My family reside in Lifford Gardens. We work and attend school and college in the local area. We enjoy living in the area and in the city.
We support safer Active travel but believe the councils plan to change the traffic layout of the South Circular Rd, and Lifford Avenue will not work and is a poorly designed, unfair, unequal and under researched plan.
The plan will:
1.Compromise pedestrian safety on Lifford Ave and South Circular road
2.Compromise the safety of Cyclists
3.Increase traffic congestion on Lifford Ave and on the main Ballinacurra road
4.Unreasonably impacts on the residents of Lifford Avenue/Gardens. It will also have a negative impact on local business.
Pedestrian Safety.
Lifford avenue
Lifford Avenue is residential avenue and not a major roadway. It is wholly residential, with the usual traffic associated with a residential housing estate.
Both sides of the road are used for parking by the residents and there are many delivery trucks to the approximate 50 homes in the area. The roadway of the avenue is a single lane and the 2 Cul De Sacs in Lifford Gardens are can just about incorporate residential parking.
The plan will increase the volume of traffic driving and parking in the area. The restriction of parking on the South Circular road will cause an increase in parking in the smaller roads and housing estates in the area.
It is already very dangerous for pedestrians on Lifford Ave., as they are hidden by all the parked cars. The increase volume of traffic using and parking on the road will make walking/cycling on Lifford Ave. very dangerous.
South Circular road
The footpaths on the South Circular road are narrow and already cannot cater for the volume of pedestrians using them.
When using the footpaths to school, college and for exercise, we regularly have to step from the footpath onto the road.
The implementation of the cycle lane will mean that we are now also in danger from being hit by cyclists ans scooted users.
Safety of cyclists
As described in so many other submissions, the safety of cyclists will be compromised by the implementation of a cycle lane on the South Circular road.
The road is too narrow to hold a cycle lane , when used by traffic and pedestrians at the same time.
Motorists will have to cross the cycle lane when entering or exiting their houses. As a regular cyclist, this can be very dangerous.
As a cyclist using the road for many years, the opening of car doors was always a problem on the South Circular Rd and the implementation of a cycle lane in the narrow road will exacerbate this problem.
The two other major roadways, the Dock road and the main Ballinacurra road would appear to be the "best fit" options for a cycle lane.
Has there been a survey done in regard to this aspect of the plan?
Congestion On Lifford avenue and Ballinacurra Road
Accessing the Ballinacurra road from Lifford Ave is already very difficult. The increase in traffic due to the implementation of
the cycle lane will cause gridlock for traffic trying to get into the city.
From a situation where I have now four egress points from Lifford Ave, I am now reduced to just two.
I can turn right at the bottom of Lifford Ave., or turn Left at the top of Lifford Ave.
Both of these options results in me being channeled into heavily congested ares, spending more time in the car, increasing emissions and commuting time.
The junction at Lifford Ave/Main Ballinacurra road is already very dangerous.
Travelling from the city , you have to negotiate cyclist/scooters travelling on the narrow roadway out and then stop the outbound traffic until you cross the incoming lane, the bus lane and the pedestrian footpath, before turning on to Lifford Ave,.
There is often no room to turn due to the parked cars and the traffic exiting Lifford Ave. You are caught in "no mans land" in a very dangerous situation.
This situation will be exacerbated due to the increased traffic flow in Lifford Avenue.
Unreasonable impact on Lifford avenue/Lifford gardens
The proposed plan will impact massively and unfairly on the residents of Lifford Avenue and Lifford Gardens.
As described above, it is a small residential avenue. The plan will turn it into a major city throughway ("rat run").
Any vehicles over 3 tonne cannot use New Street and will have to use Lifford Venue as an alternative.
I work in Shannon, and as a result of the plan, I will be forced to use the main Ballinacurra Road, New Street, and Ashbourne Ave to get to work. All of these routes are highly congested, adding to traffic emissions and my daily commute. These are all small roads and avenues.
The plan should be well researched, use main arteries (Ballinacurra Rd, and Dock Rd.)
This is a fragmented plan targeting small residential roads and avenues. It also targets our aged and infirm residents who need to have access/egress to their homes by HealthCare professionals, emergency services and their families and friends.
They also need to be able to drive in their own locality.
The plan also targets local businesses who rely on convenient parking for their customers.
I urge you to reject this plan until a well researched, safe, fair and equal plan for all residents/business is drawn up.