Young students of Scoil Padraig Naofa, Rochestown, Orla, Sorcha, Clodagh and Sarah, were welcomed by Cllr Desmond.
We took Cllr Forde’s motion now:
“That the Engineer gives a written report on
- The status of improvement design for Coach Hill and outline possible funding streams for the project which is urgently needed on safety issues.
- In the interim cut back the shrubbery to widen the roadway.
Improve lighting for pedestrians.”
Cllr Forde: Is exceptionally proud that these young girls took the time to get a petition together to encourage the Council to take action. The design office did a preliminary design for Coach Hill. It needs land take and a set back of a private boundary. I ask councillors to consider that we move to CPO in terms of the long term strategy. In the short term, the girls are looking for the hedging be cut back to widen the pinch point and put in extra lighting. It has been suggested that there are too many traffic lights on Clarke’s Hill; perhaps some of the money could be siphoned off to put lights on Coach Hill. WE will also write to bus Eireann to ask for a bus shelter. The principal is also very proud of them.
The girls hand over a petition with over 220 signatures.
Cllr D’Alton: When I was elected, my very first job was to look at widening the pinch point on Coach Hill so a footpath could go in – Safer Routes to Schools initiative. Area Office was helpful, initiated land search on the fallow land adjacent, found it was CCC and asked the design office to do a preliminary design. Was started and progressed but always in a half-hearted way because there has never been any funding. There was for Clarke’s Hill but not for Coach Hill. We never have a roads meeting pass in here without one of us mentioning Coach Hill. Especially concerned because M28 planning application showed that should the motorway go ahead, the volume of traffic on Coach Hill will increase significantly. Also concerned because when Clarke’s Hill is being upgraded, there is a risk that traffic will be diverted down Coach Hill. We will continue to support and to look for funding.
Cllr McGrath: Coach Hill has many residential estates and two schools in the area yet there is no footpath and safe walking area. We’ve all tried to address it. It was brought up even again this week at the Southern Committee meeting. The issue of the land is one thing but if the funding was found there’d be a way around that; the funding hasn’t been secured though. The area is due to be transferred into the city in 12 months or so and we must be mindful that we don’t take our foot off the pedal. Well done again for raising the issue. Has a motion in for this meeting in relation to increasing pedestrian safety around the school.
Cllr Jeffers: We are always aware that Coach Hill is in need of serious improvement. We can’t take our foot off the pedal in terms of the transfer into the city. Commended for playing your part in the democratic process. Fantastic to do so at such a young age. Played a significant part in democracy in trying to improve your own community. Cllr Canty was saying that he is now 27 years a councillor so there may be a vacancy arising at some stage in the future.
Cllr Harris: Congratulates the girl and school and parents and Cllr Forde for facilitating it. When you hear personal experiences about walking up the hill and going to school, it focuses the minds. When you meet people it is much stronger than paper and maps. You’ve done a great service coming in here today.
Cllr Murphy: Congratulations. Supports Cllr Forde’s motion. We had all dealt with Coach Hill over a period and we have seen how people power worked in Passage West lately.
Cllr Canty: Coach Hill has been on the map for a long time over the years. Health and safety is a No. 1 issue. Fair play to the girls for raising this. The girls have come in to highlight the dangers. Fair play to Cllr Forde and to the girls for starting he petition. Don’t lie on it. Keep knocking on the door. Lots of things get lost here in paper. Keep it up and hopefully in time the money will come.
Cllr Desmond: As Chairperson, I had a very interesting and engaging conversation outside. Effort and energy have gone into this. We have adults who don’t participate in what is going on in their local area and this is huge credit to get 222 signatures. That road has not changed from my memory of childhood. There have been some great improvements in Rochestown – this is the last piece of the puzzle. The Council needs to be credited for the work that has gone up there. We now have your school. It has 500 pupils and is ever-increasing. Very good to see 5thclass students who are about to finish in school caring about the future of those coming up behind them. It is impossible to cycle on that hill and walking isn’t much better. We will keep fighting your corner.
1. To consider the confirmation and signing of the Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting held on 20thMarch 2018.
Minutes of previous meeting
Confirmed – Cllrs Canty and D’Alton
2. Consideration of recommendations and reports
(i) Report to Members on YourCouncil.ie.
Report on YourCouncil
We will defer this to May.
(ii) Housing Report for Ballincollig/Carrigaline Municipal District April 2018.
Housing report for BCMD
As read.
3. Correspondence
(i) Correspondence TII re N28 – Douglas Exit to R609, Carrigaline Road.
Correspondence from TII re Douglas East
Noted.
(ii) Correspondence Depatment Education and Skills re proposed Educate Together School Rochestown/Douglas.
Correspondence from DoEd re Rochestown Educate Together
Very positive.
(iii) Correspondence from Planning Department re the Bond for the development at Maryborough.
Planning dept. info re Maryborough
Cllr Forde is not in the Chamber.
(iv) Correspondence from Environment Department re litterbins
Info from environment re enforcement
Noted.
(v) Proposals for extra 30 kph zones within the Municipal District.
Special speed limit zones
Area Engineer: We’ve been given an opportunity to consider extending the 30 kph zones throughout the Municipal District and amend the bye-laws accordingly. Based on representations after the last time we did it and the layout and traffic in the different estates, is proposing these here. This is limited. The last time we got 5 estates, there are 6 here. If there are other estates you feel merit it more, we’ll have to drop some of these.
Cllr McGrath: Welcomes these. Knows that €15k was given to the County as a whole for this. That’s a very small allocation. Would like to see this introduced in all estates. We can do it only on a phased basis. Traffic calming and the need to reduce speed comes to us all the time. Mount Oval jumps out on the list because it hasn’t been taken in charge. Mentions Pinecroft as possibly being included.
AE: Mount Oval – the through road is taken in charge and there are pockets within the overall development that are taken in charge and more coming up for consideration. It is true to say that there is merit in saying that we should defer it if you have other estates to put forward.
The amount of traffic and the number of people living there means that everything to keep speed down should be done.
Need to investigate the legalities.
Cllr McGrath suggests that we check whether it is amongst the 100 estates that will be taken in charge this year.
AE: Maybe we leave this as is until the draft bye-laws are drawn up at the end of the year and then more will be clear.
Cllr Jeffers: This is very welcome. You can see the merits in the ones chosen – large estates with straight roads, ones with schools. Supports Pinecroft and mentions Ardfield for inclusion.
Cllr Canty: Was talking to Don in relation to two or three estates for inclusion in the Ballincollig area.
Cllr D’Alton asked if surveys had been done to show if the special speed limit is working. The choice of estates is good. We’d all like more but these estates all need it.
AE: Surveys that we have done show that the special speed limit is not making a difference. In Shamrock Lawn, we went back in and put in additional physical traffic calming measures. We hope that the special speed limits will become more common over time and so more noticed.
Cllr Forde asks about Green Valley and Bramble Hill. Could they be included in future list? Understands the budget is limited. New estates, adjacent to schools and playing pitches if we could target these.
Cllr Desmond: Also welcomes Maryborough and the others chosen. Wonders how we communicate this?
AE: They are subject to the normal public consultation period. Would go up on the Council website. Other than this, the estates see the signs go up. The signs are big and are at the entrance to the estates.
MDO says that he normally asks Members and Corporate Affairs to put bye-laws on social media. Also asks Tidy Towns groups to put them up on their social media. He uses the contacts in the areas.
Cllr Murphy: Agrees with Cllr McGrath – we get reports of estates that are not taken in charge. I put a motion in here two or three years ago to full Council: Jake’s Law. Is taking a long time to be brought in.
AE: This is a follow on from the Jake’s Law campaign. That’s where it started and it is being done on a phased basis.
Cllr Jeffers: Surveys – could you pass that information on to the gardai? Ask them to address it?
AE: Yes. We haven’t done that. Follows from Jake’s Law originally. Council committed to doing the 30 kph zones and if there was no perceived reduction that we’d have to consider other traffic calming measures.
Couldn’t see us being able to afford doing traffic calming in every single estate.
MKD: Asks about response from TII in relation to my motion re noise protection from the N40 on the Douglas village side of the flyover.
MDO: No, we never had acknowledgement or response. Will follow this up.
4. General Municipal Allocation/TDF
TDF 2018
Vigour request for funding
Vigour report 2017
Proposed allocation to Harlequins
MDO:
Twinning – doesn’t know if funding will be needed. Depends on the cycles.
Painting scheme – we allocatd €15k last year. Didn’t use it all. Hoping that we might push it even harder this year. So is increasing budget to €20k.
Environmental improvements – additional weedspraying, etc. That was for some of the lesser approaches. We already had funding for the main approaches to towns.
In general, we have supplemented the public funding by €20k every year. It has always been used fully every year.
The balance demonstrated is because we had to do footpath works. Then Area Office had to spend money around the airport and didn’t get to use it. So we’re carrying forward a balance.
Will mee