Procurement of Refurbished and New Diesel railcars.

 You are procuring improved carriages, I ask that you get them so that the doors in a limited number of carriages can be opened at short platform stations. These are normal in most other commuter railways but the IR carriages must open all doors on the train which means 8 carriages cannot be used on lines with short platforms (Kilcoole & Rathdrum for example). This will improve the service to Greystones and Wicklow by allowing longer 8 carriage trains in place of the 4 (sometimes 3) carriage ones used for the rush hour diesel services (6.54 & 7.51 ex Greystones).

The latter is standing room only from Wicklow and revised carriages can provide a better service to Greystones and Kilcoole. Greystones is the 5^th busiest suburban station even though there are only a third of DARTS compared to the other stations. This results in the 7.30, 8.00 and 8.30 being crowded. I believe the 8.00 is the busiest train in the country and a longer preceding diesel would relieve pressure. Hence the importance of extra carriages on the diesels.

There is also space in the timetable to run an extra DART at 7.21, by running it down early, even with the present track and signalling system. I would ask that the carriage order provides for this if extra carriages are needed.

The Council has provided the largest Park n’ Ride site (450+ spaces) and largest bike parking (90 spaces) of any DART Station. I am keen to expand these but there needs to be a commitment from IR to improve the service. The limited number of trains produces a peak load and long queues to get off the platform, out of the station and out of the Park n’ Ride which should be addressed by more trains, as mentioned, and station modifications. Cycle parking inside the station could also be accommodated.

The future ‘10 minute’ DART service is billed as an improvement. For Greystones you are planning a worse service with no extra trains and a 5.5 minute increase in journey time (12% increase). This will encourage people to use cars in conflict with sustainable development. The Development targets handed down to the Council are for an extra 4,000 houses in Greystones and many more in Newtown and Wicklow Town and a better transport offering is required for this.

The Launch took place in conjunction with the Euro-Election campaign of Wicklow Deputy Simon Harris.

In the reorganised Wicklow County Council the new Municipal area of Greystones which incorporates the towns and villages of Kilcoole, Newcastle, Greystones. Delgany, Killincarrig and Killadrennan will have six seats. Fine Gael is putting forward a strong team of experience and community activists for this area.

Existing councillors Derek Mitchell and Grainne McLoughlin are being joined by Liz Dillon and David O’Reilly. All four have strong history and record of hard work, experience, and commitment to our local communities.
Long serving Councillor George Jones retiring after 35 years on Wicklow County Council added “with the demise of Greystones Town Council and changes to Wicklow County Council it is so important that this area elects a strong team to fully represent and work hard with energy and enthusiasm for improvements to the towns and villages of this area.

All four candidates Liz Dillon, Grainne McLoughlin, Derek Mitchell and David O’Reilly have a strong track record of leadership, hard work, integrity and vision to achieve maximum results for our communities –Working together -They can do more.

Info contact 086 821 7357

At Killincarrig funding of €100k has been received to provide 4 pedestrian crossings at the roundabouts this year.

A pedestrian bridge is to be built on the East side of the old Three Trout Bridge as it is too narrow for pedestrians. This is waiting for agreement with the builder landowner who is in receivership. I hope this can be resolved this year as the Council has already put in a path and street lights on the South side. The overall cost will be €740,000.

‘These substantial projects will greatly improve pedestrian safety in the area’

Part of the County Managers recommendations was to rezone Stylebawn House, a Protected Structure, in the centre of Delgany for extra housing and some shops. This was rejected by the Councillors and it has reverted to its previous low density zoning.

Also Councillors voted to remove any possibility of shopping development on the large IDA site. ‘I was very against shops there as I felt it would result in vacant shops in the centre of the town, something that has damaged so many other main streets. Greystones is fortunate that the shops in the centre are full and I want to keep it that way’.

3 years ago when the Kilcoole Plan was being prepared I pushed hard to get a path included in the plan as people should be able to walk safely to the station and the beach on this busy road. I am pleased there are now signs of progress. The feasibility study should take most of this year and if feasible I will be pressing to get the construction funded in 2013.

This will be temporary and they will design a separate walkway, probably cantilevered from the rail bridge but this will not happen until next year. I asked that they would reduce the ugly notices they have put up, in this attractive place, and they will do so when the job is complete. The fencing will be low with no barbed wire, below chest height, and is the least bad option available. Preliminary work will start on the 6th with most work done next week.

However Kilcoole and Charlesland have been left out in spite of my demanding signs earlier in the year. In the recent Census Kilcoole was one of the fastest growing towns in Ireland and Charlesland is the second largest private estate. They must have higher usage figures than many places allocated these signs.

Wicklow has not received its fair share of these signs which are stated to be allocated according to bus usage. ‘I am demanding these signs be placed in Kilcoole and Charlesland and will be applying as much pressure as I can’

These signs show the next 4 busses arriving at the bus stop and the time to arrival, similar to DART stations. They are useful especially further out where busses are less frequent and passengers wonder if it is coming. They are planned at Greystones DART Station, Blacklion, 8 places in Bray and one in each of Enniskerry and Blessington. ‘I am demanding signs be put up in Charlesland and Kilcoole, both large population centres. Also priority should be given to Eden Gate, Mill Road, Delgany and Newcastle’.

The test version can be seen on www.rtpi.ie and when live will be available on mobile phones as well as the display signs

I have been asking the Council for a month whether this money was received and where is it now but can’t get an answer. This money must now be found and the path completed this year. We need to encourage safe walking and I have ensured that it is an objective to provide a path from Kilcoole to the station. This would complete the first section.

€86,000 is also to be paid by the developer for community facilities and I want this used to fund a children’s playground on Sea Road on some land which has been offered to the Council.