Chapter 5: Sustainable Travel and Transport

Section 5.1.1       National Planning Framework, National Development Plan

(Amendment No. 27) Amend Section 5.1.1 ‘National Planning Framework, National Development Plan’ (page 101):- deleted text in red, new text in green as follows:

5.1.1 National Planning Framework, National Development Plan.

Project Ireland 2040 supports the provision of a well-functioning integrated public transport system, enhancing competitiveness, sustaining economic progress and enabling sustainable mobility choices for citizens. In this regard, specific National Strategic Objectives seek to achieve the foregoing through requiring compact growth in towns and villages, achieving high quality international connectivity and transitioning to a low carbon and climate resilient society. The national investment priorities that will underpin the implementation of the National Planning Framework are contained in The National Development Plan 2018-2027 and will be further supported by the publication of the forthcoming  “Planning Land Use and Transport – Outlook 2040”  (in preparation by The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport). PLUTO will comprise a long-term framework to support the prioritisation of transport interventions and investment Department of Transport’s forthcoming long-term investment framework for land transport.”

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Section 5.1.6        Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets

(Amendment No. 28) Insert additional text in green to Section 5.1.6 ‘Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets’ (page 103), as follows:

5.1.6       Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets

The Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets (DMURS) prepared for the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (updated in 2019) provides mandatory guidance for all urban roads and streets within the 60km/h urban speed limit. .  In response to the Covid-19 Pandemic, a supplementary DMURS Interim Advice Note was also published in 2020 on the DMURS website (available to download at www.dmurs.ie/supplementary-material). The design standards for urban roads and streets seeks to balance the “place function”  (i.e. the needs of residents and visitors) with the “transport function” (i.e. the needs of pedestrians, cyclists, public transport, cars and goods vehicles) while incorporating good planning and design practice with a focus on the public realm. The manual recognises the importance of assigning higher priority to pedestrians and cyclists, without unduly compromising vehicle movement in order to create secure, connected places that work for all members of the community.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Section 5.3           Sustainable Mobility / Modal Shift

(Amendment No. 29) Insert additional text in green to Objective MS O1, Section 5.3 ‘Sustainable Mobility / Modal Shift’  (page 105), as follows:

MS O1: Support modal shift at a County level from private vehicles to sustainable modes (walking, cycling Bus or Train) to access work, school, college from 23% in 2016 (Ref: Table 5.1) to 28% in 2028.

 

(Amendment No. 30) Insert additional Objective MS O2 to Section 5.3 ‘Sustainable Mobility / Modal Shift’  (page 105), as follows:

To carry out an Area Based Transport Assessment / Local Transport Plan in consultation with NTA, TII, IE and relevant stakeholders for Carlow Town, Tullow and Muine Bheag which will form an iterative process with the review of the relevant Local Area Plan and will include specifying baseline figures and ambitions /targets for modal share, in order to encourage a modal shift away from the private car to more sustainable forms of transport, such as public transport, cycling and walking.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Section 5.5.1        Rail

(Amendment No. 31) Insert additional text in green to Section 5.5.1 ‘Rail’  (page 107), as follows:

Carlow and Muine Bheag are serviced by the Dublin to Waterford intercity rail line. The Rail Vision 2030: The Future of Rail Transport in Ireland notes that the Dublin – Carlow line comprises one of high levels of demand on the mainline routes. Services from Carlow however are infrequent, with an hourly frequency at peak times and gaps of up to three hours between services during the day. Improvements to frequency and timetabling would improve Carlow’s rail connectivity with the wider Eastern and Southern Region.  In this regard, it should be noted that as part of their Strategy 2027, which will have positive implications for rail connectivity from County Carlow, Iarnród Éireann is planning to enhance rail connectivity options to the north of Carlow at Kildare, including onward opportunities to Dublin, the West and South West of the country.   Iarnród Éireann will also be publishing a Rail Freight 2040 Strategy that will address the reintroduction of new freight services on the rail network.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Section 5.5.2        Bus

(Amendment No. 32) Amend Section 5.5.2 ‘Bus’ (page 108):- deleted text in red, new text in green as follows:

5.5.2       Bus

The development of a quality bus system as an alternative to the private car is an essential element of an integrated and balanced land use transport system. Bus Eireann and private service providers operate public bus services in County Carlow. The delivery of a Carlow Town Bus Service in conjunction with the NTA is an objective of this Plan which will seek to connect the majority of residential areas within the town to the main employment, retail, health and education destinations. The provision of new direct pedestrian / cyclist paths to the bus stops from residential areas will shorten the distance, therefore improving the accessibility for residents living in these areas to the town bus network, thereby supporting the development of the ‘10 – minute Town’ concept. 

Transport for Ireland Local Link provides a rural local public transport bus service. The key priorities of the Local Link Rural Transport Programme seek to address rural social exclusion and the integration of rural transport services with other public transport services. The NTAs ‘Local Link Rural Transport Programme Strategic Plan 2018 to 2022’ aims to provide a quality nationwide community based public transport system in rural Ireland which responds to local needs.  Its key priorities include the reduction of social exclusion and the integration of rural transport services with other public transport services. In addition, one of its key objectives is greater interaction/co-ordination with Local Authorities regarding the assessment of strategic transport needs and in the development of proposed transport plans for local areas. Rural transport services can perform an important role in providing for social and economic connectivity between small villages/rural areas and larger towns.  While a service is provided in County Carlow greater connectivity and service provision is required between settlements in the county and wider region. 

 

(Amendment No. 33) Insert additional text in green to Section 5.5.2 ‘Bus’, Policy PT 2 and include additional Policy PT P4: ‘Bus’ (page 108), as follows:

PT. P2: Support transport agencies, including the National Transport Authority (NTA) and Iarnród Éireann, in the provision of new public transport services and routes, enhancement of the quality, frequency and speed of existing train and bus public transport services with measures incorporated to facilitate access for all.

PT P4: Ensure that public transport infrastructure, as required and appropriate, is considered as part of any significant residential or commercial development proposals e.g. evaluation for requirement for new bus stops, turnaround facilities, pedestrian access, and layover facilities. 

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Section 5.8.2       National Road Network-Policies

(Amendment No. 34) Insert additional policies to Section 5.8.2 ‘National Road Network-Policies’ (page 113), new text in green as follows:

NR P5: To implement Section 2.8 of the DoECLG Spatial Planning and National Roads Guidelines relating to the provision of service areas and roadside facilities on national roads or any updates thereto during the life of this Plan and subject to meeting all other planning and environmental criteria.

NR P6: To seek to ensure that the capacity and efficiency of the national road network drainage regimes in County Carlow are safeguarded for national road drainage purposes’.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Section 5.8.5       Urban Roads and Streets

(Amendment No. 35) Insert additional text in green to Section 5.8.5, Policy UR P1 ‘Urban Roads and Streets’ (page 118), as follows:

UR P1: Ensure that all urban roads and streets in our towns and villages, including residential streets in housing estates are designed in accordance with the principles, approaches and standards set out in the ‘Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets’ (2013/2019) and any further update to the Manual during the life of this Plan and to implement TII Publication Standard DN-GEO-03084 ‘The Treatment of Transition Zones to Towns and Villages on National Roads’ as appropriate.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Section 5.9           Infrastructural Improvement Process

(Amendment No. 36) Insert additional text in green to Section 5.9 ‘Infrastructural Improvement Process’ (page 119), as follows:

5.9          Infrastructural Improvement Process

All National Road projects excluding TII National Road Schemes which will be progressed in accordance with TII Project Management Guidelines and Project Appraisal Guidelines will be progressed in accordance with the “TII Project Management Guidelines, while Non-National Road Improvement projects will comply with the Department of Transport Guidance for the “Management and Appraisal of Regional and Local Strategic and Specific Road Improvement Programmes”. Compliance must also be outlined in accordance with the “Public Spending Code- A Guide to Evaluating Planning and Managing Public Investment”

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Section 5.14         Car Parking

(Amendment No. 37) Insert additional text in green to Section 5.14 ‘Car Parking’ (page 121), as follows:

5.14.1 Car Parking

The Planning Authority will require car parking to be provided at the rates set out in Chapter 16 Development Management Standards. Reduced car parking provision maybe considered for commercial town centre sites in order to tackle urban decline, promote investment and help sustain more sustainable travel modes. Flexibility in car parking standards for development (including residential) may also be applied in urban infill and brownfield sites in urban areas based on performance criteria in order to achieve targeted growth.

 

(Amendment No. 38) Insert additional Policy CS P7, in green to Section 5.14 ‘Car Parking’ (page 122), as follows:

To apply flexibility where appropriate in response to well-designed development proposals that can achieve urban infill and brownfield development objectives in urban areas subject to strict qualitative criteria being achieved and provided public safety is not compromised and the environment is suitably protected.

__________________________________________________________________________________________