Louth County Development Plan 2021–2027

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   Chapter 7 - Movement Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027 7-3 As part of the integration of land use and transportation planning there is an emphasis on reducing the need to travel, by focusing development in identified centres of growth and ensuring there is a closer alignment between population and employment growth. Local Transport Plans are to be prepared for identified settlements in the region, which include Drogheda and Dundalk, to assist in the integration of land use and transportation planning. There is also an emphasis on promoting a modal shift away from a dependence on the private car to more sustainable modes of transport, to facilitate greater efficiency in transport networks and address the impacts of climate change. In addition to supporting the progression of infrastructure projects set out in the National Development Plan, the RSES also supports the delivery of enabling infrastructure that will facilitate population and economic growth in the Regional Growth Centres of Drogheda and Dundalk and allow the settlements to develop into centres of scale. This includes the construction of the Port Access Northern Cross Route (PANCR) in Drogheda. Planning Land Use and Transport – Outlook 2040 (PLUTO 2040): This is a framework for investing in land transport that was under preparation by the Department of Transport, Tourism, and Sport at the time of writing. It is an update of the document ‘Strategic Investment in Land Transport’ published in 2015. It will set out key priorities and principles for future investment that will ensure the delivery of a transport network that meets the needs of the country and delivers the National Strategic Outcomes in Project Ireland 2040. Building on Recovery: Infrastructure and Capital Investment 2016-2021: This Capital Plan presents the Government’s new €42 billion framework for infrastructure investment in Ireland over the period 2016 to 2021. Smarter Travel: Is a transport policy published by the Department of Transport, Tourism, and Sport in 2009. It sets out a vision of how a sustainable travel and transport system can be achieved. The document includes a series of goals and targets including: • Improve accessibility to transport • Maximise the efficiency of the transport network and alleviate congestion and bottlenecks; • Reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with transport; • Reduce travel demand and commuting distances travelled by the private car; and • Reduce the dependency on fossil fuels. The document acknowledges that the successful implementation of this policy will require future employment and population growth to be predominantly concentrated in compact urban areas.

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   Chapter 7 - Movement Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027 7-4 7.3.2 Planning Guidance Spatial Planning and National Roads: The ‘Spatial Planning and National Roads – Guidelines for Planning Authorities’ provides guidelines and planning considerations relating to development affecting motorways, national primary and national secondary roads. The emphasis of the guidelines is to maintain the efficiency, capacity and safety of the national road network. The Guidelines highlight: • The interdependency between land use and transportation policies in minimising the need to travel; and • The impact of new accesses on to national roads in terms of road safety, and the importance of development management in achieving high standards in relation to design quality and traffic management. Plan led development that takes account of future development patterns including trip generation associated with land use zoning and how this will be catered for is promoted in the Guidelines. National Cycle Policy Framework: The National Cycle Policy Framework was published in 2009 alongside the Smarter Travel policy document. The goal of this Framework is to create a strong cycling culture across the country. A range of objectives that will assist in achieving this goal are set out in the document. These objectives focus on investment in cycling infrastructure that will make it safer and a viable alternative to motorised transport. National Cycle Manual: The National Cycle Manual published by the National Transport Authority (NTA) is a guide used by planners and engineers to improve cycling provision and integrate the bike into the design of urban areas. The manual embraces the principles of ‘Sustainable Safety’ which is a Dutch principle of design that seeks to make roads and streets easier to use, thus making them a safer environment for all road users including cyclists. Strategy for the Future Development of National and Regional Greenways: This Strategy seeks to assist in the development of nationally and regionally significant Greenways and to increase the number and geographical spread of Greenways across the country. It recognises the tourism potential of Greenways to act as economic drivers in local areas, particularly where associated infrastructure can be provided or is available. The Strategy promotes a close working relationship between key stakeholders including Local Authorities, landowners, local communities and other state bodies in delivering successful Greenways. Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets (DMURS): Commonly referred to as ‘DMURS’, the Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets was originally published in 2013 with an updated version published in 2019. DMURS seeks to put welldesigned streets at the heart of sustainable communities and supports boarder government policies on the environment, planning and transportation.

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   Chapter 7 - Movement Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027 7-5 It provides the practical measures to achieve: • Highly connected streets which allow people to walk and cycle to key destinations in a direct and easy-to find manner; • A safe and comfortable street environment for pedestrians and cyclists of all ages; • Streets that contribute to the creation of attractive and lively communities; and • Streets that calm traffic via a range of design measures that make drivers more aware of their environment. Sustainable Urban Housing: Design Standards for New Apartments Guidelines for Planning Authorities: This document makes reference to car parking standards for new apartments. TII Publications: TII publications are a set of publications that provide standards, advice notes and other documents relating to the design, assessment and operation of National Roads, trunk roads, minor roads, including motorways in Ireland, generally outside the 60kph zones. TII Publications are categorised as Standards or Technical. These Publications supersede the NRA Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB), which have been subsumed into the TII Publications. In order to maintain continuity between TII Publications and the old NRA Standards system, pre-existing documents within the NRA DMRB and MCDRW have been assigned a 'historical reference' so that existing documents and drawings can be searched using the old document names. Design Manual for Roads and Bridges: The NRA, Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB) is a series of volumes that provide standards, advice notes and other documents relating to the design, assessment and operation of National Roads and trunk roads, including motorways in Ireland. These Standards have been subsumed into the TII publications. Policy Objective MOV 1 To work with national transport agencies in supporting the delivery of a high quality, climate resilient and sustainable transport network in the County. 7.4 TRANSPORTATION AND CLIMATE CHANGE In 2017 transport accounted for 19.8% of greenhouse gas emissions in Ireland. The Climate Action Plan, published by the Government in 2019, sets out a series of policy actions that will support a reduction of emissions from the transport sector by 2030. This includes a reduction in CO₂ emissions by 45-50% relative to 2030 pre- NDP projections, an increase in the number of Electric Vehicles, and investment in sustainable mobility projects that will assist in increasing the modal shift towards sustainable modes of transport. Section 10(2)(n) of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) requires development plans to include objectives relating to the promotion of sustainable settlement and transportation strategies including measures to reduce energy costs, greenhouse gas emissions, and adaptation to climate change.

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   Chapter 7 - Movement Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027 7-6 This Plan recognises the need to transition to a low carbon society and will support the implementation of any plans or programmes that will assist in meeting national targets on greenhouse gas reductions from transport related activities. In achieving these targets consideration will be given to the ‘Avoid-Shift-Improve Framework’ which seeks to deliver sustainable transport systems by: i) Improving the efficiency of the transport system e.g. through more integrated land use and transport planning; ii) Improving trip efficiency by promoting a modal shift from private cars to non-motorised transport (i.e. walking and cycling) or public transport; and iii) Improve vehicle and fuel efficiency and promote innovation in transport infrastructure. The Council will work closely with government agencies and in particular the National Transport Authority (NTA) in improving public transport infrastructure and services and walking and cycling infrastructure in the County through a range of measures including: i) The preparation of Local Transport Plans for the larger settlements of Drogheda (in conjunction with Meath County Council) and Dundalk, which will seek to improve the integration of land use and transportation; ii) The implementation of the Rural Mobility Plan ‘Connecting Ireland’ which is currently under preparation by the NTA, which seeks to improve mobility in rural areas and provide better connections between villages and towns by an linking the settlements through an enhanced regional network; and iii) The progression and implementation of sustainable mobility projects funded by the NTA. It is anticipated that by taking a co-ordinated approach at a local and national level to invest in such transport infrastructure and services there will be a shift towards more sustainable modes of transport which will assist in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with national policy and targets. Policy Objective MOV 2 To support the implementation of the ‘National Climate Action Plan’ 2019, and any subsequent plans, and in particular the measures included that will assist in achieving the target of CO₂ emissions reduction by 2030 in the transport sector as set out in Section 10.2 of the 'Climate Action Plan'. 7.5 INTEGRATION OF LAND USE AND TRANSPORT PLANNING The relationship between land use and transportation revolves around where people live, where people work or go to school and the transport infrastructure available for people to bring them to their destinations. Recognising this relationship is critical in creating an environment where there is a reduced reliance on the private car and where travel habits can be influenced to encourage more sustainable modes of transport. National and Regional Policy recognises the benefits that integrated land use and transportation planning can offer, in improving accessibility and connectivity within neighbourhoods and urban areas, increasing economic productivity and facilitating balanced and healthy lifestyles.

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   Chapter 7 - Movement Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027 7-7 These benefits are closely aligned to the compact growth and urban regeneration policies in the NPF and RSES and can be delivered by promoting higher density developments, particularly along public transport corridors; improving connectivity and prioritising walking and cycling within and between neighbourhoods; and supporting mixed use neighbourhoods where there are employment opportunities and community facilities close to where people live. Chapter 8 of the RSES ‘Connectivity’ provides a set of Guiding Principles for the Integration of Land Use and Transport. The ‘Guiding Principles’ applicable to Louth have formed the basis of the Integrated Land Use and Transport Strategy for this Plan. This Plan will support the continuation of a co-ordinated and integrated approach to land use and transport planning in the County that will provide people with an opportunity to alter their travel behaviour away from the private car to more sustainable modes of transport including walking, cycling and public transport. 7.5.1 Local Transport Plans As part of its strategy for supporting the integration of land uses and transportation, the RSES includes policy objectives requiring the preparation of Local Transport Plans in selected settlements. Drogheda and Dundalk are included in the list of selected settlements. These Local Transport Plans will include an analysis of transport flows, movements and investment priorities that will support more sustainable modes of transport. The Local Transport Plans that will be prepared for Drogheda and Dundalk will inform the Urban Area Plan / Local Area Plan policy and growth strategy for both settlements. Policy Objective MOV 3 To facilitate the integration of land use with sustainable transportation infrastructure in accordance with the requirements of RPO 8.1 in the RSES by supporting the creation of a critical mass of population and employment related development that would maximise investment in public transport infrastructure and create compact, sustainable settlements. Policy Objective MOV 4 To promote sustainable higher density development along public transport corridors. Policy Objective MOV 5 To prepare a Local Transport Plan in consultation with the National Transport Authority, Transport Infrastructure Ireland and other relevant stakeholders1 for Drogheda and Dundalk as part of the preparation of the Urban Area Plans / Local Area Plans for these settlements. The preparation of these Plans will be based on the guidance note on Area Based Transport Assessments published by the NTA/TII in 2019 and these Plans will be subject to screening for SEA and AA and full assessments will be undertaken if appropriate. 1 Including Meath County Council as part of the Joint Plan for Drogheda

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   Chapter 7 - Movement Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027 7-8 Policy Objective MOV 6 To support the implementation of the Dundalk Local Transport Plan and the projects identified therein.1 2 7.6 SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT As people have become more mobile the carbon footprint of transport activities has grown, with the private car becoming the dominant mode of transport. It is recognised that a greater emphasis will have to be placed on more sustainable modes of transport in order to mitigate against the potential impacts of climate change and to remove congestion from our towns and villages and make them more attractive places to explore. This will require stronger support and increased priority for cycling, walking and public transport infrastructure and a greater uptake in the use of cleaner, low emission vehicles. The shift towards more sustainable modes of transport will only occur if people are provided with affordable, accessible and cleaner alternatives. 1 The detail associated with new transport infrastructure projects referred to in this Plan and associated Local Transport Plan, including locations and any associated mapping, that are not already permitted or provided for by existing plans/programmes/etc. is non-binding and indicative. Such new projects shall be subject to feasibility assessment, taking into account the environmental constraints and the objectives of the Plan relating to mobility. A Corridor and Route Selection Process will be undertaken for such projects where appropriate. Proposed interventions will be required to demonstrate that they are consistent with all relevant legislative requirements. 2 The provision of active travel routes within new developments may act as ‘greenways’ if they contribute to effective connectivity to the proposed greenway network. The following sections of this Chapter will set out the various sustainable modes of transport in Louth. Prior to reviewing these modes of transport an analysis of current travel patterns in the County will be carried out. Policy Objective MOV 7 To promote and support the principles of universal design ensuring that all environments are inclusive and are accessible to and can be used to the fullest extent possible by all users regardless of age, ability or disability. 7.6.1 Current Travel Patterns in the County A summary of the travel patterns by students and workers in the County in 2016 is as follows: • The car is the dominant mode of transport with over 63% of workers driving to work and over 50% of students travelling to school or college by car (47% get a lift and 3.5% drive); • Walking is the most popular sustainable mode of transport with almost 26% of students and 10.5% of workers travelling to work, school, or college on foot; • There are a high proportion of students utilising available bus services at 21.5%; • There are fewer workers travelling by bus (4.5%) than there are car sharing (6.1%); • The number of students and workers travelling by train is low (0.5% for students and 1.9% for workers); and

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   Chapter 7 - Movement Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027 7-9 • Only 1.4% of students and 2.2% of workers cycle to college or work. This data confirms and highlights the challenges facing the County with regard to promoting a modal shift away from the car. This Plan will strive to reduce the reliance on the private car by promoting and facilitating more sustainable modes of transport and supporting development in locations that would reduce the need to travel. At a settlement level the breakdown of the modal share follows a similar pattern to that at a County level. It is notable however that there is a higher dependence on the private car in the smaller settlements than the larger settlements. In Drogheda and Dundalk there are higher levels of people walking to school and work, whilst in Dundalk the number of people cycling to work is higher than that of the other settlements and County. In Drogheda the number of workers travelling by train is over twice that in Dundalk. This is all an indication that in larger urban areas where there are more opportunities to walk and cycle and there are more public transport services available, more people will choose to use these modes of transport. Fig. 7.1: Modal Share for Students and Workers in Louth in 2016 (Source: Census 2016) Chart A – Students at school or college Chart B – Persons at work

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   Chapter 7 - Movement Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027 7-10 Table 7.1 Modal Share for Students and Workers in Higher Tier Settlements 2016 Mode of Transport Work School or College Drogheda Dundalk Ardee Dunleer Drogheda Dundalk Ardee Dunleer Walk 16.1% 13.1% 11.5% 10.25% 34.7% 33.6% 33.3% 38.3% Cycle 1.6% 5.2% 1.7% 0.3% 1.2% 2.6% 1.1% 0.5% Bus 5.7% 5.9% 4.3% 4% 22% 16.2% 15.3% 12.9% Rail 3.8% 1.4% 0.2% 0.7% 1.3% 0.2% 0.1% 0% Car (Driver) 60.4% 60% 64.9% 69.4% 2.4% 3.2% 5.1% 5% Car (Passenger) 6.2% 8.1% 5.2% 4.8% 38.2% 43.9% 44.1% 42.8% Van 4.3% 4.3% 9.7% 6.9% 0.1% 0.2% 0.1% 0.5% Work mainly at home 1.9% 2.1% 2.6% 3.7% 0.05% 0.1% 0.8% 0% TOTAL 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% Table 7.2: Modal Share for Students and Workers in Self-Sustaining Towns 2016 Mode of transport Work School or College C’ford C’head C’bgm Tmfkn Tulyn C’ford C’head C’bgm Tmfkn Tulyn Walk 19.7% 3.3% 6.8% 2% 1.7% 20% 34.3% 15.3% 16% 37% Cycle 1.3% 0.5% 1% 1% 0% 1.3% 1.2% 5.6% 0% 0% Bus 2.6% 4.5% 5% 2.3% 6.4% 13.2% 32.2% 36.2% 26.6% 26.1% Rail 2.6% 3.5% 0.8% 3% 1.7% 0% 0.5% 0.5% 0.8% 0% Car (driver) 60.7% 69.4% 69% 76.4% 77.6% 1.5% 2.8% 2% 2.8% 2.2% Car (passenger) 2.2% 4.5% 6.4% 3.9% 4.7% 63.8% 29% 39.8% 53% 33.8% Van 4.9% 11.5% 8% 5.9% 5.8% 0.2% 0% 0.6% 0.8% 0.7% Work mainly at home 6% 2.8% 3% 5.5% 2.1% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0.2% Total 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%

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   Chapter 7 - Movement Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027 7-11 Table 7.3: Modal Share for Students and Workers in Small Towns and Villages 2016 Mode of transport Work School or College Annagassan Collon Dromiskin Annagassan Collon Dromiskin Walk 2.5% 3.7% 4% 0% 36.3% 16.6% Cycle 0% 0.9% 0.2% 0% 0.4% 1.4% Bus 1.3% 7.1% 1.8% 17.9% 34.2% 31.1% Rail 1.3% 1.2% 0.4% 0% 0% 0.4% Car (driver) 73.4% 76.3% 72.9% 3.6% 3.3% 5% Car (passenger) 8.3% 4.9% 6.8% 78.5% 25.8% 45.5% Van 7.2% 5.2% 11.1% 0% 0% 0% Work mainly at home 6% 0.7% 2.8% 0% 0% 0% Total 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% Table 7.4: Modal Share for Students and Workers in Small Towns and Villages 2016 Mode of transport Work School of College Knkbdge Lth Vge Omth Tlnstn Knkbdge Lth Vge Omth Tlnstn Walk 1% 5.9% 11.9% 3% 26.5% 26% 16% 27.7% Cycle 0% 0% 0% 0.4% 0% 0.6% 0.8% 0% Bus 2.1% 3% 1.6% 4.8% 26.5% 34.3% 27.5% 32.4% Rail 1.7% 1.5% 0.5% 0% 0.6% 0.6% 0% 0% Car (driver) 75.7% 70.3% 66.8% 70.4% 6.4% 1.7% 3.8% 0.7% Car (passenger) 6.3% 4.8% 5.2% 9.2% 40% 37% 51.9% 38.5% Van 10.1% 12.6% 9.8% 10% 0% 0% 0% 0.7% Work mainly at home 3.1% 1.9% 4.2% 2.2% 0% 0% 0% 0% Total 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% _________ No data available for Baltray Policy Objective MOV 8 To support a modal shift away from the private car to more sustainable forms of transport, such as public transport, cycling and walking and the attainment of any national targets relating to modal change published during the life of this Plan.

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    Chapter 7 - Movement Louth County Development Plan 2021-2027 7-12 Policy Objective MOV 9 To set modal share targets in each new Local Area Plan in cooperation with the NTA, CARO, EMRA and other relevant stakeholders in accordance with any relevant Guidelines or targets published during the life of this Plan. Policy Objective MOV 10 To support investment in sustainable transport infrastructure that will make walking, cycling or public transport more attractive and appealing, and facilitates accessibility for all, regardless of age, physical mobility, or social disadvantage. 7.6.2 Electric Vehicles Electric Vehicles (EV) include both Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV). They are low emission vehicles (LEVs) which use low carbon technologies, emit low emissions and offer a more sustainable transport solution. These clean and energy-efficient vehicles will have an important role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the transport sector and improving air quality and reducing noise pollution in towns and villages. There are various charging units for EV’s around the County. This Plan promotes the further installation and expansion of charging points for these vehicles. Policy Objective MOV 11 To facilitate the switch to Electric Vehicles through the roll-out of additional electric charging points at appropriate locations within the County in association with relevant agencies and stakeholders. Policy Objective MOV 12 To facilitate the provision of electricity charging infrastructure for electric vehicles both on street and in new developments in accordance with car parking standards prescribed in the Development Management Guidelines in Chapter 13. 7.6.3 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) CNG is natural gas that has been compressed to fit into a vehicle’s tank and is particularly suitable for use in commercial vehicles. The development of CNG Infrastructure will enable fuel switching from diesel to CNG for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and buses. CNG is an established technology that is used in many countries around the world. CNG produces less carbon emissions than diesel and leads to improved air quality with 95% less particulate matter, 70% less Nitrogen Oxide, and 80% less Sulphur Dioxide3.CNG vehicles can be run on 100% renewable gas. This is a clean, renewable and carbon neutral fuel, produced using Anaerobic Digestion (AD) technology from existing waste streams and a variety of sustainable biomass sources, including grass, animal waste, crop residues and food waste. Infrastructure development for CNG is already underway in Ireland, with 14 fast fill CNG stations being installed across the Core TEN-T road network via a project 3 https://www.ngva.eu/policy-priorities/air-quality/

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