Tag Archives: littlepace

Local Issues, Transport

‘Ghost Train Station’ for Dublin 15?

We have heard all about ghost estates and zombie hotels, but it now looks like Dublin 15 could get its very own ‘ghost train station’.

Although the grand opening of the Dunboyne rail line has been scheduled for September 2nd, it now appears that the Hansfield station, which was to serve the growing population centres of Ongar and Littlepace, will remain unopened until the property developer concerned provides the agreed access road.

Iarnrod Eireann, in an email to Deputy Joan Burton, have explained that “Hansfield will not be opened in September, as the developer has not provided the access road to the station at this time.”

Barry Kenny of Irish Rail went on to say that they were “working with Fingal County Council in seeking to ensure that the developer completes these works as soon as possible to allow the opening of Hansfield Station”, but that they did “not currently have a timescale from the developer for this”.

Assurances from John Lynch, Chairman of CIE, in a letter to me dated 9th August are equally vague: “We are seeking to ensure that the developer completes these works as soon as possible.”

Commenting on the fiasco, Deputy Joan Burton said that it is “deeply disappointing for local people that when much needed infrastructure is finally provided, it can’t be used because a property developer isn’t living up to his end of the deal. Yet again, local people are at the mercy of property developers for the provision of basic services.”

“We have a brand new train station at the Phoenix Park that is hardly used, and a brand new station at Hansfield that can’t open because it has no access road. To say that this shows a lack of joined-up thinking would be an understatement.”

“Even if only a temporary access road is put in place at first, the local community cannot afford to have expensive, much-needed infrastructure lying idle when they are so poorly served by public transport in the first place.”

“I have written to the Minister for Transport, Noel Dempsey, on this matter and I intend to ask him directly what he is doing to fast-track the opening of Hansfield station when he comes to Dublin 15 for the opening of the new rail line on September 2nd.”

“In my time as a representative for Dublin West I have long championed the development of a quality rail service to alleviate traffic congestion and improve quality of life.”

“Hopefully this situation can be ironed out without delay, because the long-term picture for the development of the Maynooth and Dunboyne lines is bright now that DART Underground has been given the green light in the revised capital spending programme.”

“Completion of this major infrastructure project will be a boon to Dublin 15 and the wider Dublin region. It will remove bottlenecks at Connolly Station, allowing for more frequent services, and will improve access to the south side of the city.”

, ,
Local Issues, Uncategorized

Joan Burton to host Public Transport Meeting

Venue: ‘The Paddocks’, Littlepace (Upstairs Lounge)

Date: Thursday 13th May 2010 at 8pm

I will host a public meeting on Thursday 13th May to deal with public transport issues facing Dublin 15. Representatives will be on hand from Dublin Bus, to explain the new Dublin 15 bus network, and from Iarnrod Eireann to give an update on rail services. There will also be a Q&A session.

We hope that you can attend and all are welcome.

Speaking in advance of the Deputy Joan Burton said: “I have been campaigning for years to deliver better public transport for Dublin 15.

“I have held meetings like this in other years, and they have always been very well attended. People in newer areas of Dublin 15 are not the best served by public transport, and are hungry for more buses and trains in their areas.

“Dublin Bus are rolling out new bus routes and networks all across the city. There will be significant changes in the Dublin 15 area and they have agreed to come to our public meeting to explain the changes and answer questions.

“We also hope to have a representative from Iarnrod Eireann to give us an update on the new stations to be opened at Hansfield and Pace later this year. These new stations are much-needed and long-awaited. They should really improve the accessibility of areas like Ongar and Littlepace, slashing the journey time to Dublin city centre.

“Most other capital cities around Europe have quality public transport networks, and Dublin should be no different. It not only improves quality of life, but helps make the economy more competitive and makes it an attractive destination for inward investment.”

“While there have been some improvements recently, we have not seen anything like the investment necessary to meet the needs of a growing Dublin 15 population. More people would leave their cars at home if they felt they could rely on the bus being on time, being able to get a place on the train or get to the airport without having to go all around the world.

“Internationally, it has been shown that the quickest and most cost effective way to improve public transport is to invest in buses. The Minister for Transport has shown reluctance about investing in more new buses. We have a bizarre situation where there road space is being given up for bus corridors, but money is not being provided to run buses in them. There’s a clear lack of joined-up thinking there and this needs to change.

“I will continue to press the Minister for Transport, Iarnród Eireann, the Rail Procurement Agency and Dublin Bus for an improved and integrated bus & rail system for the people of Dublin West.”

, , ,
Local Issues

Fingal’s Sir Humphrey Can’t Say When Phantom Train Station to Open

Deputy Burton was the first to highlight back in August the scandalous situation whereby the long-promised train station in Hansfield would not open with the rest of the Dunboyne line this September.

Although the station is complete and fully functional, it cannot be used for want of an access road. The property developers who own the land were obliged to construct the access road, but only once a certain level of development had been achieved – a level which has not now been achieved because of the downturn in the property market.

Based on the reply (below) recently received from Fingal County Council, it now looks doubtful whether the station will be opened at all in 2011 despite ‘active ongoing meetings’ between the Council, Iarnrod Eireann and the property developers who own the land.

Question & Reply below: Continue reading →

, ,
Local Issues, Transport, Uncategorized

Dunboyne Rail Extension Welcome for Ongar-Hansfield Residents

Iarnród Eireann have announced that work has commenced on the 7.5km Dunboyne rail line with the service due to open in 2010. It will branch off the Maynooth line at Clonsilla with three new stations to be built at Hansfield, Pace and Dunboyne. The Pace station will comprise a 1,200 space Park & Ride facility.

“I tabled a parliamentary question (below) to the Minister last Thursday asking him to set out a precise timeline for the opening of this much-needed rail service. His response was to stage a media event this morning to announce the opening of the service in 2010.

“This announcement is welcome and over-due for people living in areas under-served by public transport, like Littlepace, Ongar and Hansfield. A further surge in population can be expected in this area when the Hansfield Strategic Development Zone comes to fruition, so this announcement does not come a moment too soon.

“Extending the rail line to Dunboyne, and eventually to Navan, will lead to a surge in demand for the service. I would certainly not like to see a situation where the frequency of peak-time trains from Maynooth is reduced if many of the trains from Dunboyne and beyond will be full before they even enter county Dublin.

“I have sought assurances from the Minister that the new Dunboyne service will not take away from the existing capacity and frequency on the Maynooth line. People are already travelling from the Clonsilla, Coolmine and Castleknock stations at peak time in severely overloaded carriages. There have been several instances of people feinting due to the overcrowding.

“It is essential that the rail inter-connector, now renamed ‘DART Underground’, can be urgently completed so that the Maynooth line can be upgraded to full DART standard without further delay. The demand is clearly there for a full DART service. The people of West Dublin have been made to wait for too long for a service that is taken for granted in other parts of the city.

“In a recent survey carried out by the Labour Party in Dublin 15 there was near unanimous agreement that the bus and rail systems must be expanded to cut traffic and meet the needs of our ever-growing local population. I am convinced that a great many more people would leave their car at home if they felt they had a reliable, accessible and affordable public transport option.

“In more difficult economic times, maintaining investment in public transport is essential not only to improve quality of life for tens of thousands of commuters, but to lay the foundations for our economic recovery. Inadequate infrastructure is cited by many Irish and foreign employers as a barrier to doing business here. Investing in public transport therefore brings a significant economic and social return. Indeed, it was disappointing to see that even with the Green Party in Government, the most recent budget prioritised road-building over public transport investment.”

Joan Burton’s parliamentary question, tabled 6 November 2008:

To ask the Minister for Transport to set out a precise time-frame for the opening of the first phase of the Navan rail line; when he expects both a) the station at Hansfield and b) the station, Park & Ride at Pace to open; the necessary increase in rolling stock for the implementation of this first phase; when it is expected that this extra rolling stock will become available; if tenders have been sought and accepted for both the rolling stock and the construction of the rail line and associated infrastructure; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

According to Iarnrod Eireann:

Enabling works have commenced on the 7.5 kilometre rail line, which will branch off the Maynooth line at Clonsilla and terminate at the interchange with the M3 north of Dunboyne, at Pace. In addition, Iarnród Éireann confirmed that the main construction contract for the project has been signed, with SIAC Construction, who will commence construction on site at the start of December. The project is a key element of the Government’s Transport 21 programme and the National Development Plan.
The service is set to commence in 2010 and will be operated by Commuter Rolling stock. All services will terminate to Docklands Station. Initially the frequency of the service will be at 30 minute intervals at peak periods, as demand increases this will expand to 15 minute intervals at peak times. Off-peak services will be hourly.

The project includes:
§ Construction of 7.5km’s of double track between Clonsilla & Dunboyne (M3)
§ Installation of a new signalling and telecoms system
§ The Provision of three new stations at:
§ Hansfield – at the heart of the Hansfield Strategic Development Zone
§ Dunboyne – with a 300 space car park
§ Pace (M3) – with a major Park and Ride facility consisting of 1,200 spaces, making it the largest public transport park and ride facility in the country. It’s location will mean a wide catchment area of commuters from Co Meath, Louth and beyond will be able to avoid congestion and dramatically cut their commuting time to the city centre
§ Other infrastructure works, including bridge works, boundary treatments, drainage and earthworks will be provided.

Each of the stations will be equipped with lifts and footbridges and will be fully accessible for those with mobility and sensory impairments. These new stations will provide a frequent and reliable rail service for new and existing communities in Meath and will help relieve traffic congestion on the M3, one of the busiest routes in the country.

The Clonsilla to Navan line was closed in 1963. Dunboyne has not been served by rail since 1947 when the station closed.

Further Developments at Iarnród Éireann
The Clonsilla to Dunboyne (M3) project represents phase 1 of the reopening of the Navan rail line. Under Transport 21, rebuilding of the Pace-Navan section of the line will be complete by 2015. Alignment selection works are currently continuing in relation to this phase of the project.

CIÉ and Iarnród Éireann Chairman Dr John Lynch said “we are delighted to be commencing this key phase of the project to rebuild and reopen the line from Clonsilla to Dunboyne and the Pace M3 Park and Ride. Construction on this line, together with the upcoming four-tracking of the Kildare Route, Cork-Midleton line plans, Western Rail Corridor plans, and not to mention the DART Underground, means we are on the brink of the most significant expansion of our rail network in 100 years.”

, ,
Local Issues, Uncategorized

Public Information Meeting on Proposed Littlepace-Huntstown ‘Bus Gates’ – Wed. 25th June @ 8.15pm in The Paddocks

Cllr. Michael O’Donovan and Deputy Joan Burton will host an information meeting and display of maps in relation to the two proposed ‘bus gates’ linking The Way, Hunters’ Run to Rusheeny Green & the Littlepace Road (adjoining Bramblefield Court) to Huntstown Road. Fingal County Council is to put these proposals on public display and will invite submissions from local residents and interested parties.

,
Local Issues, Transport, Uncategorized

Public Meeting on Transport – 24th April at 8pm in ‘The Paddocks’, Littlepace

I will host a public meeting on Thursday 24th April to deal with public transport issues facing Dublin 15 and facilitate questions by members of the public to representatives from transport providers as follows.

SPEAKERS:

Gareth Quinn – Dublin Bus (Area Manager North West)
John Reville – Iarnród Eireann (Regional Manager)
Myles McHugh – Iarnród Eireann (Service Planning Manager)
Tom O’Reilly – RPA (Metro West Project Manager)
Joan Burton TD – Labour Party Deputy Leader

We hope that you can attend and all are welcome

Venue: ‘The Paddocks’, Littlepace (Upstairs Lounge)
Date: Thursday 24th April 2008
Time: 8pm

, ,
Local Issues, Transport, Uncategorized

Dublin 15 Bus & Rail Services: ‘A little done, A lot more to do’

On the back of recent correspondence and discussions with Iaranród Eireann and Dublin Bus respectively on public transport in the Dublin 15 area, Deputy Joan Burton is happy to report several small, but important, improvements to our bus and rail services.

As of last week, according to Iaranród Eireann, a number of services on the Maynooth line were extended to 8 carriage trains, including the 6.38am and 8.17am services from Maynooth and the 5.34pm Bray-Longford service. They have also committed to extending to 8 carriages the remaining Maynooth-Connolly/Pearse services later in 2008.

Reacting to the news, Deputy Burton said “For quite a while, people have been herded onto rush-hour trains like cattle, sometimes even being left on the platform to wait for the next train. These increases in capacity should go some way towards alleviating the overcrowding on these trains and I look forward to the extension of all trains on the line to eight carriages.”

Dublin Bus also expects to implement several changes over the coming months, having now completed the long-awaited review of their Dublin 15 services. The key changes are:

37 route:
· When roadworks are completed on Blanchardstown Road South bus lane, the terminus will move to Blanchardstown Town Centre.
· New buses with 15-20% extra capacity.
· Service to begin at 5.30am.
· 15 minute service until 6.30am
· then every 10 minutes.

39 route:
· New buses with extra capacity.
· Divided into three services:
A) Serving Clonsilla train station, Hartstown Loop, N3 straight to town.
B) Serving Linnetfields, Beechfield, Hazelbury, Latchford, Ongar Road, N3 straight to town.
C)Starting at Ongar Road./Blanch. Road South junction, Hartstown Loop, Blanchardstown Road South., old route into town through Blanchardstown Village.

70 route:
· All buses will serve Littlepace.
· Improved frequency.

270 route:
· Alternating with No.70 buses, serving Dunboyne, Littlepace, Latchford, Clonsilla Station & Blanchardstown Centre.
· Improved frequency.

Deputy Burton commented “It is good to see an increase in both frequency and capacity on the key bus routes serving the area. We will have to keep these services under review to ensure that everyone can benefit from the changes.

“Taken together, these bus and rail improvements are important and should make the commute less onerous for thousands of residents in Dublin 15, but they are only the tip of the iceberg. We need a fully funded, integrated public transport system which is accessible to all. From talking to people in the area, I think that many people would leave their car at home if they felt they had a viable public transport option. These latest improvements in the bus and rail system are welcome, but they don’t represent the paradigm shift that is needed. It is certainly a case of ‘a little done, a lot more to do’.

“Just this week, the Minister for Transport ruled out buying another 300 buses ‘if they are all parked on Parnell Square’. This is nonsense. It is quite obvious that the Minister is completely out of touch with the needs of a modern public transport system and the urgent need for more buses, particularly serving areas like Dublin 15 where the population has exploded in recent years. Commuters are understandably frustrated when they see empty bus lanes and then hear that the Minister refuses to buy the buses to run in them.

“Internationally, it has been shown that the quickest and most cost effective way to improve public transport is to invest in buses. This is an avenue that needs to be explored before rushing into city congestion charges and the like.

“I will continue to press the Minister for Transport, Iaranród Eireann and Dublin Bus for an improved and integrated bus & rail system for the people of Dublin West.”

, , ,
Education, Local Issues

Burton Demands Action on Dublin 15 School Place Crisis

Speaking in the Dáil this week, Deputy Burton demanded urgent action to avoid a recurrence of the annual school place crisis in Dublin 15. You can listen to Joan’s Dáil speech on Dublin 15 schools here.

“This is the time of year when schools throughout Dublin 15 are enroling children. Once again, confusion reigns amongst parents in the Diswellstown, Littlepace, Clonsilla, Tyrellstown and other developing areas of Blanchardstown and Castleknock as to whether or not their children will get one of the few coveted places in their local primary school next September.

“I’m calling on the Minister for Education to immediately convene a round-table forum of parents, patrons, principals and other stakeholders, in education in Dublin 15 to create a fair and just school enrolment system.

“Every year, for the past seven or eight years it’s been like groundhog day with the recurring school place crisis in Dublin 15. Last year, in the run up to the general Election, the Minister for Education made a lot of promises about resolving the situation. The then Minister for Children, and now Minister for Justice, had his Department fund a ground-breaking report on education and the demand for school places in the Dublin 15 area.

“That report was launched to great fanfare by the Minister and proposed, in its 13 principal recommendations, a round-table forum of all the stakeholders and indeed a green paper from the Government to deal with the issue of planning for enrolments in areas such as Dublin 15 where there is an explosion in the school-going population and particularly the new Irish communities. There is still no sign of this round-table or any significant increase in the number of school places in the area.

“The Minister for Education just this week announced her intention to apply for planning permission for three new primary schools in Ongar, the Phoenix Park Racecourse and at Kellystown near Clonsilla.

“It is not clear how children will be enrolled for these schools. It may be that, as in the case of Scoil Colm – established at the last minute last year (under the patronage of the archbishop of Dublin) – that these schools will be primarily for children who have failed to get into the existing schools in the area.

“Therefore, as in the case of Scoil Colm and the Educate Together school in Balbriggan, they may end up being the schools for those children left out. Do we really want to develop ghettoised schools where the children are almost all from a non-Irish background?

“No matter how fantastic the work of the parents and teachers in schools such as Scoil Colm and Balbriggan Educate Together, it is not a desirable development in the long run to have segregated schools.

“In true Department of Education fashion, the Minister and her officials seem determined to repeat the mistakes of earlier years and indeed of other educational situations like the debate on autism, and plunge blindly ahead regardless of the best interests of children and parents. It’s time to consult, Minister, and develop a fair and coherent system of school enrolment.

“The root cause of the problem remains the lack of coherent planning for places and the timely building of schools to keep up with the building of houses. Unfortunately, this is the legacy of a decade of poor planning and it is our children who are losing out.

“Now the Minister for Education and Science has announced three new schools but cannot tell us who will attend these schools or the enrolment procedure. We are piling mistake on mistake. The Minister must receive an all-party delegation, as her predecessors used to do, on education in Dublin 15. She is in hiding and while she may have money for the situation she is not considering the best interests of development of the whole community, including members of the traditional Irish community who have purchased houses, who work, pay PAYE and expect a primary school for their children. It is not good that a child from a new community may never go to school with an Irish child through all of the primary cycle and possibly the secondary cycle. This could be resolved if the Minister is prepared to address the issue.”

Responding on behalf of the Government, Deputy Deputy Pat Carey: I am replying on behalf of the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Hanafin. I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it gives me the opportunity of outlining to the House the actions being taken by the Department of Education and Science to address the school accommodation needs of the Dublin 15 area.

The Minister for Education and Science is conscious that the Dublin 15 area is one of the most rapidly developing areas in the country and, as a result, there has been a marked increase in the demand for primary school places. The Department is taking a number of measures to increase the capacity of existing schools in the area concerned along with the development of new schools to meet this growing demand. All building projects arising from these are awarded a band 1 priority rating under the Department’s prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects to ensure they are delivered as expeditiously as possible.

The position on recent and ongoing developments in the provision of school accommodation in the Dublin 15 area is as follows. A new 16 classroom school for Mary Mother of Hope national school in Littlepace opened in September 2007. A new school for Castaheany Educate Together is on schedule to open for September 2008 and a new school for St. Benedict’s national school is set to follow for September 2009. Extension projects for primary schools in Castleknock, Blanchardstown and Corduff are also being progressed. In the Diswellstown area, St. Patrick’s national school moved into a new 24 classroom school last year. This will facilitate an annual three stream intake. In addition, St. Mochta’s national school was expanded in 2006 to cater for an annual four stream intake. An extension to cater for this development has been progressed to architectural planning. A site has been secured for a new school for Tyrrelstown Educate Together national school and the building will be provided as soon as possible.

A new State model community national school, under the patronage of the County Dublin Vocational Education Committee, is to be piloted in Phibblestown from September 2008. This will initially provide accommodation for an eight classroom school, to be expanded up to 24 classrooms as need is assessed. The Department conducted a survey of all primary schools in Dublin 15 to determine the number of junior infants who enrolled in September of 2006 and 2007. This survey indicated considerable numbers of children applied to enrol in more than one school. While this is understandable from parents’ point of view, it has the result of inflating the number of children apparently seeking places.

Notwithstanding this, the Department of Education and Science is aware of the accommodation demands for September and is addressing this requirement. I can assure the Deputy that all options will be considered to ensure there are enough school places in September. This may include the provision of school transport if necessary.

Due to the level of demand emanating from the Dublin 15 area, the need to make further provision at primary level in addition to that outlined above is being kept under review by the Department. To this end the Minister for Education and Science has established a developing areas unit, headed by a principal officer, whose sole focus is to ensure that significant pupil places will be available in such areas of demand. The Minister is confident that the measures outlined will assist in alleviating the immediate demand for pupil places in the area.

, , ,
Local Issues, Uncategorized

Burton Calls For Local Police Station For Ongar

In response to a Dáil question tabled by Deputy Joan Burton, the Minister for Justice has indicated that coverage by the Gardaí of the Ongar area of Dublin West is an issue set to be reviewed as part of a Garda Síochána review of its Divisions and Districts in Dublin. Moreover, he confirmed that that the Garda Commissioner will be responsible for making the final decision with reference to identifiable operational requirements.

Deputy Burton has urged the Garda Commissioner as a matter of urgency to make provisions for the establishment of a local police station in the Ongar area served by the main Blanchardstown station.

“The Ongar and Littlepace areas of Dublin 15 have been transformed in recent years, experiencing very significant population increases. As a result of poor planning, the provision of public services, such as schools and policing, has lagged far behind house-building. One unfortunate consequence is that crime levels in the area have been on the increase. Anti-social behaviour is a particular problem, and one that could be greatly reduced if there was a strong local Garda presence.

“Where the Gardai are well resourced, they do a fantastic albeit challenging job. The problem in areas such as Ongar is that there is no local presence, with Garda units needing long response times to make there way from Blanchardstown or Lucan.

“It’s high time that this situation was addressed seriously, and I would call on the Garda Commissioner, as part of the ongoing review process, to make provisions for the establishment of a local police station in the Ongar area served by the main Blanchardstown station. The status quo is unacceptable and unsustainable.”

“There is a strong case for Ongar to be served by a dedicated police station and for assigning extra community police to the area to tackle the ongoing problems with anti-social behaviour and petty-crime. Community Gardai are warmly welcomed wherever they are made available on the streets of Dublin 15, their presence instantly making people feel safer in their own homes and neighbourhoods.”

, ,
Local Issues

Littlepace Shopping Centre Planning Decision Delayed

Joan Burton TD, has received notification from An Bord Pleanála stating that their decision on the Littlepace Shopping Centre development has been deferred.

A decision from An Bord Pleanála was due to be published before the end of January. In the notice received by Deputy Burton the Board said, “due to a continuing high volume in the intake of appeals the Bord will not now be in a position to determine the appeal before the end of January”.

An Bord Pleanála continued to say “an inspectors report has been received and the file is at Board level. A target date of before 27th February 2008 has now been set within which to decide the case. The delay involved is regretted.”

Deputy Burton, has urged An Bord Pleanála to take the right decision for the community of Littlepace and Castaheany in this matter.

,