Wicklow Archives - Councillor Derek Mitchell

Feb 01 2023
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Confusion & Delay on N11 Upgrade, Reinstate Funding Now

Posted by | Press Release, Wicklow | No Comments

Minister for Transport Eatmon Ryan postponed work on the N11 upgrade for 2022 & 2023. This would have provided a proper priority for buses, doubling the public transport mode share from Arklow & other Wicklow places. An Interim Bus only priority scheme was then pursued expecting it just needed painting white lines on the road. This has been worked on by consultants and even a partial bus lane is now projected to cost €112m! Also the Interim plan will hinder the proper separation of crossing traffic, buses, cycles & cars…

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Jan 27 2023
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New Transport Plan lists improved transport for Wicklow

Posted by | Bus/Train, Local Work, Press Release, Transport, Wicklow | No Comments

The Greater Dublin Area Transport Strategy has been published after much consultation by the National Transport Authority. The main Wicklow items with target dates are: Enhancing the level of DART service to Greystones as part of DART+ South. This is to be done by partially double tracking the line as recommended in my plan of 2018 and validated by a subsequent Jacobs Study. Consultation was to have been done in 2022 but has been delayed to 2023. Implementation is before 2030. Providing electrified train services to Wicklow Town, Nass/Sallins &…

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Oct 10 2022
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Wicklow leaves Local Property Tax the same as last year

Posted by | Local Work, Press Release, Wicklow | No Comments

Councillors voted 23 to 9 to leave the LPT the same as last year. This is to include funds of €208,000 for footpath repairs and Public Realm improvements for each Municipal District. This is a fair way, based on population, of splitting funding unlike the main budget where Greystones receives a very small share. This is funded by the 6%, over base rate of the LPT, the same as last year. The average LPT is expected to decrease €5 to €360 next year. I am also asking that some funding…

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Oct 03 2022
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Park N’ Ride sites on N11 very welcome

Posted by | Local Work, Press Release, Wicklow | No Comments

The NTA informed Wicklow Council that it is proposing to build 3 large Park N’ Ride sites on the N11 so motorists can park and get commuter buses. They  are hoping to apply for some planning permissions within 6 months. The bus routes will be worked out later as the sites will take some time to build. The main destinations expected are UCD, Sandyford Industrial Estate and Dun Laoghaire.  This will be great for commuters as they can use buses instead of driving cars. If a reasonably competitive journey time…

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Jul 05 2022
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Census 2022 shows large growth of Greystones, more services needed

Posted by | Greystones, Local Work, Press Release, Wicklow | No Comments

The preliminary Census results show Greystones District has increased population by 4,041, a 15% increase since the 2016 Census. Wicklow County has increased by 9%, the Greystones increase being 31% of the total, increasing Greystones from 18 to 20% of the County’s population. Greystones share of the budget has remained at 12% for at least the last 5 years. It is by far the lowest spend of any area and it is not increasing with the population. Increasing population needs more resources. The Outdoor Staff are less than half that…

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Jan 13 2022
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Mitchell, Cancellation of N/M11 improvement scheme Major Blow to Wicklow

Posted by | Local Work, Press Release, Wicklow | No Comments

The recent road funding announcement showed no funding for this much needed scheme. I enquired and found that it was decided in December to ‘Suspend’ it but it wasn’t announced. This scheme is vital to Wicklow residents and industry. When traffic returns to pre Covid levels it will be chaotic as many more houses have been built in the past 2 years and Cherrywood will have many new residents. Also the bus priority scheme, which is to go as far South as the Glenview Junction on the N11 has been…

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Nov 18 2021
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Mitchell annoyed Greystones District only getting half funding of other areas. Wicklow Council Budget not fit for purpose.

Posted by | Local Work, Press Release, Wicklow | No Comments

Wicklow County Council will be holding its Annual Budget meeting on the 29th November and for the first time in 20 years a Councillor I will not be supporting it. The other areas, Arklow, West, Brays budgets are €9m each, Greystones District is €4.5m. The population of each area is similar. Each other area has 2 or 3 times as many staff. Yet the Local Property Tax income is highest in Greystones due to higher house prices. It’s being used as a Cash Cow by the rest of the County….

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Nov 09 2021
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New Transport Strategy to improve DART, provide LUAS and better buses for Wicklow

Posted by | Local Work, Press Release, Wicklow | No Comments

The Greater Dublin Transport Strategy 2022-2042 has been launched for consultation on the 9th November. The proposals are wide ranging include Wicklow items: The DART+ project will provide 50% more DARTs to Greystones before 2030. This follows on from my 2018 paper, on how to do it, and is being designed in detail. Consultation on the design is expected in 2022. DART to Wicklow Town will be later, possibly by battery operated DARTs which are to be ordered this year. LUAS to Bray & Environs is included. Park n’ Ride…

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Sep 24 2020
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Mitchell against Plan to end direct trains from Wicklow

Posted by | Bus/Train, Transport, Wicklow | No Comments

The plans for DART+ to Maynooth involve stopping the peak hour diesel trains from Arklow, Rathdrum, Wicklow & Kilcoole in Greystones and making the passengers transfer to the 2 DARTs per hour there. This is being done to allow 13 DARTs from Maynooth onto the North South line in the peak. ‘I am totally opposed to this as it will mean more people will use their cars, clog up the N11and be bad for Climate Change ‘said Cllr Derek Mitchell who is Chair of the Wicklow Transport Committee. Now there…

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