Author: Navan Road Community Council

Community Council meeting Wednesday next 3rd February, 8.00 p.m. Parish Centre. All are welcome, especially those who may be willing to join us on regular basis and get involved.Some items which came up at recent NRCC meetings and Police Forum requesting DCC and Garda assistance.

i) insufficient time at traffic lights outside Church – reply as follows from DCC. 

“The pedestrian crossing was monitored and the pedestrian gets 6 seconds green man time, followed by 14 seconds amber time to cross, a total of 20 seconds to cross the Navan Road. ” traffic@dublincity.ie Ph. 01-2222251

ii) Divisional traffic unit report from a Supt. Blanchardstown Garda – “we visited Kempton Estate several days at commuter times and observed no parking offences; nor any traffic breaking lights on Navan Road ” 2 NRCC officers were told of 2 separate incidences in December of red lights being broken with near misses for pedestrians in both cases. 

iii) “Speeding on Ashtown Road – we completed a number of speed checks before and after 9.00 a.m. and the average speed was approximately 30/40 mph (speed limit at this location is 80 K mph”. We are aware that traffic moves at snail pace on Ashtown Road before and after 9.00 a.m., as there are 10 level crossing closures between 8.30 and 9.40am. We will inform Gardaí. Blanchardstown_DS@garda.ie Ph. 6667000 

Resuming weekly updates after the New Year.

Update on planning notices for those who wish to study on line -4297/15 Demolition and rebuild in Belvedere sports grounds -closing date 2nd February
Hole in Wall Pub – 4346/15 and 4347/15 lodged 23rd December. 4346/15 closing date 4th February. 4347 declared ‘invalid’ by Planning Dept. New application lodged on 13th January 2031/16. 

A Fingal Councillor is following up on our request to have the lower branches removed, as suggested by Fingal Co. Co., from the trees at Ashtown Roundabout. This must be done before 1st March to comply with Wild Life Act 1976 & Wild Life (Amendment) Act 2000. 

Report just received from Blanchardstown Divisional Traffic Unit – following complaints at Police Forum. “We visited Kempton Estate particularly at commuter times and saw no parking offences. And we saw no traffic breaking red lights on Navan Road.”

Passers by may have noticed a sign up at the laneways off Kinvara Avenue and Kinvara Road. This is giving notice to extinguish the right of way over the laneway to the rear of 1-29 Kinvara Rd, 3-55 Kinvara Ave and rear of 34-35 Kinvara Pk.

Maps are available for viewing at Dublin City Council Cabra office until 8th January 2016. Any submissions should be made by 22nd January. More information from DCC Cabra office at 01-2227400.

Ashtown Roundabout; After years of requests for safety improvements, we are informed Fingal Co. Council will at least remove low lying branches from the trees, “to increase visibility” . We continue to lobby for the required change back to a safe signalised crossing. National Roads Authority in 2009 wrote to DCC that a “proposed development in Pelletstown was premature pending improvement of the Roundabout” – regretfully ignored to date. We will again be requesting a meeting with Minister for Transport.
They also undertook to install a pedestrian crossing at entrance to Racecourse Estate/Navan Road. In the interim, this should have the benefit, on our side, of slightly slowing down traffic approaching the roundabout;   

Dog Fouling; After 2 years asking – New Dog Foul notices up in past week (was also dependent on ‘funding’): But REMEMBER your doggies cannot read, so please honour the notices, and ensure that no children pick up disease; nor vulnerable people step into it. All depends on your courtesy and respect for others.
Phoenix Park – AWARE 10k and 5k Christmas run – Saturday 12th. Some road closures from 7.30 – 12.30 Ashtown Gate, right turn only to allow access to Farmleigh. Over 3,000 participants expected. AWARE HELPLINE 1890 303 302

Aware will hold their annual  10k and 5k  Christmas Run next Saturday 12th December in the Phoenix Park. Please note that the following areas will be closed off.

Road closures 

Chesterfield Avenue from Phoenix Monument to Mountjoy Cross from 7.30am- 12.30pm

Ordnance Survey Road – 9.30-12.00

Upper Glen Road – 9.30-12.00

Gate closures from 7.30am to 12.30pm

Knockmaroon Gate

Chapelizod Gate , right only  (except access to Cheshire Homes)

Ashtown Gate, left only (except access to Farmleigh)

DIT Broombridge has redeveloped the old Auto-Zero and Hannay Recycling sites as floodlit all-weather pitches with dressing rooms. For more information on how how this will benefit the community plus contact details for bookings please see the newsletter below.

The Community Council will have a stand at Navan Road Parish Christmas Fete this Sunday, 28th from 11.00 a.m. – 5.00 p.m.
Come along and see us if you have any queries on local planning issues; traffic; policing; litter, or anything in the public interest. We will also take applications for the community Text Alert Scheme if you have not joined already. Joining fee €10.00 – renewable approximately two-yearly.

Irish Rail have published plans to close Ashtown level crossing and 5 others on the Maynooth line.There are several fly-over or tunnel options proposed to replace the Ashtown Road access, none of them particularly pedestrian friendly, and could involve a lonely walk under a tunnel, or over a long winding bridge. The impact on existing properties in the area between Ashtown Station and Martin Savage Park houses could be considerable, depending on which option is pursued.
None of the options currently being considered allow for the automation of the existing level crossing, which we have been requesting from Irish Rail for many years, and would of course be far cheaper. The tunnel, or flyover is unlikely to require planning permission as it can be classified as necessary strategic infrastructure.
Below are extracts from a report obtained from the NTA by Cllr Roderic O’Gorman showing the options under consideration. One option goes up Mill Lane and behind the Ashtown Riding Stables, emerging beyond Super Valu. The other option involves a horse shoe shaped flyover veering right off the existing Ashtown Road, encroaching on Martin Savage Park and the end of the playing fields.These will be up for discussion at our next public meeting on Wednesday 2nd  December at 8pm in the parish centre. All are welcome. 

Details of upcoming closures in the park…

http://www.phoenixpark.ie/newsevents/title,35629,en.html

Monthly meeting this Wednesday 4th November 8.00 p.m. Parish Centre. All very welcome. 

TEXT ALERTS; Information and opportunity to join at meeting, cost €10.00 for more than a year. see http://www.navanroad.com

PLANNING; New Temporary Educate Together School for Ashtown/Pelletstown to open September – announced by Dept. of Education earlier in year. Plan No. 2657/15 lodged April 2015. We had to submit an observation- ‘Welcoming the long overdue school’, but pointing out the serious traffic dangers at the proposed site ( corner area beside Scribblestown/River Road crossroads – ‘with no pedestrian crossings there, or indeed anywhere throughout the entire Pelletstown development’. Belatedly DCC investigated and demanded 2 pedestrian crossing be put in place BEFORE the school could open, plus other technical matters. As a result the new junior infant children are currently schooled in the basement area of a Community Centre within Pelletstown/Rathborne.      It appears that preparatory works have just now commenced on the site for the temporary school. A school was written in to the original Action Plan 2000 for Pelletstown, but never built. 

Plan No 3666/15 for housing in Pelletstown. We have submitted to this also, welcoming the provision of lower rise housing. However the plan contains 577 car parking spaces so we have objected to this aspect, as premature to :- a) provision of new station; b) re-opening of 120 bus terminus at Ashtown, serving the existing Astown Station, so people can use public transport, rather then need for cars; c) safety corrective measures are taken with Ashtown roundabout, (demanded by National Roads Authority in 2009, when they themselves objected to a previous application within Pelletstown because of this traffic hazard). We still await a twice requested meeting with Min. for Transport on this last issue. Half 577 cars = 288 extra cars up Ashtown Road and our wider area.

Further information on all above and other matters at our meeting on Wednesday. Your views & support always welcome.