Sandyford Business group welcomes cycle paths as “integral” part of transport provision

— A local Cllr this week said there’s “a lot of shovel-ready projects”, but funding is at risk.

Welcoming the planned construction of new cycle paths in its area, the CEO of the Sandyford Business District said the routes will be used by local communities and commuting employees, unlock the physical and mental benefits of active travel, improve road safety, and help the district reduce its emissions.

The Sandyford Business District is a Business Improvement District, and it says that it represents the 1,000 companies, 26,000 employees and 6,000 residents in the four business parks which form the district.

Sandyford Business District Active Travel scheme includes plans to provide segregated cycle paths, improved crossings, and overall safer roads. At a local area council meeting late last year, a Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council official outlined how phase one of the project is to focus on Burton Hall Road and Blackthorn Road.

The design of the project was updated to Cycle Design Manual 2023 standards, and the project is to be built at the same time as the Junction 14 Link Road, which connects to part of the active travel scheme at Blackthorn Road.

Yesterday, Ger Corbett, CEO of the Sandyford Business District, said: “In 2025, Sandyford Business District will see the addition of new, high-quality cycling infrastructure which will connect the district, local residents, visitors and employees to the wider Dublin area and facilitate movement within the district.”

He said: “Improved cycling infrastructure, such as the proposed cycle paths to be introduced as an integral part of the Junction 14 relief road, will enable local and surrounding communities, and commuting employees to access the many physical and mental benefits of active travel, while improving road safety and helping the district reduce its emissions by taking passenger vehicles off the road.”

IMAGE: A slide from a presentation given to councillors last year showing the improvements in the project since public consultation was held.

Corbett said that the Sandyford Business District is also working with the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and University College Dublin to apply for EU funding for ‘Mobility Islands’, a new concept looking at promoting shared mobility and modal shift in an area.

He said: “We are also delighted that this week, the district has agreed to partner with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and University College Dublin to apply for EU funding of Mobility Islands. The importance of such initiatives cannot be understated as they will further support the creation of active travel and infrastructure in Dublin County.”

He added: “Ongoing investment in these developments is crucial to promoting community health and well-being and reducing the district’s carbon footprint.”

As reported earlier this week, a local councillor, Cllr Oisín O’Connor (Greens), said that phase 1 of the Sandyford Business District Active Travel scheme was one of the projects he was most looking forward to but that he has concerns around funding.

He said: “The projects I’m most looking forward to in early 2025 are the Sandyford Business District phase 1 and Leopardstown Road improvements. These will include new pedestrian crossings, segregated cycle tracks on roads that currently no cycling infrastructure, a contraflow cycle track on Burton Hall Road and improved junction safety.”

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, he said, has “a lot of shovel-ready projects” that have stalled as funding has been “squeezed by inflation” and he called on newly elected TDs to commit to increased levels of active travel funding for the next 5 years.

He added: “Phase 2 of the Sandyford Business District active travel scheme is a case in point. It’ll need 2026 and 2027 funding to proceed, so any TD claiming to be pro-active travel, pro-road safety or pro-business, needs to secure funding commitments in the new programme for government to make these kinds of projects possible.”

WATCH: Discussion of route at local area meeting Dundrum ICC Area Committee October 2024 (from 22:00 mins)

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2 thoughts on “Sandyford Business group welcomes cycle paths as “integral” part of transport provision”

  1. Welcome changes. Since the Junction 14 Link Road was first mooted, all of my children have started and finished primary and secondary school on the other side of the industrial estate and have been driven there, when they could have been cycling, if the infrastructure had been there.

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