The Ballyboden Road and Taylor’s Lane Roundabout, multi-lane approach with no safe crossing
€180k walking and cycle route gets green light despite concerns
Concerns have been raised regarding the impact a new comprehensive walking and cycling route between Tallaght and Ballyboden will have on road users during its construction.
Following public consultation on the matter, 249 submissions were received, with 61 per cent of respondents showing support for the project.
Several replies raised concerns regarding the impact that the construction of the route will have on drivers and other road users, at 37 per cent.
The objective of the scheme is “to provide safe and attractive cycling and pedestrian routes along roads that currently do not have any facilities.”
These roads include Knocklyon Road, Templeroan Road and Scholarstown Road with limited facilities on Ballyboden Road.
The primary route of the scheme is a 4km stretch of road, starting at Firhouse Road and continuing through Knocklyon Road, Dargle Wood, Templeroan Road, Scholarstown Road, Ballyboden Way and terminating to the east at the junction between Scholarstown and Edmondstown Road.
An investment grant was provided by the South Dublin County Council for a total of €180,000 to see the completion of the route.
Councillor Niamh Whelan spoke about the issues that many drivers are facing in the South Dublin region, as there is continuous roadworks in the area
“I am supportive of making travel accessible and safe for everybody, whatever method of travel they use.
‘Whether that be their car, by foot or by bike. But the problem is, it’s making it as difficult as possible for people in cars.
‘And that’s probably the tactic of getting people out of their cars. But at the same time, we don’t have the infrastructure to do that.”
Councillor Whelan also pointed to the further pressure that the new scheme will place on road users, as lanes may be reduced in size to make space for new bike lanes.
“Busses are affected – they’re taking longer because of the increase in traffic and because of the lack of road space.
‘If you are trying to take a right turn and a road that used to have two lanes, but the second lane has now been reduced 50 per cent, you’re going to get congestion.”
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
