‘The Inner Relief Road will do little to solve traffic problems in Kilkenny and has no place in modern urban planning’ according to Green Party Councillor Malcolm Noonan. Following a Presentation to elected members at a special meeting last night (Monday), in which the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Final Design for the controversial proposed Inner Relief Road and Nore Bridge Crossing for Kilkenny City were put forward by Planners, Cllr Noonan warned that the proposed road would only serve to push further vehicle numbers through the city and cut off communities at the northern end of the City.
‘The EIS should have looked at non road alternatives as well as alternative routes. This project was first proposed over twenty years ago when the energy crisis and climate change were not considered pressing issues, urban planning has shifted radically away from car centred mobility in recent decades. We cannot facilitate further traffic growth before offering viable alternatives to commuters, a business as usual approach is no longer acceptable’, claimed Cllr Noonan.
Heritage groups such as Kilkenny Archaeological Society have already outlined concerns to Kilkenny County Council Planners regarding the damage to the integrity of one of the oldest quarters of the city and despite the removal of several contentious aspects of the proposed project, these concerns remain.
Cllr Noonan stated that the proposed Inner Relief Road, (now re named The Central Access Scheme) and bridge crossing are excessive engineering solutions to what is basically an urban planning problem. At the meeting he outlined what he saw as a more cost effective solution based around public transport, park and ride facilities, increased cycle lanes, erection of a pedestrian and cycle cantilever onto the existing Greensbridge (restoring it to a full two lane carriageway) and the completion of the outer ring road with a bridge crossing on the Freshford Road. At the meeting he welcomed the fact that the outer ring road would now proceed to design phase, but argued that this should be given priority over the City bridge crossing.
‘While I feel vindicated that my objections regarding the loss of the Garrison House resulted in the removal of the Wolfe Tone St Spur and my proposals for a shuttle bus public transport fleet and integration of a cycle lane network will now be brought forward, I believe we could have pursued non Relief Road options coupled with the fast tracking of the outer ring road and northern bridge crossing and start addressing transport issues in line with European best practice’.
‘My worry is that once this road is put in place, it will actually generate far more traffic than predicted and dilute the viability of public transport. I hope I’m wrong, but the evidence from other towns is not encouraging’ stated the Green Party Councillor.
Following the meeting, his colleague Deputy Mary White TD agreed with the contention that the road could lead to exponential growth of traffic in the city and create congestion hot spots at peak times. ‘Cllr Noonan and I have studied the project in great detail and I have walked the route with both Cllr Noonan and the County Manager. Given the way our fuel prices are going and looking at our international obligations to reduce emissions from the transport sector, a road must only be considered as a last resort. We all want Kilkenny to develop and prosper, but we must recognise that this city is a unique gem in Ireland and we only have one chance to get our planning right. I will study closely the documentation issued to public last night and I will issue a further statement when I have time to analyse all the supplied data. ’ she stated.
At the meeting, Cllr Noonan outlined an alternate plan. ‘What we need form the outset, is a Vision for the future development of Kilkenny, not one that is based around outdated strategies. I think the first statement we must make as urban planners and policy makers is to make an active commitment through the Development Plan to reduce vehicle numbers entering the city by 50% over a ten year period and to incentivise public transport, walking and cycling as the primary modes of mobility, as is the case in any forward thinking municipality.
‘Kilkenny could lead the way for other regional towns as a centre for sustainable urban mobility and in the process create a healthier, more passive urban environment for its citizens and visitors and copper fasten the economic vibrancy of the City’s core. The Central Access Scheme as proposed is a retrograde step and future generations will not judge us kindly if this is all we have to offer’, he concluded.
Inner Relief Road is not the only solution-Noonan
The concerns of the Heritage Council regarding the Inner Relief Road and it potential impact on Kilkenny are valid and should be given serious consideration even at this stage of the process according to Cllr Malcolm Noonan. The costs of the project which will largely have to be raised at local level are difficult to justify as no cost benefit analysis has taken place in relation to the project, claimed the Green Party Councillor. He believes any such analysis should take into account the environmental, social and cultural impacts of the project as well as economic criteria.
‘The Heritage Council are voicing valid concerns around the potential degradation of the quality of life of the people of Kilkenny, the damage to the integrity of the historic core of the city and the visual impact of a new bridge crossing on the existing Greens Bridge’ claimed Cllr Noonan. ‘I share these concerns and have always felt that the proposed project is excessive given that we have not adequately explored other options in dealing with our chronic traffic problems’.
Cllr Noonan feels that circumstances have changed radically since the Inner Relief Road was first proposed over twenty years ago. Climate Change has now to be factored into the equation and addressing transport emissions as well as looking at best practice in other European countries could provide a more sustainable solution at a fraction of the cost of the road and bridge crossing.
‘A clear commitment to cap and begin to reduce vehicle numbers entering the city centre could be a positive first step. Our over dependence on the car needs to be addressed at a policy level, it is hypocrisy for us to talk about, park and ride, public transport and cycle lanes on one hand and on the other support the provision of a road that will do nothing to tackle the root cause of the traffic problem and the continued prioritisation of the private car in urban planning. In fact I believe that this road will be at capacity or over capacity on the day the tape is cut’ stated Cllr Noonan.
Cllr Noonan welcomes the reversal of the decision to route the road through Wolfe Tone St. He now hopes that the Garrison House can be put back on the list of protected structures in the 2008 City and Environs Development Plan.
‘Once a piece of infrastructure of this scale is put in place, it will alter an urban settlement that has remained virtually intact for hundreds years just to accommodate more cars. The fact that Kilkenny has just been selected for the Great Town award by the Academy of Urbanism reinforces the rationale for trying to maintain the integrity of the City Centre and for exploring viable alternatives to keep people moving efficiently and without stress around Kilkenny.
ENDS
Contact: Malcolm Noonan 086 8399418
Note to Editors
The Inner Relief Road was first proposed in 1978 as a means of dealing with traffic problems in Kilkenny City. The proposed route then as now dissects the medieval core of the old Irishtown of Kilkenny, one of the most historic quarters of the city.
The road will effectively cut off communities and St Canice’s Cathedral from the rest of the city in order to service a major development at McDonagh Junction. Another proposed mixed retail/residential/commercial development at the old city mart site has been recently refused planning permission by Kilkenny Borough Council primarily on the grounds that the Inner Relief Road and bridge crossing had not been given approval in Principle by An Bord Planeala.
Meanwhile an incomplete ring road extension is due to open in December 2007. The completion of this road with a second bridge crossing outside Kilkenny City would have greatly reduced the need for the Inner Relief Road.
Serious concerns regarding the proposed route have been raised in a report to An Bord Planeala commissioned by the Heritage Council.
