Between November 2018 and May 2019 the National Transport Authority (NTA) carried out the first round of public consultation on initial proposals for the Emerging Preferred Routes of sixteen Core Bus Corridors across the Greater Dublin Area (GDA). During this consultation phase thirteen thousand submissions were received in total. A Consultation Submissions Report for each corridor is available to view and download on our website www.busconnects.ie.
All of the submissions were reviewed and considered as part of the design preparation for the Preferred Route for each corridor. We have amended our initial proposals to address some of the issues raised in submissions including incorporating suggestions and recommendations from local residents, community groups and stakeholders. We are now publishing the Preferred Routes for sixteen Core Bus Corridors and commencing a second round of public consultation.
This document is one of a series of sixteen, each dedicated to a single core bus corridor. The document provides a written description of the Preferred Route from start to finish with supporting maps and includes information on revisions made, if any, from the initial emerging preferred route.
The original brochures detailing each Emerging Preferred Routes, published last year, are available to view and download on our website www.busconnects.ie. These brochures contain information on the process for impacted property owners, the project timelines and steps required for statutory planning application.
BusConnects is the National Transport Authority's programme to greatly improve bus services. It is a key part of the Government's polices to improve public transport and address climate change in Dublin and other cities. It is included within the following Government policy strategies:
Dublin is growing and needs a bus network that works for a developing city. The aim of BusConnects is to deliver an enhanced bus system that is better for the city, its people and the environment. BusConnects is designed to provide a better, more reliable and more efficient bus service for everyone.
this project will deliver journey time savings of up to 40-50% on corridors. Dedicated bus and cycle lanes can significantly increase bus travel speeds and reliability.
Tackling the challenges of climate change is a priority for Ireland and moving more people to public transport is a key component of the solution.
More bus shelters, with seating where possible, new footpaths and better information at bus stops, will make using the fully accessible bus fleet easier for all to use, including the elderly and mobility impaired.
This project will see the provision of much needed cycling facilities around the city region with over 200kms of high quality cycling facilities provided.
Along each route, improvements and enhancements will be made to footpaths, walkways and pedestrian crossings. Funding and investment for local urban realms with additional landscaping and outdoor amenities will be provided.
Part of the overall BusConnects Programme is to create 16 radial core bus corridors (CBC). A CBC is an existing road with bus priority so that buses can operate efficiently, reliably and punctually. This generally means full length dedicated bus lanes on both sides of the road from start to finish of each corridor or other measures to ensure that buses are not delayed in general traffic congestion. The bus lanes will be alongside segregated cycle lanes/tracks where feasible and general traffic.
A segregated cycle track is a separate selection of the road dedicated for cycling only. This space will generally be isolated from other vehicular traffic by a physical kerb. Where is it not physically possible to have segregated cycle lanes/tracks there will be the option of quiet roads and shared cycling on reduced speed roads for cyclists.
The NTA published outline plans for each of the 16 CBCs in a non-statutory public consultation process in 2018/2019. The options were called Emerging Preferred Routes (EPR), in some cases with multiple sub-options, to inform the public of the likely layout of the roadway with the necessary CBC infrastructure in place. They included possible impacts on front gardens, and likely changes to how traffic will operate to facilitate bus priority.
Following consideration of the public submissions about the 16 EPR's, the core bus corridor proposals have been reviewed and amended. They are now being presented as the Preferred Route Option (PRO) and are subject to a second round of non-statutory public consultation.
They are not final proposals as they are subject to further consideration from the second round of public consultation and also subsequent examination in the context of environmental impact assessment
A Bus Gate is a sign-posted short length of stand-alone bus lane. This short length of road is restricted exclusively to buses, taxis and cyclists plus emergency vehicles. It facilitates bus priority by removing general through traffic along the overall road where the bus gate is located. General traffic will be directed by signage to divert away to other roads before they arrive at the bus gate.
Signal Control Priority uses traffic signals to enable buses to get priority ahead of single lane road sections, but it is only effective for short distances. This typically arises where the bus lane cannot continue due to obstructions on the roadway. An example might be where a road has pinch-points where it narrows due to existing buildings or structures that cannot be demolished to widen the road to make space for a bus lane. It works through the use of traffic signal controls (typically at junctions) where the bus lane and general traffic lane must merge ahead and share the road space for a short distance until the bus lane recommences downstream. The general traffic will be stopped at the signal to allow the bus pass through the narrow section first and when the bus has passed the general trafficwill then be allowed through the lights.
A Toucan Crossing is a roadway crossing designed to enable both pedestrians and cyclists to cross the road with purposefully designed signal controls.
Where CBC roadway widths cannot facilitate cyclists without significant impact on bus priority, alternative cycle routes are explored for short distances away from the CBC bus route. Such offline options may include directing cyclists along streets with minimal general traffic other than car users who live on the street.
They are called Quiet Streets due to the low amount of general traffic and are deemed suitable for cyclists sharing the roadway with the general traffic without the need to construct segregated cycle tracks or painted cycle lanes. The Quiet Street treatment would involve appropriate advisory signage for both the general road users and cyclists.
Urban Realm refers to the everyday street spaces that are used by people to cross, shop, socialise, play, and use for activities such as walking, exercise or commute to/from work. The Urban Realm encompasses all streets, squares, junctions, and other rights-of-way, whether in residential, commercial or civic use. When well-designed and laid out with care in a community setting, it enhances the every-day lives of residents and those passing through. It typically relates to all open-air parts of the built environment where the public has free access. It would include seating, trees, planting and other aspects to enhance the experience for all.
The Ringsend to City Centre Core Bus Corridor (CBC) commences at Talbot Memorial Bridge. The route encompasses bus lane and cycle infrastructure on both north and south quays connecting the city centre with the Docklands and onto Ringsend and Irishtown. Priority for buses is provided along the entire length of the North Quays, from the Custom House to the 3-Arena at Tom Clarke Bridge, consisting of dedicated bus lanes in each direction.
Segregated two-way cycle tracks will be provided in the campshires on both sides of the River Liffey. A cycle route will extend through Ringsend and Irishtown towards the Poolbeg Peninsula.
The following paragraphs will describe each section of the CBC in more detail, identifying the key design revisions which have been incorporated into the design since the publication of the Emerging Preferred Route (EPR) in January 2019.
In a change from the EPR, continuous bus lanes are now proposed in both directions on Custom House Quay and North Wall Quay between the Matt Talbot Bridge and the Tom Clarke Bridge. This will secure improved bus priority along the north quays. The historic Scherzer Bridges constrain the road width at the crossing of the canal entrance to George's Dock and the Royal Canal at Spencer Dock. These historic structures no longer serve their original function and are unsuitable to the needs of the modern street, which is much busier since the eastward expansion of the city. These structures will be repositioned either side of the new bus and general traffic lane cross-section such that the pedestrian footway and cycle track will pass through them instead.
In order to protect bus priority, right-turning restrictions are proposed at most junctions along the north quays where alternative access is available from Seville Place and Sheriff Street Upper to the north.
The two-way cycle infrastructure on the North Wall Quay will be enhanced and will continue along the full extent of the north quays. A general landscaping arrangement is proposed along the north quays, with two lines of trees along the proposed cycleway. There are width constraints at the two small restaurant buildings at the Excise Walk junction, where a new boardwalk is proposed to overhang the river for a wider pedestrian space on the riverside.
As a result of the introduction of continuous two-way bus priority on the north quays, the bus facilities along the south quays have been reduced from the previously published proposals. Existing traffic circulation will be maintained with the following exceptions:
Alternative access to Cardiff Lane from Sir John Rogerson's Quay is available via Forbes Street and Misery Hill.
At the eastern end of Sir John Rogerson's Quay at Britain Quay, the proposed Dodder Public Transportation Bridge will connect to Ringsend at York Road. No general traffic will be permitted to use this bridge crossing.
A continuous two-way segregated cycleway will be provided on both sides of the River Liffey.
The southbound bus lane across Samuel Beckett Bridge will be removed to allow for the improvement of pedestrian and cycle facilities on the eastern side of the bridge and at the pinch-point on the south-eastern corner, representing a change to the EPR. The cycleway will be relocated to where the bus lane is currently which will also allow the pedestrian space to be significantly widened on that side of the bridge.
A cycle route is proposed towards the Poolbeg Peninsula via the western edge of Ringsend Park, which is a change to the EPR. The segregated cycle track on the green area alongside York Road and Pigeon House Road is no longer proposed. Instead the cycle route will connect to the East Coast Trail at Sean Moore Road, and will provide a direct connection to the Poolbeg SDZ Lands via Kerlogue Road and Bremen Road. On the route along the River Liffey cyclists will share York Road and Pigeon House Road with general traffic.
This brochure provides details of the proposed Preferred Route Option for this core bus corridor. These proposals are subject to a second non-statutory round of public consultation, and subsequent design refinement and environmental impact assessment, before a formal statutory application will be made by the NTA to An Bord Pleanála for approval.
The project website www.busconnects.ie has a dedicated section for the Core Bus Corridor project. All previous emerging preferred route brochures are available on the website. Users can access the site to find out more about the project and download copies of the key documents.
General queries can be directed to a dedicated freephone 1800 303 653 or by email to cbc@busconnects.ie
We are inviting submissions in relation to the Preferred Route Options set out in this document. The closing date for submissions is stated on the website www.busconnects.ie
Written submissions and observations may be made by:
Core Bus Corridor Project National Transport Authority, Dún Scéine, Harcourt Lane, Dublin 2, D02 WT20
Following the second round of public consultation the NTA will finalise the Preferred Route Options for all sixteen corridors. The scheme designs will be finalised, transport and environmental impact assessments will be completed. This will culminate in the preparation of an Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) for the scheme together with details of land to be acquired. This will be submitted to An Bord Pleanála during Q4 2020 for its consideration and determination. A formal statutory consultation process will be undertaken as part of that process.