Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 16 Jun 1993

Vol. 432 No. 4

Written Answers. - Dublin Northern Cross Route.

Proinsias De Rossa

Question:

72 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for the Environment if, in relation to his decision of 7 February 1991, approving the northern cross route, his attention has been drawn to Aer Rianta's proposals for a new south terminal having access to the proposed Ballymun interchange on the northern cross route and to the fact that Aer Rianta was solicited to write to Dublin County Council to support the proposed interchange and link road as a means of a fast and easy access to the city for the anticipated massive increase in traffic; the reason the consequent implications of this additional traffic were not taken into account in the supplementary traffic study carried out subsequently; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Proinsias De Rossa

Question:

73 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for the Environment if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the EIS published in March 1990, by Dublin County Council was based on traffic data supplied by consultants (details supplied) on the assumption of tolled roads; if, in view of the fact that it has since been decided that the NCR is to be toll free, the consequent increase in traffic volumes means that the published EIS is therefore invalidated; if he will undertake to request a new EIS to cover both county council and corporation areas affected by the route, its proposed interchanges and link roads; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for the Environment (Mr. M. Smith)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 72 and 73 together.

I do not propose to require the carrying out of a further Environmental Impact Study for the Northern Cross Route. Many of the environmental impacts of the route arise from its physical presence and are not directly linked to the volume of traffic that will use it. In the case of matters such as noise levels and air pollution which have a relationship to traffic volumes, I am aware that the impact predictions in the study were based on traffic flow projections which assumed that the route would be tolled. The study did, however, include traffic projections both for tolled and toll free operation of the route and evidence in this regard was submitted to the public inquiry held prior to the approval of the motorway scheme. While it is likely that the increased traffic volumes using the route on a toll free basis would give rise to some increase in noise levels and air pollution in the immediate vicinity of the route, it is also likely that there would be offsetting improvements in environmental quality on existing parallel routes, many of them in residential areas, arising from the consequential reduction in the level of traffic using them.

I understand, from Dublin County Council, that unsolicited representations were received from Aer Rianta in September, 1991 outlining the company's support for the proposed Ballymun interchange. These representations, made some seven months after the motorway scheme had been approved and some 15 months after the public inquiry was held, refer to the company's long term plan for a new south terminal from which traffic would access the Dublin Ring Road via the Ballymun interchange. It will be a matter for the relevant planning authority to consider the implications of such a development in due course if and when a definite proposal is made to it.