Concerns are raised by Kildare residents over cycleway plan for Naas, Johnstown, Kill
Some concerns raised by residents over a proposal to create a cycleway between Naas and Kill have been dismissed by councillors.
Construction work will likely start over a year from now - before the end of June 2024.
The cycleway plan was first proposed just over five years ago.
The proposal is to upgrade nearly three miles (4.4 kms) of roadway between the “big ball” near Naas to Kill, via Johnstown and finishing up at the primary school in Kill.
The scheme is taking on added importance as the population of the affected area continues to increase.
It is planned to have pedestrians and cyclists share sections of the route, including some 850 metres from the outskirts of Naas to Johnstown, with improvements to signs, surfacing and lighting.
The section of the scheme between Johnstown and Kill consists of a little over a mile of shared pedestrian and cycle path.
Parts of the route will have a self regulating 30 km/h speed limit and the roadway width through Kill and Johnstown will be narrowed, though tow vehicle traffic lanes will be retained.
The scheme will mean the loss of car parking spaces. Johnstown currently has 42 on street parking spaces and will lose 24 to the project with 18 on street parking spaces retained. As a result the layout of the existing off street public car park in Johnstown has been examined and a redesign to increase its car parking capacity has been undertaken. The revised layout of the car park will be subject to a consultation process in 2023.
Kill currently has 26 on street parking spaces and it will lose 11to the project with 15 surviving.
A Naas Municipal District meeting heard that in Johnstown concerns were raised about the provision of seating and there were concerns about trees part of the village.
However Cllr Bill Celar said seating is needed, pointing out that there is just a single seat in Monread Park.
He said elderly people and those with a disability need somewhere to sit and these needs would not be sidetracked by concerns about seating attracting anti social behaviour.
Cllr Fintan Brett said two or three people should not be allowed to decide “what goes into the village.”
He added: “Let’s not let the tail wag the dog.”
The Johnstown Community said in a submission that “while in general” it’s in favour of the plan, it considered the width (three metres) to be too wide and there is a far that pedestrian movement within the village will be restricted. The JCA suggested that cycle and scooter use will heighten the fears of older pedestrians “due to the speed and visibility of these vehicles and the belief by the users of the vehicles that they have a right of way.”
The JCA’s main objection is the removal of 24 car parking spaces which will “simply make the existing parking problem even worse.”
This problem has been exacerbated because the existing car park in the village has become a “de facto park and ride facility for the surrounding area.
Highlighting the lack of pubic transport, the JCA, which describes itself as an umbrella group for various residents groups, said any attempt to reduce parking will only lead to major problems.
Concern was also expressed over the narrowing of the route through Kill because this could lead to increased congestion in Kill - given that motorists using the N7 often divert through Kill to avoid delays.
There are also concerns in Kill about the removal of trees and the narrowing of footpaths which could restrict the proliferation of flower pot displays by the award winning Tidy Towns group - which has been active in Kill for many years.