Cherrywood Luas light railway line has been criticised for its lack of park and ride car parks

A councillor says the move to reduce development levies for car parks is “legally questionable” without public consultation.

Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council is to reduce development levies on temporary ‘park and ride’ car parks along the Luas line B1 extension to Cherrywood by 75%.

Councillors voted for the change at the council’s monthly meeting last Monday.

“I have considerable sympathy for any measure that would encourage park and ride facilities for the Luas line. But any major change to the development levy schemes is required to undergo proper consultation,” said Cllr Richard Humphreys.

“The decision of the FG and FF councillors to ram through this change without any such consultation is, in my view, legally questionable,” Humphreys said. He said that the results of consultation could have gone further than councillors have and shown that people wanted the levies removed fully.

Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown county manager, Owen Keegan, told councillors last week that it was an “urgent issue,” that current levies are “penal,” and he said he was quite confidence that the changes are within the capacities of councillors.

He said the park and ride developments planned are temporary – for around five years — and the council would have to be satisfied that the parking charges and operation hours are reasonable. He said the Railway Procurement Agency is happy to rebate the Luas levy in full for the car parks.

Kathleen Holohan, director of planning for the council, said by her estimates car park owners would not make enough money to be able to pay back the original levies from the money earned from parking for five years.

Keegan said: “We are aware of a number of proposals, some of which already have planning permission and one or two in the process of getting permission. But it’s unlikely that any of these would proceed given the current levy.”

A number of councillors raised issues with unfairness of exempting levies for some while others have paid them or have to pay them before developing sites. It was agreed that the levied be reduced by 75% rather than removed fully. The vote was carried with 15 councillors for it and nine against.

Cllr Hugh Lewis (PBP / ULA) said, “The Luas system should have never been built without park and ride facilities in the first place. It’s systemic of bad planning.”

Cllr Tom Joyce (FG) said while councillors have said they are in favour of park and ride that some had voted against it already.

Cllr Victor Boyhan (Independent) said he knows of people who have had problems building extensions to their houses or building houses because their land is within the levy area.

Planning permission has been granted for the following car parks along the line:

• 350 spaces at Carrickmines to the Railway Procurement Agency for 6 years (details)
• 387 spaces beside Leopardstown Valley Luas stop to Viscount Securities for 5 years (details)
• 78 spaces at Murphystown Road, Sandyford, to Fianna Fail councillor Thomas Murphy (details)

Still in the planning process:

• 197 spaces at Cherrywood Science and Technology Park, Cherrywood, Loughlinstown, awaiting further information from Dunloe Management Services (details)

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Both were taken to St St Vincent’s University Hospital. “Gardai have arrested a male in his early 40s in West Dublin at lunchtime today in relation to this shooting and he is being detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act at Blackrock Garda Station,” said Sergeant Tony Connaughton.

He added: “A silver Ford Mondeo car registration 99 D 47450 which was used by the suspects was abandoned at the scene and two males, no better described, ran from the car in the direction of Sandyford Hall Estate towards Kilgobbin Rd / Murphystown Road.”

Sergeant Connaughton said: “Gardai wish to appeal to anyone that may have seen these two males running from the car in the direction as describes, these males may have got into another car or even a taxi.”

Gardai also want to track the movements of the silver Ford Mondeo before the shooting and want to hear from anybody who has seen suspicious activity in the Aiken Estate area in the last 24 hours.

Anyone with information should contact Blackrock Garda Station on 01 -6665200, the Garda Confidential Telephone line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.

View An Grianan Fidh, Aikens Village, Sandyford in a larger map

A €33m bus rapid transit route called Blue Line is being proposed between Sandymount and Sandyford in south Dublin.

It is promoted by Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council and supported by Sandyford Business Estates Association, St Vincents University Hospital, University College Dublin and State broadcaster RTE, which are all located along the route.

It will interchange with Stillorgan and Kilmacud stops on the Luas Green Line on its western end. Meanwhile at the east end of the line at St Vincent’s University Hospital there could be a walking distance close to 600m to Sydney Parade Dart Station. It will also cross the N11 and Rock Road quality bus corridors (QBCs).

The proposed bus rapid transit or busway route is similar to a QBC but has better priority and electronic displays at all stops. The vehicles (as above) are articulated buses with multiple doors and designed to look like trams — these are currently used in in the US and UK.

The council want the system to have:

Owen Keegan, county manager Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council said:

“It can deliver a quality service,which is very close to that of light rail in terms of journey time, operating hours, frequency, reliability and comfort but at a significantly lower cost.

He added:

“A detailed assessment of the project shows that it can be built for around €33m and that it offers excellent ’value for money’ This makes it a very appropriate public investment in the current difficult economic climate.”

Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council have a video outlining the project here:

The rough route alignment shows the Blue Line using what is currently green space in a number of parks and using a route currently closed to traffic in University College Dublin. It will serve areas including Sandymount, Donnybrook, Mount Merrion, Goatstown, and Sandyford.

Although promoted by Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, the 6km busway runs for about 1km inside the border of Dublin City Council’s area. Here is a estimate of the route based on the rough map at blueline.ie:

View Blue Line in a larger map

Dun Laoghaire

Prices are to rise at Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council’s off-street car parks from next month.

The council says in order to meet the European Commission’s requirement that 21% Vat be charged on council services it will increase the charges for off-street car parks, while on-street parking will be kept at the current price.

Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council says it expects to make the increases during September.

Where the current charge is €3 per day, 60 cent is to be added, or with a current charge of €5, €1 will be added. Per hour parking will be increased from €1 to €1.20 per hour. A full list of changes can be found at dlrcoco.ie.

Testing is starting on an extended section of the Luas Green Line from Sandyford to Cherrywood, overhead electric wires are now live and trams are to start test runs.

Opening of the line to public use is due in October.

The Railway Procurement Agency said the test phase will include trams moving between Sandyford and Brides Glen stops on a regular basis, and have warned all users to watch out for the trams.

The 7.5km Luas B1 extension goes from Sandyford Industrial Estate to Brides Glen, which is just beyond Cherrywood.  The overall cost of the new section is €300 million, around half of which is expected to be secured from development levies.

A map of the line can be found here and further information on the project is available here.

Projects which were granted funding include a Shankill Village Christmas Festival, Christmas lights and festival in Dunlaoghaire, a street festival in Blackrock, and the creation of a garden area for outdoor community activities in Dundrum.

Marketing pushes which are to receive funding include: marketing Dun Laoghaire Harbour and the town to cruise operators, and a campaign aimed at changing the image of Sandyford Industrial Estate to a business district.

Last night’s Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council meeting revealed the successful applications as: Shankill Tidy Towns Traders Group/Shankill Traders, Blackrock Business Network and IADT Media, Dundrum Town Centre Tenants Committee, Dalkey Business Group, Dun Laoghaire Cruise Stakeholders Group, Dún Laoghaire Business Association, and Sandyford Business Estates Association.

The grants were established as part of the 2010 budget for the council to cover up to 50% of proposed expenditure to promote and market local business areas. The council says it will advertise a second round of funding in early August. The fund totals €300,000 with each of the six Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown electoral areas eligible for up to €50,000.

“The Council’s new Business Support Grants will encourage firms to work collectively to promote and sustain business activity in their area. The standard of applications was excellent and demonstrated the capacity of local business groups to develop creative initiatives that will attract trade to their areas,” said Wessel Badenhorst, economic development officer at the council.

List of approved grants:

The Shankill Tidy Towns Traders Group/Shankill Traders Association

Project Description: Creation of a “starting point” for Shankill Village at the bus stop opposite St Anne’s Church through a range of area improvement measures.

The Shankill Tidy Towns Traders Group/Shankill Traders Association

Project Description: Shankill Village Christmas Festival and Shankill “End of Summer” street entertainment.

Blackrock Business Network in collaboration with IADT Media Cube

Project Description: On-line and off-line marketing of an animation film competition to be showcased in Blackrock.

Blackrock Business Network

Project Description: “Blackrock Rocks” Family Day including street performances, jazz and classical performances, food stalls, fashion show and puppet show.

Dundrum Town Centre Tenants Committee

Project Description: Creation of a garden area for outdoor community activities.

Dalkey Business Group

Project Description: Renovation of public space to facilitate local markets, displays and street performances and enhance attractiveness of the village.

Dun Laoghaire Cruise Stakeholders Group

Project Description: Marketing of DL Harbour and Town to Cruise operators.

Dun Laoghaire Business Association

Project Description: Christmas Lights display and festival.

Sandyford Business Estates Association

Project Description: Development of the SBEA website to include B2B capabilities and an interactive and creative platform for the business community in the Sandyford Business District.

Sandyford Business Estates Association

Project Description: ‘Destination Sandyford’ Marketing Initiative by home ware and furnishing retailers in the Sandyford Business District.

Sandyford Business Estates Association

Project Description: Sandyford Business District Communication and PR Campaign aimed at repositioning Sandyford from an Industrial Estate to a Business District.