The two — one armed with a handgun and the other with a hammer — entered a Supervalu on the Howth Road, Killester, at around 6.20pm.

The men were driven away by a getaway driver using a red Citroen Saxo, which was abandoned a short distance away on Gracefield Road, Artane.

Gardai say that the two left with a “substantial amount of cash,” however they say that all of the money was later recovered when one of the men were arrested in a nearby garden.

“After follow up investigations and searches a 27-year-old man was arrested in the back garden of a house on Mask Crescent. He is being detained under section 30 of The Offences Against The State Act at Clontarf Garda Station,” said Sergeant Gerry Curley.

Gardai say that no shots were fired or persons injured during the course of the robbery.

Anyone who has information are asked to contact Clontarf Garda Station on 01 6664800.

View Robbery at SuperValu, Killester in a larger map

The no 7 bus route is included in a new list of changes.

Dublin Bus has listed a route it cut without public consultation or notice as an improvement.

The number 4 and 4a bus routes were merged with an overall frequency cut of 30% on weekdays and 66% on Sundays. Capacity on buses was also reduced as the route’s long ‘bendy’ buses were replaced with lower capacity double-deckers.

Dublin Bus did not respond to a request for comment to explain why this route was included under the header ‘improvements’ on dublinbus.ie, or why a route already changed is included in a new phase of the cost cutting .

The bus company is continuing with its cost cutting and bus rerouting programme, and it has recently uploaded its latest planned changes on to its website.

Dublinbus.ie says “Dublin Bus is pleased to announce proposals for services in Sandymount and on the Merrion Road QBC as part of Network Direct. These service changes cover the following existing routes” and lists the following: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 7a, 7b, 7d, 8, 45, 45a, 59, and 111.

It also says that changes to buses serving the Howth Road / Portmarnock includes the routes 29a, 31, 31b, 32, 32a, 32b, and 32x.

Although, because the company is unwilling to comment, it is unclear why its website says routes already changed are includes in a new phase of changes.

MORE: Merrion Road QBC changes on dublinbus.ie
MORE: Howth Road / Portmarnock changes on dublinbus.ie

John Ward was last seen at 1pm yesterday in the Clontarf area. He is from Ballymun.

“John is described as 5’ 6”, slim build, with short blonde/ light brown hair and blue eyes. When last seen he was wearing a blue jacket, navy Adidas track suit bottoms and white runners,” said Sergeant Damian Hogan.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Gardai at Ballymun 01 666 4400, the Garda Confidential Line 1-800-666-111 or any Garda Station.

IMAGE: Work on footpath improvements along the route

How does a cycle lane cost so much? It seems mainly because of junction crossing, boardwalks, CCTV, bridges and street water drainage upgrades. Many of which are not directly linked with cycling.

People trying to walk along the canal will see major improvements — the main one being able to cross junctions without having to dodge cars and buses.

The cost of the route from Portobello to Guild Street will come in at around €6m says Ciarán Fallon, the cycling officer at Dublin City Council. The full cost was originally estimated to be around €10. The funding is ring-fenced only for this project by the Department of Transport.

Fallon said: “Nine major junctions are being re-signalised to provide for pedestrians and cyclists. Drainage and public lighting is being upgraded along route. A traffic communications fibre optic cable in being laid and a CCTV system is being installed.”

Pedestrians will see benefits with the installation of toucan crossings (designed for both cyclists and pedestrians) at busy junctions along the Grand Canal from Portobello to the Docklands. Currently much of the route is not signalled for pedestrians. Visual and mobility impaired users should also find the upgraded crossing easer to use.

He continued: “Pinch points on Charlemont Place are being widened by the construction of a retaining wall and a canal boardwalk.” The section between Charlemont Place and Leeson Street Bridge is a pinch point because houses back on to the canal, leaving only a small and heavily used walkway.

Fallon also notes: “There are substantial costs associated with working in proximity with underground services – 10 bar gas distribution main and 220kV electricity.”

Although, it is now unclear what options will be used on the cycle route between the Dockland and Fairview Park, it is understood that bridges made up a substantial cost of up to €4m for the short section. Plans included a tall bridge needed to cross the Royal Canal and railway tracks. Between West Road and Fairview Park there was also planned to be a bridge crossing the River Tolka.

The route is seen as a key part of creating strategic cycle routes along Dublin’s canals and Dublin Bay. Large sections of these routes are already built but are unconnected. The current project from Portobello to Fairview is seen as one of the most expensive sections because it crosses a large number of busy junctions.

The route’s traffic light sequencing between Portobello and the north Docklands will be a deciding factor for many – if travel times are worse than the adjacent roads, faster cyclists will likely avoid the route. But it will provide a friendlier environment for families, newcomers and those not in such a hurry. Fallon says that discussion on the sequencing is ongoing and due to be tested. If all goes well sections could be open before July.

MORE: Millions for strategic cycle route suspended due to objections (includes map)

Major Dublin city cycle routes will remain unconnected as a key section is delayed following what was described as intensive lobbying.

Four million euro of funding for the project was suspended by the Department of Transport pending a review of options on a strategic cycling route after residents in East Wall objected to it.

Dublin City Council had planning permission for the full €10m route between Portobello to East Wall Road at the end of West Road, via the Docklands, but it is now revaluating the section between the north Docklands and Fairview Park. It has said it will consult with residents before going ahead with the East Wall section.

The route in the short term will now only be completed between Portobello and Guild Street in the north Docklands, which is due to open by July. “[This section was] delayed one month due to harsh weather in December,” said Ciarán Fallon, the cycling officer at Dublin City Council.

The project is part of the city’s plan to allow commuters, leisure cyclists and tourists to travel along a network made up of the Dublin sections of the Grand and Royal canals and along Dublin Bay from Sutton to Sandycove, or even further along the coast.

If the project had gone ahead uninterrupted, it would have created the largest completed section to date – 8.6km from Portobello at the Lower Rathmines Road to Bull Island at Dollymount.

A petition signed by residents of East Wall objecting to the cycle route “went missing,” as Dublin Observer previously reported.

The petition was signed by hundreds of residents but was submitted with the wrong reference number. And although it mainly referred to the cycle route, it was only submitted against a small section of the project – a pedestrian and cycle bridge crossing the River Tolka, from West Road to Fairview Park. There is currently no permission for this bridge.

The city council has since admitted that it should have returned the submission or informed the residents of the error.

Council officials and councillors also disagreed on what public consultation had happened with residents in East Wall. Last year Cllr Emer Costello (Labour) told the council’s central area committee meeting of the large amount of confusion around the project and warned that there must be serious consultation with residents to rebuild trust. Cllr Marie Metcalfe (Ind) said an independent facilitator would be needed.

The council originally planned a two-way off-road cycle track on West Road. Residents’ complaints centred on the loss of parking spaces, however a council survey showed little demand for parking on the street.

“Options for the route north of Guild Street are currently being investigated,” said Ciarán Fallon. He said there is now no completion date set for the section between Guild Street in the Docklands and Fairview Park via East Wall.

Late last year one councillor heavily criticised the delay and he confirmed to Dublin Observer this week that his still holds this view.

Cllr Naoise Ó Muirí (Fine Gael) said that the plans for the cycle route in the East Wall area were “withdrawn by City Council officials because of intensive pressure / lobbying by East Wall residents and some of their “local” politicians. In my view this is a short-sighted decision. DCC officials certainly didn’t cover themselves in glory on this occasion but the rationale for the strident opposition from within East Wall seemed pretty flimsy at best.”

He added: “The only real alternative being proposed seemed to be to send cyclists down the East Wall Road, an area still ruled by dangerous HGVs. So the strategic interests of the City are set aside once again and the associated millions of funding may well be on its way back to the Department of Transport already.”

His party colleague Cllr Mary O Shea, at the central area meeting last month, said that “we should all hang our heads in shame” if the funding is lost.

While the council confirmed the funding was suspended by the Department of Transport, the department did not respond to a request for further comment.

MORE: How does a 5km cycle route cost €10m?
MORE: Petition against cycle route goes missing

Planned Dublin canals and bay cycle network

View Dublin’s canals and bay cycle routes in a larger map

MAP KEY
Purple: Plans not confirmed
Red: Planned
Orange: Problematic / sometimes passable. No plans to upgrade to date.
Yellow: Under construction
Green: Passable (some with gates)

The car hit the 26-year-old man at around 4.20am last Sunday, January 30. Gardai say that the man suffered serious, but not life threatening, injuries when he was struck by the car at the junction of Elm Mount Road and the Malahide Road, Dublin 3.

“The injured man was taken to Beaumont Hospital where he remains. Anyone who witnessed the collision, or who has any information which may assist Gardai in their investigation, are asked to contact the Gardai at Clontarf at 01 6664800,” said Sergeant Brian Whelan.

View Larger Map

View Elm Mount Road / Malahide Road in a larger map

The city council has warned of flooding in costal areas such as Clontarf and Sandymount.

It said: “Car parks on the seafront at Clontarf and Sandymount will be closed from Sunday November 7 until the evening of Monday November 8. Motorists are advised not to leave cars in these areas, as they may be at risk from flooding, due to wave action.”

It added that local road closures may be required, although there are to be identified closer to the weekend when more reliable weather forecasting is available.

It said: “The best available weather forecasts, in conjunction with the City’s tidal surge early warning system, suggest a severe low pressure off the west coast of Ireland in combination with southerly/easterly winds of 70km per hour gusting to 100km per hour over the coming days. This combination of high tides and low pressure increase the possibility of coastal flooding, particularly at high tide around midnight on Sunday and midday on Monday.”

Normal high tides are also predicted from Thursday November 4 to Tuesday November 9. Although the council says that these high tides will not normally cause a coastal flooding risk unless accompanied by extreme weather.

Emergency contact numbers: 01-222 2222 (Office Hours) or 01-6796186 (After Hours).

IMAGE: Of the Clontarf sea front. Some rights reserved by infomatique

View Clontarf and Sandymount flood warnings in a larger map

Loftus, 82, had been ill for a number of months. He had campaign against the infill of Dublin Bay and the destruction of Wood Quay, and served as lord mayor of Dublin in 1995/1996. He called himself “Ireland’s first environmental politician.”

Born Ballina in Co Mayo, but a long-time resident of Dublin, he campaigned against recently rejected plans to infill Dublin Bay for the expansion of Dublin Port. He reportedly celebrated the victory in hospital.

Loftus was a barrister and law lecture. He was first elected to Dublin City Council in 1974, and was a TD for a short-lived Dail.

Various election material of Sean Dublin Bay Loftus said his track record included that he was “the man who single handedly saved Dublin Bay”, prevented a potentially dangerous oil refinery being build in Dublin Bay, and won a special amenities area order for Bull Island

Other issues he campaigned on include Christian values, VAT on children’s shoes, increase in transport fares, the over development of Dublin, promoted Ireland’s claim to Rockall and its mineral resources, and the rights of taxies to use Dublin bus lanes.

Ahead of his time, in 1992 he wanted a “Reduction in Number of TDs and A Politicians Pay Freeze.”

He changed his name a number of times by deed poll, including when he was supporting Dublin Bay and Ireland’s claim to Rockall.

Dublin lord mayor Gerry Breen, Green Party leader John Gormley, and Dublin City Labour Councillor Aodhan O’Riordain paid tribute to Loftus.

“It is with great sadness that I learned of the death this morning of my good friend Sean Loftus, who represented the Clontarf Ward on Dublin City Council for 25 years, retiring in 1999”, said Breen.

“I would like to pay tribute to Sean who leaves behind him a distinguished legacy as an eminent politician, environmentalist, campaigner and barrister. I also wish to extend my deepest condolences to Sean’s wife Una, daughters Muireann and Fiona, his son Ruairi and all his relatives at this time.”

Breen added: “He will also be sadly missed by his friends and by generations of people to whom he dedicated himself, lending a determined voice of conscience to many important issues over the past three decades – Ar dheis De go raibh a h-anam dhilis.”

Minister John Gormley said: “I am deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Sean Dublin Bay Loftus. I have known Sean for a very long time and we worked together on Dublin City Council.”

“Sean was a gentleman, always kindly and encouraging and a true environmental pioneer. He led the way even before the Green Party came into existence. Sean never wavered in his pursuit of the highest environmental ideals. He was a man of deep principle and conviction and he will be sadly missed by all those who care passionately about the environments,” he said.

Gormley said: “When I spoke to Sean a number of weeks ago in hospital he said how pleased he was about my Department’s recent work to protect Dublin Bay and how delighted he was about the recent An Bord Pleanala decision to reject plans for an infill of part of the bay.”

Cllr Aodhan O’Riordain said: “My thoughts today are with his widow Una, his family and his many friends. Sean was a tireless activist and a man of endless commitment when it came to local and national issues, and he will be greatly missed.”

National Bike Week ending events

City centre cycle racing in Dublin – Professional city centre cycle racing on Saturday, partly on cobblestones in Temple Bar, so it should be fun. Warm-up events from 2.30pm, and the main event at 6pm.

Pedal in the Park – Closing Event of Bike Week 2010 – On Sunday National Bike Week ends with ‘Pedal in the Park’ in the Phoenix Park. The event includes a slow bicycle race, a BMX freestyle show, bicycle polo, and something called a ‘Cycle Parade’.

Festivals

Street Performance World Championship – World Record Space Hopper attempt, USA Breakdancers, Flying Dutchmen and much more.

Let’s French at the Alliance Francaise – A festival of French music and a screening of French film in the IFI. Runs until June 21.