A new campaign group has led a protest in Dún Laoghaire against what they say are plans by the local Council to permanently block off access to the town, or “severely impede” roads with serious consequences for access which will negatively impact more vulnerable citizens, families and businesses – and even disrupt access for patients attending the local hospital.
The organisers of the protest, SAOR (Save All Our Roads) Dún Laoghaire, has been set up to oppose a plan by Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council (DLR) to block off some roads to vehicular traffic as part of the ‘Living Streets scheme’.
The plan intends the pedestrianisation of the lower part of the main street in the south Dublin borough, which critics say will prevent public transport to St Michael’s Hospital – and proposes to install modal filters on Tivoli Road, Cross Avenue and Clarinda Park.
Several attendees at Saturday’s protest told this reporter that while they supported green initiatives they felt the plan’s flaws were as a result of “environmentalism gone mad” or pointed a “anti-car mentality which did not take into account of the needs of older people or people with disabilities”.
“Not everyone is 35 years old and fit as a fiddle,” one man told holding a hand-made sign saying ‘Access for All’ said. “Its like they think older people or people who have difficulties getting about don’t exist.”
Others said there was “no point in rushing to shut down access to cars and buses when people have no other option but to drive”, and that limiting access would lead to shops and businesses “shutting up in Dún Laoghaire”, with claims the main street would become “like a ghost town” as people would “simply choose to drive and shop elsewhere”.
One councillor, Justin Moylan of Fianna Fáil, said that the Living Streets plan being put forward by the Council would lead to changes “beyond our imagination” and cause a “ring of traffic like steel” outside Dún Laoghaire, where only people on a bike or on the DART could get in.
He urged those attending to keep fighting to prevent the most “the stupid and ridiculous measures” that the Council wanted to “impose on the town and on ourselves”.
The protest, which took place on Saturday at midday, marched to Dún Laoghaire plaza, and heard from speakers including representatives from local businesses, those with disabilities, and local politicians and political representatives.
‘WE WANT DÚN LAOGHAIRE TO FLOURISH’
Mairéad Tóibín who is of Chair of SAOR said that the turnout for the protest was indicative of the upset and opposition to the DLR plan felt in the area.
“We live in a wonderful town, a large and growing town. We in SAOR want Dún Laoghaire to flourish, we want businesses to thrive and we want residents to continue to have access to health services, delivery services , every day shopping and social contacts. We want to
maintain access for all: to all that this town has to offer,” she said.
“Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council want to reduce access by road, by introducing Modal filters , permanent road blocks and to pedestrianise over 200m of our main thoroughfare of George’s street Lower. In doing so we lose a bus stop across the road from St. Michael’s hospital and adjacent to Bloomfield SC, we lose bus services through the centre of the town, affecting hospital appointments and shoppers from outside the town centre,” she said.
“We all welcome green initiatives but active travel initiatives are often over-engineered and planners seem not to be aware of the factors that affect business owners,” she added.
“Today we are urging DLR Council to beep our Bus Access, to row back on plans to pedestrianise George’s St Lower which will mean no bus along that stretch to the hospital, and to keep Tivoli Road open and ensure Access for All,” she said.
“We are fortunate enough to have a hospital so centrally located in our town, an A&E, inpatient and outpatient services, why would the Council try to reduce access to such a critical piece of infrastructure to the town? There is no rhyme or reason to it,” she said. “Elderly people, those with disabilities, parents of young children are absolutely incredulous that their access will be severely impeded with all the associated consequences.”
“This is a major worry for people in Dún Laoghaire. Almost 1,000 people have signed a recent petition calling on the Council to take their concerns on board. To cut off a prominent road in a large town will affect all of us all with all the unintended consequences,” she added.
The SAOR campaign say that Dún Laoghaire “is home to an increasingly elderly population, and it is simply inconceivable that their needs are being disregarded by this plan”.
They also said “the removal of Tivoli Road as a through road will cause more traffic congestion and increase journey times, especially parents bringing children to training sessions, matches or sports of any kind.”
“These plans also fail to adequately consider the many people who, due to disability, illness, age or impairment, cannot simply walk or cycle to essential shops, healthcare services or appointments,” the campaign said.
“Many residents rely on car access for daily living. These proposals risk leaving vulnerable people more isolated and more dependent on others. This plan is totally unacceptable on so many levels and the Council has to see sense.”
‘EMERGENCY VEHICLES NEED ACCESS’
Máireád Tóibín said “as an avid cyclist myself, I believe there is of course a place for Active Travel, but you simply cannot have a situation whereby a Local Authority strives to make one mode of travel safer, while potentially endangering others.”
“We don’t live in a car free society and so there will always be wet nights, late evening sport or injury that will necessitate car travel. These closed roads will force all north – south through traffic onto one road, Upper Glenageary Road, which is already an extremely busy road with ‘rat running’ through residential streets,” she said.
“The proposed installation of modal filters on Tivoli Road, Cross Avenue and Clarinda Park will simply either displace traffic onto roads that are already heavily congested, increasing journey times, or cause ‘rat’ running through residential streets thereby increasing the risk of accidents for residents and road users alike.”
And she said that Emergency vehicles like ambulances and fire brigades need access to the area – revealing she had called into the local Fire Station to ask their views.
“Last Saturday, I called to Dún Laoghaire Fire Station to ask their opinion on the recent road changes in the area and the future plans incorporated into Living Streets. The frustrated fireman told me that they were never consulted, the fire service were never consulted, the station on Kill Avenue was never consulted,” she said.
“If the DLR is listening to this, the fire service is Dún Laoghaire says no to segregated cycle tracks that prevent cars from moving out of their way when on a call. They say no to the loss of road and turning options that will delay their arrival at a fire, and that when they turn right into the fire station on Kill Avenue crossing the double cycle lane, they have a blind spot and cannot see a cyclist cycling in the same direction,” she told the crowd.
“”Many of you hear today no doubt have scratched your head and asked similar questions, and you are not alone. With us today we have representatives from various sectors , involved in different activities in Dún Laoghaire who wish to raise their concerns over the road restrictions and pedestrianisation of the town centre,” she said, introducing Niamh Bownes From Carpet and Flooring concepts, a long established family business on George’s Street Lr.
Also addressing the protest was Ronan McGuirk from Voices for the Visually impaired, described as “a strong advocate for those with vision impairment” who said that and under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities that cohort should have been consulted on transport changes in the town.
COMPLAINT TO EU
Cllr Maurice Dockrell of Fine Gael who has formally submitted an official complaint to the European Commission regarding the application of European Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) rules by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council in respect of the Living Streets scheme.
The complaint asks the Commission to examine whether the scheme was assessed and approved in accordance with EU Directive obligations, specifically addressing whether it was treated as a stand-alone, isolated project rather than an integrated component of a wider, coordinated active-travel and transport network (including but not limited to connected schemes.
He is also asking the Commission to look at Cumulative Impact Assessment: Whether the full environmental and traffic effects of these interdependent schemes were evaluated cumulatively, as required by EU law, rather than through fragmented, piecemeal assessments.
Cllr Michael Clarke of Fianna Fáil said that the changes would cause “incredible disruption” and that the Council had to allow businesses to thrive and allow access for parents bringing their children to matches all over the county.
He also said that a huge amount of work needed to be done and urged the protesters not to be silenced and to engage with politicians and with An Coimisiún Pleanála. “We also have to fight on continued issues related to car-parking in the county,” he said.
Also speaking or supporting the SAOR protest was Cllr Melisa Halpin PBP. Cllr Jim Gildea FG, Cllr Mary Fayne FG, Cllr Dave O Keeffe PBP and Cllr Carrie Smyth of Labour – while Fianna Fáil’s Cormac Devlin sent his apologies.
SAOR said that they had four clear asks from call on Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council:
• NOT install modal filters and block essential vehicular access
• NOT pedestrianise George’s Street Lower and remove public transport access
• Ensure continued vehicular access to St. Michael’s Hospital
• Properly consider the impact on elderly and disabled residents
DLR says its Living Streets scheme for Dún Laoghaire town involves “sustainable mobility and public realm improvements”. It aims to make “our local streets safer and greener, our communities more connected, and to keep our economy vibrant,” the Council says.
“Works will provide for street and road safety improvements (including pedestrianisation of parts of George’s Street Lower, Sussex Street and Convent Road ), modal filters and park and landscaping improvements,” they add.
‘HEATED’ COUNCIL MEETING
In an RTÉ report after a “heated” Council meeting in March 2024, the measure was described as proving “highly controversial” but also “designed to make the road safer and more attractive for walkers and cyclists”, while 2opponents say it would inconvenience drivers and cause traffic chaos in the Glenageary, Sallynoggin, Mounttown and Glasthule areas.”
In a debate which went on past midnight, supporters of the modal filter cited advice from council officials saying it is an essential part of the Living Streets scheme for Dún Laoghaire which would pedestrianise shopping areas in the town and create new civic spaces in the town.
The officials said if the scheme was amended by councillors to remove the Tivoli Road modal filter it would have to go back to the National Transport Authority for review and funding under the pathfinder programme could be lost.
Some councillors described the raising of the possibility of losing funding as blackmail.
The meeting heard from councillors who said “they had received more communications from the public on the Tivoli Road aspect of the scheme than any other issue for many years and that there was great passion from both sides”.
One opponent of the scheme, Fianna Fáil’s Justin Moylan, accused council officials of being arrogant and aggressive in their response to the debate and was ruled out of order by the Cathaoirleach Denis O’Callaghan.
However, motions to remove the modal filter from the Living Streets scheme were defeated by 24 votes to 14.