5.3 Mobility of People & Goods in Urban Areas

O

N

B

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A

C

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D

5.3 Mobility of People & Goods in Urban Areas

The National Road network must facilitate both the movement of people and the movement of goods.

Y

T

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V

Project Ireland 2040’s NSO4 relates to Sustainable Mobility, and the role of National Roads in a sustainable transport system is a key consideration. An essential function towards delivering this NSOis to connect people and places across the country, by various modes, on National Roads.

Investment

Priorities

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O

C

M

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P

Y

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L

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O

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L

The National Roads network should also be fit for the transport of heavy vehicles, noting the high levels of wear and degradation of the carriageway under heavy loading; emissions originating from freight movement; and unique travel patterns.

G

E

&

I

N

U

R

B

A

A

N

Figure from page 41

The National Roads network should cater for the needs of all road users, including cyclists and pedestrians. Where sections of the network present a hostile or dangerous environment for cyclists and pedestrians, TII will work to provide segregated active travel facilities adjacent to National Roads. TII will identify and address severance associated with busy urban National Roads through provision of safe crossing infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians.

An increase in the strategic provision of park and ride and park and share facilities at transport interchanges can be an effective means of expanding the catchment area of certain public transport services. Interventions of this nature present opportunities for more efficient use of road space and reduced environmental costs.

The delivery of prioritised bus lanes on busy national radial routes approaching urban centres may enhance the people carrying capacity of these roads and provide journey time reliability and service quality for passengers.

Project showcase – Segregated cycling/walking facility on N56, Dungloe to Glenties, Co. Donegal
TII has invested in the realignment and construction of 27km of National Secondary Road, N56 from Dungloe to Glenties Co. Donegal, including introduction of a segregated cycling/ walking facility. The project was progressed in five sections and fully open to the public in 2022, providing improved regional accessibility and safety for all road users.

Figure from page 42

The National Roads network plays an important role in the carriage of goods and services in urban areas, in particular to and from airports and ports. The Department of Transport is currently developing its ten-year strategy for the haulage sector; TII will implement actions arising for the National Roads network.

As outlined in NIFTI, a key issue for freight is congestion on the land transport network adjacent to strategic links such as the M50 and Dublin tunnel. TII will work with the Department of Transport and partner agencies to explore traffic and demand management measures to improve the journey time reliability required for the efficient movement of imports and exports.

Iarnród Éireann has identified potential routes suitable to rail, within an intermodal freight and logistics future, that will be developed over the life of Rail Freight 2040. TII is supportive of freight

Project showcase- Dublin Tunnel

M50, M1 and Dublin Tunnel represent the most important elements of the national network for the domestic movement of goods. Dublin Tunnel is a twin bore tunnel of 4.5 km, part of the M50 motorway and completes the northern part of the C-Ring around Dublin city. It opened to traffic in December 2006 including a dedicated route for Heavy Goods Vehicles between Dublin Port, located in the heart of the city, and the greater road network ofef ring a high-quality link of just six minutes from the Port to the M50. TII analysis shows that HGVs represented in the region of 49 percent of traffic in the Dublin Tunnel in 2020. Dublin Tunnel also benefits the city of Dublin and its residents, workers and visitors by dramatically reducing the number of HGVs passing through city streets. As a result, urban congestion is reduced while air quality and road safety are improved.

Figure from page 42

TII will support travel demand management measures for National Roads in the five cities (Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick, and Waterford) and implement other government policy on demand management on national roads. TII will expand traffic management measures in congested sections of national roads to ensure optimal vehicle flow to minimise carbon emissions, particularly from freight.