Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 July 2019
2325. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the design manual for urban roads and streets is being reviewed; if so, the planned consultation to be undertaken with local authorities, development interests, environmental interests, road and street user organisations and the general public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33784/19]
View answerThe Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets (DMURS) is a joint publication by my Department and the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (DHPLG). It was jointly prepared by the Department of Transport Tourism and Sport (DTTAS) and Department of Environment, Community and Local Government (DECLG) in 2013. A working group, consisting of staff from various local authorities, DTTAS and DECLG, was formed in 2010 to produce the document. The working group still meets periodically, and has prepared a number of training courses, updates to the document and other supplementary material.
Minor amendments have been made to various chapters of the 2013 Manual and 4 new Advice Notes have been provided. The updated document, materials and website were launched by DTTAS at the Roads Conference and Exhibition in May 2019.
Advice Note 1 is on Transition Zones and defines the meaning and function of Gateways and Transition Zones as they apply to our towns and villages. Advice Note 2 on Materials and Specifications sets out to expand on the concepts of quality, durability and function and to provide guidance in terms of construction and design, material selection and specification. Advice Note 3 documents the background research and considerations used in the development of the DMURS Geometric Standards and Advice Note 4 on Quality Audits provides a system of design checks that can be carried out to promote 'best practise' design solutions.
A new DMURS website has also been developed and is available at www.dmurs.ie. The website contains all updates and supplementary material, including the advice notes, available for download. This website is designed to be a resource tool with workshop/presentation material available, along with links to key publications and case study material. Local Authorities and private practitioners are also invited to submit projects that demonstrate the application of the principles, approaches and design measures contained within DMURS. These will serve to illustrate 'best practise' street design and place making that will inform practitioners, students and interested persons.
