*An artist’s impression of the Mill Rd one-way system.
ENNIS’ 118-page draft transport plan is causing division particularly aspects to have one-way traffic on the Mill Rd and to remove the roundabout outside Ennis Hospital.
Submissions by the public can be accepted until Friday of this week with many business owners in the town admitting that they were unaware of the various proposals.
Clare County Council commissioned the development of a Local Transport Plan (LTP) for Ennis as part of the development of a new Local Area Plan (LAP). The LTP will establish a strategic framework for transport investment in Ennis. The LTP will be the first town wide transport plan since the early 2000’s and will look at Ennis in the context of its role as the largest town in the region.
The Ennis LPT is being delivered by the Ennis Municipal District office of Clare County Council and Systra Ltd. The team from Systra includes consultants with significant experience in the delivery of sustainable infrastructure and transport planning.
According to the 2022 Census, the Ennis LTP Study Area encompassing the built-up area and immediate hinterland had a population of 29,924 compared to the 2016 Census figure of 27,269. This points to significant levels of growth in the town which is planned to continue under the National Planning Framework.
Listed as the primary aim of the plan is “to reduce car dependence through improved sustainable transport and in doing so reduce the impacts of traffic congestion, provide solutions for sustainable growth and meet climate targets”.
For the baseline consultation in drafting the plan, an online survey was developed using the tool ‘Snap Surveys’ and was accessible between 6th November and 7th December 2023. There were 421 responses to the questionnaire and 674 responses to the map-based tool which contributed to the Options Development and Options Selection phases of the LTP.
In total 116 schemes are proposed in the transport plan, the combined length of which is 75km.
An upgrade of the roundabout between Ennis Hospital and Gort Rd Business Park is expected to draw a strong response from businesses in the locality while the move to introduce a one-way traffic system on the Mill Rd has been brandished by one local business owner as “absolutely nuts”.
A connecton of the existing Tulla Rd scheme to Lifford Road and New Road is proposed “through quiet ways on St Senan’s Road and segregated cycle tracks on or parallel to Old Lifford Road. No changes to motor traffic routing is required”.
On the Clare Rd, it is proposed to widen existing footpaths, segregate existing cycles lanes, and provide new segregated cycle tracks where none currently exist.
An upgrade of the N68 shared track on the Kilrush Rd is also proposed, including an upgrade of crossings between Cahercalla Beg and Kilrush Road Roundabout. North of the roundabout the LTP proposes provision of segregated cycle tracks and upgraded footpaths along the road to Dalcassian Drive. A modal filter is proposed for Turnpike Rd to allow for a quiet cycle route along Dalcassian Drive and Turnpike Road.
New footpaths and a a two-way segregated cycle track on the Drumbiggle Road between Cahercalla Road and the Showgrounds are proposed. To make space for this, this section of Drumbiggle Road will be made two-way for motor traffic. West of the Showgrounds segregated cycle tracks and upgraded footpaths will be provided with no changes to motor traffic routing required.
On the Quin Rd, it is proposed to upgrade the existing shared path from the railway line eastbound, and extend to the Station Road/Clon Road junction. East of this path, segregated cycle tracks and footpaths are proposed as far as Bruach na hAbhainn. This will also provide access to Fr. Mc Namara Park (Clare Camogie Grounds).
It is proposed that a number of strategic greenways be implemented. These routes aim to provide continued segregated connectivity to the town centre and key trips attractors of schools and employment zones while also serving as recreational/leisure routes for residents and visitors.
Timed Pedestrian Priority is proposed along Francis Street (between the Friary and Abbey Street), Abbey Street (south of Francis Street), O’Connell Street (north of Station Road), High Street, and Salthouse Lane. This will build on the restriction of through traffic by opening up the entire street to pedestrians and business owners.
For timed periods throughout the day, pedestrians will be able to escape narrow footpaths and walk in the middle of the street, and businesses who choose to do so can “spill out” onto the street through the use of outdoor displays or street furniture. All car parks would remain accessible at all times and due to the timed nature of this intervention, deliveries can be facilitated in the morning and evening, outside of pedestrian priority times. Additionally, it is proposed to develop a delivery strategy for the town centre, collaborating with traders on their needs.
Cycling is not to be allowed on “pedestrian priority streets” namely Abbey St and O’Connell St, the plan outlines.
Opportunities in addition to those proposed under the Ennis 2040 Economic and Spatial Strategy to create a more pleasant and welcoming public realm in the town centre were identified through the LTP process. The most significant of these was Market Square, also known as the Market, where what was previously a large market area is now a wide roundabout serving wide traffic lanes, with no formal pedestrian crossings. There is an opportunity to rationalise the road space here – while maintaining motor vehicles access to car parks and for deliveries – and vastly increase footpaths, greenery etc. as well as provide safe pedestrian crossings. Smaller areas also identified for improvements were Wood Quay to improve the proposed landing area for the Post Office Field Bridge and the Abbey Street/Francis Street/Abbey Street Car Park junction to widen footpaths and provide safe crossings.
Parking statistics from the 2022 Momentum Report are cited in the draft plan, data which “skewed” according to some observers. The LTP suggests the introduction of the paid parking strategy proposed in the Momentum report along with the reallocation of council owned town centre spaces to Disabled Person Parking Permit holders.
The Momentum report recommended the introduction of a tiered pricing structure, with daily/weekly rates for long term parking and pricing zones developed based on proximity to the town centre and trip purposes for short term parking. It is also suggested that commercial (employee) permit holders be allocated parking at Park and Stride sites to focus central parking for shorter term stays. The LTP recommends that this is introduced alongside new Park and Stride facilities, also identified in the Momentum report to encourage a shift away from town centre parking.
Park and Stride sites identified include Ennis Mart, Ennis Train Station, the Showgrounds, Cloughleigh Rd, College Rd and Clare County Council offices.
To support the introduction of pedestrian priority, the LTP proposes that Council owned car parks increase the provision of parking for holders of a Disabled Persons Parking Permit through reallocation of existing spaces, ensuring equitable access to the town centre for those unable to use Park and Stride.
A spokesperson for Clare County Council told The Clare Echo, “Clare County Council is delighted to receive submissions from residents, groups and businesses that are engaging with the public consultation on the draft Ennis Local Transport Plan. This is the preliminary draft of the plan, and it is important that people engage in the process, as they have been doing, ahead of further stages including detailed design and planning which includes a further public consultation before delivery”.
Ex Mayor of Ennis, Johnny Flynn flagged that the draft plan “appears to be incorrectly based on the skewed 2023 parking and traffic figures which were heavily influenced by effective closure of Ennis by and during Covid as against the actual transport pre Covid figures for the town. The LTP refers to a surplus of unused carparking in 2023 whilst the Council 2017 Ennis Parking report identified that up to 600 additional parking spaces would be needed and we know that up to 250 public carparking spaces lost over the last decade have not been replaced”.
He referred to the research and findings of the pre Covid ‘Transport Characteristics of Ennis’ published in May 2021 in the Council commissioned Ennis 2040 Economic and Spatial Strategy “identified that only 2% of trips in Ennis made by bicycle whilst 39% of trips are made by walking. the remaining 59% of trips are by car. That document recommended 550 park and ride commuter parking spaces to be provided on main roads into town along upcoming Town bus route. It also identified in addition to protecting existing carparks for short stay customer use that an additional multi storey carpark would be built by the Council in Templegate carpark to meet current and future needs.
From preliminary reading of the LTP the Council want to rip up roads , roundabouts and remove cars from streets for cycling. The current draft LTP proposals are completely cycleway development orientated and gives no weight in its considerations on traffic impact, customer access nor to the negative impact on commercial activity of existing ratepayers to retain employees or pay rates. The LTP in its current version will mean massive unnecessary disruptions to road network and further crazy waste of taxpayers money trying to satisfy the needs of only 2% users of our roads”.
