Date: 30 August 2021
A cycling and walking route from Bray Harbour northbound towards Dun Laoghaire land at Woodbrook and Shangannagh has been identified as an active travel objective in the Wicklow County Development plan following a submission by Green Party Councillor Erika Doyle.
The route which will join the extensive cycling infrastructure at Bray Seafront and the former Bray Golf Club lands to link up with DLRCoCo has been a long-time objective of the Green Party in both local authorities. Green Party councillors and TDs have worked consistently with the NTA and the Roads and Transport section in Bray, Wicklow and Dun Laoghaire to establish this important link to facilitate walking, cycling and active travel and to link to the proposed new DART station at Woodbrook.
A detailed route selection and design will be developed in conjunction with the proposed developments at Bray Harbour, the former Golf Club lands and the construction of the new DART station at Woodbrook. The Shangannagh lands in DLRCoCo is currently commencing large scale construction of Cost Rental housing.
There are a few potential routes which could delivered through the Golf Club lands towards Corke Abbey and Woodbrook Glen and continuing into Bray across the new public transport bridge directly to Bray Railway Station. Alternatively, this route could join the existing segregated cycling route, under the railway underpass, south across the Harbour and link to the Seafront cycle path. Another potential route could continue north at the Harbour creating a coastal route incorporated into the coastal protection and old Bray dump remedial works and continue parallel to the DART line to Woodbrook. An existing underpass at Woodbrook may be a viable and safe option to cross the rail line at connect onwards towards Shangannagh.
There is unprecedented investment in public transport, safe walking and cycling routes and Safe Routes to School committed to in the Programme for Government and this has been matched with the appointment of extra staff in both Local Authorities to design and construct this infrastructure. Investment in Bus Connects and the construction of the LUAS public transport bridge at Bray will create numerous opportunities to provide safe active travel routes and reliable frequent public transport opportunities.
Our spiralling transport emissions, poor air quality, congestion and car dependency has been created by a lack of investment in alternatives over decades but that is changing. If we wish to reduce emissions, we need to look at how we travel, and the creation of these safe active travel routes will provide an alternative for those who choose to use them.
I look forward to delivering on the years of Green Party work on this proposal and on further cycling and walking routes through Bray and especially on Safe Routes to Schools throughout the town.
Comments