Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 13 Nov 1990

Vol. 402 No. 5

Written Answers. - Road Construction Application.

Eamon Gilmore

Ceist:

157 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment if he will give details of the application which has been made by Dún Laoghaire Corporation with regard to the design and construction of a new improved road between St. Mathias' Church, Church Road, Ballybrack, and Rochestown Avenue, Dún Laoghaire, for County Dublin; the type of road for which he has given approval; and the stage which the preparatory work for the construction of the road has reached.

Minister for the Environment (Mr. Flynn)

Primary responsibility for the detailed planning and execution of a scheme for the improvement of the road in question rests with the local authority concerned, in this case Dún Laoghaire Corporation.

The Church Road scheme forms part of a proposed road improvement from Loughlinstown to Glenageary Road Upper, 3.8 km in length, to be carried out in three stages. Approval in principle to the overall scheme was issued to the corporation in 1966. Stage 1, from Loughlinstown Big Tree, to Killiney Avenue was constructed in 1978. In December 1987, I approved, with modifications, the corporation's compulsory purchase order for the acquisition of property for stage 2 of the scheme, between Killiney Avenue and the roundabout at the junction of Rochestown Avenue and the Church Road.

In June 1989 my Department approved the brief prepared by the corporation for the consulting engineers for the scheme which provided for an examination of the various forms of possible road construction and widths consistent with the approved land acquisition and the preparation of contract documents for the scheme. On 15 August 1990, the corporation submitted for consideration proposals received from the Church Road Residents's Association for the provision of a 10 metre wide two-lane carriageway with hard shoulders, grass verges and footpaths having a total width of 21.8 metres. The borough council supported the residents' proposals and referred to their strong conviction that the entire scheme — including stage 3 should be completed in one phase as a wide two-lane carriageway with cycle-lanes.

Following technical examination of the proposals, it was considered that the four lane scheme designed by the corporation's engineering staff was the optimum solution available in terms of road safety and this view was conveyed to the corporation on 4 September last. Moreover, the residents' proposals would involve the acquisition of land in excess of that provided for in the compulsory purchase order.

While the Department's preferred solution is a four-lane scheme, it is now a matter for the corporation to decide on the optimum road design, finalise contract documents and submit their detailed proposals.