Possible compromise on Dundrum traffic restrictions issued to residents

A possible compromise on traffic restrictions contained in Dun Laogahire-Rathdown County Council’s local area plan for Dundrum, has been outlined to residents and local community groups.

The local area plan proposes retaining and extending a Main Street one-way system introduced as a temporary measure during Covid, as well as introducing a similar one-way system on Sydenham Road and improving cycle infrastructure on the bypass.

But following widespread complaints and a recent protest march through the village local area councillors met community leaders and outlined a possible compromise which they said would amend the proposed Dundrum Local Area Plan.

Central to the compromise is the deletion of a restriction which would prevent traffic coming from Ballinteer Road and Barton Road East from turning left on to Main Street.

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However the one way system in the Main Street, which the council initially said was introduced as a temporary measure, would be made permanent.

At a meeting in the town’s Holy Cross Parish Centre attended by local councillors Jim O’Leary, (FG) Anna Grainger (FG), Peter O’Brien (Lab) and Shay Brennan (FF) locals were told their views “had been listened to” but there would have to be compromise.

Local resident John Deegan, an architect and chairman of the Planning and Environmental Mediation group in the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators asked the councillors “should there not be a conversation between the people who use Dundrum and the people who design Dundrum for them”.

This led to an exchange of views in which Councillor O’Leary replies that as councillors, the elected representative did represent the public and had brought their views to the planners. Local trader Ruth Deveney said those opposed to the traffic restrictions did not have their emails answered and did not feel their views were being represented at all.

Ms Deveney, whose family own an off-licence on the Main Street asked Councillor Brennan for whom the restrictions were being put in place. She said much of the main street was already derelict because individual properties were being gathered in anticipation of big development in the area.

Local GP Ciaran Bent said the current restrictions had been introduced as temporary and many locals “felt hoodwinked” He and Ms Deveney said many local would not be able to enter the village and businesses were already suffering.

Mr Brennan who proposed that part of the meeting be held in private, said there were many good things in the local area plan, beyond the traffic modifications and he said there would “have to be compromise”.

But he said the compromise would have to be debated at a full meeting of Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County council and was not a done deal. Council planners could still make changes to the Ballinteer Road / Main Street junction even after the local area plan was adopted he said. However he said th elocal councillors had got a commitment that this would not happen without public consultation.

The Dundrum Local Area Plan envisages a large-scale development across 168 hectares (415 acres) of suburban space, including land at Fernbank, the original Dundrum Shopping Centre, the former Notre Dame School site and adjoining open space and the Dundrum Business Park.

The council has said traffic restrictions are required to stop the area being choked by private cars, to provide safe routes for children going to school and to provide for a better public realm. It proposes increases active travel and has pointed out that public transport is available via bus and Luas.