Children in south Dublin will be asked to cycle to school through a cemetery, to avoid introducing a one-way traffic system for a distance of just under 1km on Deansgrange Road.
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council had planned to ban northbound traffic on part of the road through Deansgrange village to facilitate a cycle lane as part of its Active School Travel programme. The programme involves the development of 25km of dedicated cycle tracks along three separate routes linking 65 schools.
No roads were to be closed under the programme, but on Deansgrange Road traffic would be southbound only between Brookville Park and Kill Lane, a distance of about 900m, with the northbound lane given over to a two-way cycle track.
A number of businesses and residents objected to plans claiming it could result in job losses for businesses reliant on road access for deliveries, and could affect quality-of-life and safety locally due to motorists diverting through quiet residential areas. The Deansgrange Village Business Group said it was prepared to take legal action if the council proceeded with the scheme
Compromise
As a compromise, the council now intends to divert the cycle lane through Deansgrange Cemetery for 200m of the 900m route length. This would maintain two-way vehicular access for residents and reduce potential traffic displacement or rat-running into other areas the council said.
It would also maintain the bus service in both directions and allow HGV access along the street. The majority of parking and loading bays would also be retained, the council said.
The council's director of services, Robert Burns, told councillors on Monday he did not feel the detour through the cemetery would deter people from using the cycle path, as cyclists and walkers already used its grounds "on a 24/7 basis".
He acknowledged there were a “whole host of sensitivities around Deansgrange Cemetery”, but he said the route would be implemented in a “sensitive, tasteful and respectful manner”.
Most councillors said they would support the new proposal. Fianna Fáil's Shay Brennan said when he heard children would be asked to cycle through a cemetery "I initially thought it was satire" but he gave the proposal a "guarded welcome".
Formal plans for the new route will be presented to councillors next year.
