Transport authority's uphill climb
to end gridlock on the M50
TRAFFIC along many parts of the M50 is now in almost
constant gridlock at any hour of the day. Fears have been
raised that if Dublin Port Tunnel traffic is forced onto
the M50, chaos will ensue.
But there are other initiatives affecting the M50 such as
rezoning and new developments in the vicinity of
interchanges and new roads and motorways leading into the
motorway's feeder routes. Can anything be done to improve
the situation, and is there the political will to do
it?
The Dublin Transportation Authority is a welcome and long
overdue initiative, but has it come too late? Has it the
powers to review, and if necessary alter, some of the
decisions currently in the pipeline? Has it the powers
and the expertise to take the radical initiatives
necessary to reverse the present situation and bring
relief to the travelling public, the city, the counties
surrounding Dublin and the environment?
Specifically, will it have the power to review planning
and rezoning decisions which will impact on transport in
the greater Dublin area?
Take as an example the motorways leading into the city
from the surrounding counties. In planning these, local
authorities and the NRA do not seem to have been obliged
to consider the consequences for Dublin and the M50
junctions.
The proposed M3 is a good example. In planning and
adopting this motorway, not only was a major mistake made
in relation to heritage (in the Tara section
particularly), a serious travesty was committed in
relation to transport planning in that:
1. Central Co. Meath's urgent transport needs were to be
resolved by a motorway-only solution (and a double-tolled
motorway at that), pushing back any chance of reopening
the rail line to Navan for many years, and
2. This motorway was to be routed into Dublin via the
already congested N3 and the gridlocked M50 interchange
at Blanchardstown.
In 2001, during the consultation process for this road, I
and others raised the issue of this aspect of the road
(the M50 at Blanchardstown was already heavily congested
then), but we were told by the consultants this was not
part of their remit as they were only responsible for the
Kells-to-Clonee section, ie, the Dublin end would be
sorted out by others.
Then, at the oral hearing, the inspector was not obliged,
or indeed permitted, to look at how this routing and
increased traffic would impact on the M50 at
Blanchardstown, or whether a combination of public
transport (particularly rail) and motorway would be a
better transport solution for both Meath and Dublin.
Since the decision in 2003, rezoning and development have
led to increased traffic from south Co. Meath into Dublin
along the N3 route and further developments are
planned.
This is another disaster heading for the M50 - it has not
yet started construction, so you would think something
could be done, some alteration could be made. But will
it? Will the vested interests who fought any changes to
the route on heritage grounds prevail again? Or will they
find that the Dublin Transportation Authority is a body
with real teeth, one that is determined to do what is
necessary?
Julitta Clancy,
Parsonstown,
Batterstown,
Co. Meath.
© The Irish Examiner, 4th. December 2006.
