Bus stop and cycle kerb alternatives sought after delays in traffic and services

Issues with a bus stop and cycle kerb and increased traffic delays on a key road in Palmerstown will be raised repeatedly “until a solution is put in place” by the council.

An alternative to an in-line bus stop and cycle kerb on Kennelsfort Road in Palmerstown has been sought after delays in traffic and the 80 bus service in the area.

The bus stop and cycle kerb has been designed in accordance with the National Transport Authority’s Cycle Design Manual, but councillors have raised concerns about the knock-on effects of its introduction.

Councillor Alan Hayes felt that “it hasn’t increased the number of cyclists on Kennelsfort Road” and has only caused issues for motorists.

Cllr Hayes stated: “The cycle lane, as it passes opposite the Silver Granite, passes straight on, but the ledge, the lip that comes up the kerbside and runs on for maybe 20 metres after the bus stop.

“Vehicles turning right down Wheatfield Road end up blocking all of the traffic. My issue is more so for the buses.

“The number 80, which is supposed to run every 10 minutes when they can get the drivers, that bus is delayed because there’s just no way that they can get down that road once one car stops to turn right.”

He called on the council not to remove this right-hand turn but to find an alternative solution to the problem.

The Palmerstown-Fonthill council urged council management not to repeat a move in the past when Palmerstown Avenue was cut in two with bollards.

Councillor Niamh Fennell noted that the issue is of such importance that it should be brought up consistently “until a solution is put in place.”

Cllr Fennell continued: “I’m inundated with people frustrated, genuinely just frustrated trying to drop kids to school, trying to get to work and all sorts of issues and reasons for people having to travel.

“It’s the only road that goes through Palmerstown. It’s the only road that people that are living in Palmerstown and the neighbouring areas can access the Chapelizod bypass and the M50 and get into Palmerstown Village as well.

“I was a user of the 80 bus, and I go to town three days a week for my other job, and I no longer use the 80 bus because I am an hour, two hours late for work because of the ongoing traffic on Kennelsfort Road.”

Cllr Fennell has changed her commute and uses the C-spine buses near Liffey Valley but noted that many people do not have that option and are at the mercy of the 80.

She noted that there were issues before the installation of the bus stop and the creation of the painted cycle route, but that the problems have been worse since their introduction.

Councillor and cyclist Madeleine Johansson said that she does not believe the design of the cycle path works.

Cllr Johansson said: “I don’t think this particular design is working. First of all, Kennelsfort Road, there isn’t a huge amount of cyclists on that road for many reasons, but because if you’re cycling, you’re probably less likely to go up and down Kennelsfort Road because there are other better ways to cycle around a lot of the area.

“It was working before…I don’t think this particular design makes any difference whatsoever.”

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.