Area Council Meetings: Replies to Notices of Motion January 15^th 2008

With reference to Notice of Motion no 5, submitted by Cllr. S. McLoughlin, for the Shannon Electoral Area Committee Meeting, on 15^th January, 2008,

I wish to ask Clare County Council to:

1. to provide a footpath from the Old Lodge to the pedestrian crossing at Dun Aras on R471
2. to provide a Cycle Lane from the Town Centre to the pedestrian crossing at Dun Aras on R471

I wish to reply as follows:-

1. The selection of a route for the provision of pedestrian facilities from the Hurlers Cross Road at Dun Aras to the Old Lodge area was considered after the takeover of services in Shannon in 2004. It was to provide a Pedestrian Crossing at Dun Aras and a footpath along the link road leading towards the Ballycasey housing estates to connect with the existing footpath network. This work was completed in 2007, which has provided pedestrian access from Dun Aras area to the Old Lodge Hotel.
2. In 2007 a cycle lane was provided on the old N18 from Drumline to the roundabout at Newmarket on Fergus.  Funding was provided on a 50/50 basis by Clare County Council and Shannon Development.  It is envisaged that further funding will be available in 2008.  Subject to availability of funding it is intended to develop cycle lanes from Shannon Airport to Ennis.   In the Shannon Town area the proposed cycle route will link the Town Centre area to the Hurlers Cross area.  It is hoped to provide part of this section in 2008 and continue in 2009.

Yours sincerely,
Donal Hogan,
Senior Executive Engineer
Shannon Area Office

With reference to Notice of Motion no 6, submitted by Cllr. P. McMahon, for the Shannon Electoral Area Committee Meeting, on 15^th January, 2008,

Further to the confirmation in the reply to the Notice of motion no. 38 at the September 2006 meeting that the Dept of Environment was as of that date merely in the process of preparing guidance to planning authorities on public safety zones, I wish to enquire why Clare County council jumped the gun so to speak 3 years earlier by adopting these massive zones in the South Clare Economic Corridor Local Area Plan 2003.

I wish to reply as follows:-

• Reference to the provision of public air safety at Shannon Airport has been included in all Clare County Development Plans since 1977,and in the South Clare Local Area Corridor Plan since 2003. In a reply to a notice of motion dated 4th April 2007, the Department advised that the Policy T3 included in the South Clare Local Area Plan 2003, merely provided additional detail to the objectives contained in paragraph 2.8 of the Clare County Development Plan 1999, and which has subsequently been restated in CDP 13 in the County Development Plan 2005.
• The adoption of the “Public Safety (PSZ) zone” in the South Clare Local Area Plan 2003 was processed through the statutory public consultation process, and was duly adopted as a statutory document by the Council in February 2003. The safety zones adopted are in accordance with the information available at the time of the adoption of the said plan.

Yours sincerely,
John Bradley,
Acting Senior Planner- Policy.

With reference to Notice of Motion no 8, submitted by Cllr. S. McLoughlin, for the Shannon Electoral Area Committee Meeting, on 15^th January, 2008,

To ask Clare County Council to widen the access roads at the rear of the Park houses in Drumgeely to facilitate the residents and delivery/ collect vehicles

I wish to reply as follows:-

This work has been requested by several Councillors since the take over of services in Shannon.  It has been acknowledged that this work is desirable.  I have not been able to give this work priority over the other roads, which have been resurfaced in Shannon over the last couple of years.  I will shortly be drawing up proposals for 2008 and I am hopeful that these roads can be included for 2008 within the available funding.

Yours sincerely,
Donal Hogan
Senior Executive Engineer
Shannon Area Office

With reference to Notice of Motion no 9, submitted by Cllr. P. McMahon, for the Shannon Electoral Area Committee Meeting, on 15^th January, 2008,

To ask Clare County Council to continue with a pedestrian/cycle lane from Newmarket to Dromoland as soon as possible.

I wish to reply as follows:-

• In 2007 a cycle lane was provided on the old N18 from Drumline to the roundabout at Newmarket on Fergus.  Funding was provided on a 50/50 basis by Clare County Council and Shannon Development.  It is envisaged that further funding will be available in 2008.  Subject to availability of funding it is intended to develop cycle lanes from Shannon Airport to Ennis. 
• In 2008 it is intended to extend the cycle lanes towards Latoon.  Proposed road resurfacing in 2008 between Latoon and Newmarket on Fergus will facilitate the provision of a cycle lane on the hard shoulder of the road.

Yours sincerely,
Donal Hogan
Senior Executive Engineer
Shannon Area Office

With reference to Notice of Motion no 10, submitted by Cllr. P. McCarthy, for the Shannon Electoral Area Committee Meeting, on 15^th January, 2008

 That public lighting be provided at Ministers cross.

I wish to reply as follows:-

In 2007 the allocation for maintenance of the Councils public lighting network of over 7000 lights was approximately €870,000.  A sum of €30,000 was provided towards provision of additional public lighting through the community Lighting Scheme where the local contribution is 50% of capital cost.  The Community Lighting Scheme is the mechanism available at present for provision of public lighting at locations such as Ministers Cross.  This scheme is usually advertised in the local papers around this time of the year when an allocation becomes available.

Yours sincerely,

Donal Hogan
Senior Executive Engineer
Shannon Area Office

With reference to Notice of Motion no 11, submitted by Cllr. S. McLoughlin, for the Shannon Electoral Area Committee Meeting, on 15th January, 2008,

To request Clare County Council to erect a no dumping sign with emphasis on green and garden waste beside house number 9 Cluain Donn Ballycasey. 

I wish to reply as follows:-

The area of ground involved here is at the end of Bothar an Chorrain.  This open space is reserved for extension of this road towards the new Southern Link road.  I will arrange to have a No Dumping sign erected here as soon as possible.

Yours sincerely,
Donal Hogan
Senior Executive Engineer
Shannon Area Office

With reference to Notice of Motion no 12, submitted by Cllr. P. McMahon, for the Shannon Electoral Area Committee Meeting, on 15^th January, 2008,

To ask Clare County Council to widen the Leiminagh Mor road due to heavy traffic.

I wish to reply as follows:-

This road is Regional Road no. R472 which links Newmarket on Fergus to Shannon via Monument Cross.  Improvements to Regional Roads involving widening and realignment to modern design standards are funded on a priority basis through grants made available by central government.  Substantial lengths of various Regional Roads in Clare have been improved over the past number of years and hopefully this will continue into the future allowing roads such as the R472 to be improved by the Council.

Yours sincerely,
Donal Hogan
Senior Executive Engineer
Shannon Area Office

With reference to Notice of Motion no 13, submitted by Cllr. P. McCarthy, for the Shannon Electoral Area Committee Meeting, on 15^th January, 2008,

That an update/progress Report be provided on Shannon Public Lighting Upgrading scheme.

I wish to reply as follows:-

• €550,000 has been expended on the upgrading of the public lighting network in Shannon. This funding was provided through the sale of lands. The level of lighting in general is now very satisfactory whereas it was poor. I have prepared a map showing the extent of the network, which has been upgraded, and also where future upgrading could be carried out.
• Subject to availability of funding I consider the next priority to involve upgrading of the network around the green area between St Aidans School and Ballycasey estates where the existing poles are light duty. I will be following up this matter with the ESB to look at the issues involved.

Yours sincerely,
Donal Hogan
Senior Executive Engineer
Shannon Area Office

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