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Submission to BusConnects corridor 4: Finglas to Phibsborough

bus-connects-finglas

I am a cyclist, pedestrian, motorist and bus user and local representative in the Phibsborough and Glasnevin, Drumcondra area.

I appreciate that the overall concept driving Bus Connects is to ensure greater space is allocated to buses and cyclists on the streets and roads within and around the city of Dublin. Furthermore, we have been told at Community Forums that pedestrians are to be fore in all considerations.

In that regard, the plans for the gyratory at Hart’s corner are very disappointing.  

Concerns

  • Given that many households on the Finglas road depend on their driveway for their parking space, it does not seem feasible that a small portion of that laneway could be taken, leaving households with sufficient parking space.
  • There are no improved cycling facilities for those travelling north bound onto from Hart’s corner onto Mobhi Road, nor for cyclists travelling southbound from Mobhi road onto Prospect Way.
  • While the western side of Hart’s corner will become a four lane road under the plan( Bus lanes x 2, car lane x 2 and  a cycle lane) , there are no corresponding traffic calming measure being proposed For those needing to safely navigate the Hart’s corner gyratory, there needs to be a new reduced speed limit to slow vehicular traffic.
  • An important feature of any safe cycle lane has to be continuity of lane and consistency of surface in that lane. This is vital if we are to promote more cycling and a greater diversity of people cycling, in particular families and young children. 

In that context, the sharing of space between buses and cyclists is far from ideal. Where possible, these situations must be minimised. So I would urge the NTA to look again at creating sufficient space on footpaths for mobility access and continuous cycle lanes to go behind bus-stops and at the potential to look of re-positioning some bus stops a negligible distance to accommodate this. In that regard, the NTA should reconsider the interaction of the bus stop and cycle lane outside St. Vincent’s school on the Finglas Road.

Marie Sherlock

Local Area Representative

Phibsborough Glasnevin Area, April 22nd, 2019