mobility issues should have an expectation that they can continue to park in Sallins Village centre as they always did so that they can participate in the Greenway and avail of the many eating/drinking/commercial establishments, attend the Community Centre, go to the local Church, get some steps in on their walk to these premises  and then be able to be come back to their car parked along the canal.
  •  

Solution: Instead of removing the above 24 parking spaces to facilitate a shared space in the centre of Sallins village, I have a few other suggestions for shared spaces in Sallins.

• I would suggest the shared space be moved to the square in the centre of Sallins village by purchasing the current unused and for sale buildings in the square beside the bus stop, it used to be a convenience shop and at one time, one unit was a video outlet shop.  If KCC would purchase same you now have a perfect shared space for the Sallins community, which due to the fact that is further away from the Grand Canal itself, it would be safer for families with young children when water safety is considered.
• There is an area of land C1.59 acres for sale beside Sallins Church (with the new Sallins church car park backed up alongside its boundary) and it would be suitable as a shared space for Sallins Community.  It would also have direct access to car parking.  The most important part is that the Pedestrian entrance/exit to this shared space would not be onto or alongside a local road with vehicles travelling along (current suggestion beside Grand Canal).  This would be a safer again option for families with young children in respect of water safety and for persons with slower ability to move.
• Sallins hasn’t had a shared space for decades and only got a playground in the last number of years, therefore if a shared space is what is required by this community ( and it certainly is)  it would be better for it to be a proper shared space rather than the proposed use of  strip of vacant canal bank that came to light when drawing up a Greenway link development plan.

 

Proposed development not in line with Greenways and Cycle Routes Ancillary Infrastructure Guidelines

According to the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport document entitled “Greenways and Cycle Routes Ancillary Infrastructure Guidelines” it lists Route User Type Requirements as follows: -

Leisure Cyclists – it is stated in the document named above that Route Selection for this type of user should include.

• • • Cycle Loops
    • Regular resting areas
    • Opportunities to buy food and drink
    • Integration with public transport and car parking

Therefore, it would appear straight away that the KCC decision to remove a total of 24 parking spaces is in contradiction to the official guidelines listed above regarding ancillary infrastructure for greenways.

If anything, KCC should be investigating where more parking spaces could be added to the centre of Sallins village.   Again, in the above document even when it is describing the requirements for Greenway Major Trailheads and Minor Trailheads, car parking is referred to on both occasions.

We cannot be naïve about the necessary use of cars in accessing multi-user Greenways throughout Ireland as a whole.  KCC might investigate the possibility of extra parking spaces along the strip of land just behind the high boundary wall of what used to be Sallins Meat Factory.

 

Leisure Cyclists – it is stated in the document named above that Route-Layout for this type of user should be.

• • • Off-road and low gradients for families – varies for road cyclists.

Again, the KCC proposal for this Greenway link falls short of this guideline as it intends to bring Greenway users: -

 (1) up a steep enough ramp (it would appear from the plans to be steep for persons pushing a child’s stroller/pram or a wheelchair user or a person on a mobility device)

(2)  onto the ‘busy’ R407 road and  

(3) have to use a pedestrian crossing in order to continue their journey on the Greenway

The primary aim of this Greenway link in Sallins should surely be to have the safest possible route for all Greenway users which certainly should be a flat, no gradient, off-road route.  The off-road aspect is especially important with reference to the Fehily Timoney Consulting Planning report which acknowledges that the main road through Sallins, the R407 is a busy road.

In the government publication entitled ‘National Cycle Network’ it is recommended that the safest Greenway route is one that does not go onto a public road at any point if another option is available and in this case another option is available.     A Greenway route link going under a bridge is not a new concept and can be seen on many routes in Ireland.

Solution: In this regard my suggestion would be for the Greenway link route to continue under the Grand Canal bridge, which is off-road, no gradient and a better free-flowing option for users of the Greenway.   I believe, if possible, this would be the anticipated desired line of route for all Greenway users instead of breaking up their Greenway journey by having to exit on to public footpaths, pedestrian crossings etc.

 

Dangerous turn to Canal View road / Bodenstown crossroads road

The current turn off the R407 from the Naas direction onto the local road going towards Canal View and Bodenstown crossroads direction is dangerous and not fit for purpose: -

• By closing the ramp for vehicles onto Canal View, this change will force all traffic wanting to go down the road towards Canal View and Bodenstown crossroads around an already ‘not fit for purpose’ dangerous turn where two cars cannot fit alongside each other.
• If you actually look at the distance at that exact point where vehicular traffic is allowed you will note there are double yellow lines painted outside the buildings there, where the old post office used to be, a hair salon and a betting shop and the side entrance to Lock 13 public house.  There is not even space to put in a proper kerbed footpath, it has  just white lines on the road surface currently and it has been like that for decades.
• Again, I mention the requirement for a Traffic Impact Assessment so it can establish the safety or danger of the suggested development contained in this Greenway link plan to route all traffic heading in the direction of Canal View and Bodenstown crossroads down such a dangerous bend.
• No vehicular users of the roads in Sallins Village would ever choose to make that right turn at that dangerous bend, all vehicular users go down the ramp onto Canal View road.
• To note as you stop on the top of the Canal bridge and wait to turn down the ramp you can see all traffic on your left, all traffic straight ahead and all users of the footpath on your right side - so it is very easy to let pedestrians go ahead on the footpath before you turn on to the ramp or in some cases pedestrians will indicate  to you that they have stopped and you can turn down the ramp.
• There is a common courtesy by users of both ramps in Sallins, vehicular and pedestrian traffic that does not come across in the report prepared by Fehily Timoney Consultants and that common courtesy has been there for decades.

 

In conclusion, there appears to be an assumption that Sallins Village will only be a throughway for the users of the Greenway, that only persons going the full 38.5km distance will be on it.  It is further assumed that Sallins Village will not be an entrance point or an exit point on the Greenway and therefore no ancillary facilities are required in respect of parking spaces or safe traffic road routes in the village.  In my opinion this is an incorrect assumption as the Greenway will be 38.5km long and most Leisure users will not be intending to cycle that or walk that distance with their families and friends in one day or one morning or one afternoon.

I believe Sallins Village will get busier with locals and visitors arriving by car or by train to use the Greenway and it is very disappointing that the proposed development plan does not recognise this fact.

The lack of parking spaces in Sallins village is well known by all people coming to Sallins and even the ‘paid for’ car parking spaces in the Sallins Train Station underground car park run by Apcoa are all taken first thing in the morning by commuters. For example, if you drive into this underground car park on a Wednesday morning at 9am you will not find a free parking space.

I thank you for the opportunity to make this submission and look forward to my observations in opposition to this full proposal being noted and my suggestions in line with government documentation guidelines being favourable considered.

Yours faithfully

Clare Masterson