Offaly County Development Plan 2021–2027 (as varied) — Chapter 8: Sustainable Transport Strategy

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 8 Sustainable Transport Strategy Page 265 Chapter 8: Sustainable Transport Strategy Aim Offaly County Council will strive to support enhanced regional accessibility; the use of sustainable modes of transport; the integration of spatial planning with transport planning; the transition to a low carbon transport system; and the development of a safer, more efficient, effective and connected transport system within Offaly. Policy and Legislative Context This chapter is prepared in the context of the following documents: • National Planning Framework 2018-2040 • National Development Plan 2018-2027 • Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy for the Eastern and Midland Region 2019 • Spatial Planning and National Roads, Guidelines for Planning Authorities 2012 • Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets 2013, as updated in 2019 • Local Link Rural Transport Programme Strategic Plan 2018-2022 • National Mitigation Plan 2017 (or subsequent editions) • National Policy Framework; Alternative Fuels Infrastructure for Transport in Ireland 2017-2030 • Permeability Best Practice Guide by National Transport Authority • National Cycle Manual by National Transport Authority 2011 • Age Friendly Strategy for Offaly 2018-2021 • The Treatment of Transition Zones to Towns and Villages on National Roads by Transport Infrastructure Ireland Offaly County Council recognises that the provision of a sustainable, safe, efficient and effective transport network in the county is a major determinant of its level of competiveness and its capacity to address some of its major social and environmental needs. The pursuit of sustainable transport and accessibility in Ireland, in the region and indeed County Offaly is underpinned by a national and regional policy context that seeks to integrate landuse and transportation policy. The overarching goals are prioritising sustainable transport modes in order to achieve improvements in air quality, reduction in both CO2 emissions and noise levels. Offaly County Council encourages the provision of low carbon alternative forms of transport that reduce dependence on the private car, such as public transport initiatives and facilities for cyclists and pedestrians. The provision of good

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 8 Sustainable Transport Strategy Page 266 public transport, greenways and cycleways can enhance areas, contribute to liveable places and create opportunities to be physically active. Offaly County Council will support increased sustainable mobility, accessibility and connectivity between key urban centres of population within the county, region and between regions. Integrated Land Use and Transportation Population growth, labour force participation, settlement patterns and changes in the affordability of transport have an impact on travel demand. Effectively meeting travel demand in a manner that avoids congestion and limits greenhouse gas emissions requires effective spatial policies to be implemented. The spatial relationship between where a person lives, works, goes to school, shops and socialises forms the basis for travel demand. The relationship between transportation and land use is a key determinant in achieving sustainable development. The dispersal of land uses results in an increased demand for transportation because of greater travel distances, which is unsustainable. Walking and cycling, in particular, become more viable as transport options when the distance between services is reduced. Integrating transportation and land use is the most effective means of providing an efficient transportation system and is essential in the provision of a sustainable spatial framework for economic, social and cultural development. Ensuring that the places where people live are located either close to or are connected by public transport to their places of work or education and by providing for higher density development along public transport corridors, this allows people to use the most sustainable modes of transport, namely walking, cycling, and public transport. It is a challenge for County Offaly to embrace the integration of landuse and transportation given the predominantly rural nature of the county, dispersed settlement pattern and car ownership levels. Within this context, high densities and mixed uses will be encouraged to locate within walking distance of public transport nodes and at accessible sites throughout the county, such as those within town centres, in a compact format. Modal Share A summary of the travel patterns by all (only students and workers combined), students and workers in the County in 2016 is as follows based on the charts below. - The car is the most popular mode of transport got students and workers combined with 69% of all trips made by car / car passenger (45% and 24% respectively) - 57% of students are travelling to school by car / car passenger (5% and 52% respectively); - The car is the dominant mode of transport for workers with 76% travelling to work by car / car passengers (71% and 5% respectively); - There are a high proportion of students utilising available bus services at 22%; - There are fewer workers travelling by bus (2%) than there are car sharing (5%); - Travelling by train is low at 1% for each category namely students and workers; - Only 1% trips made by students are by cycling. The figure is 2% for workers.

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 8 Sustainable Transport Strategy Page 267 Walk 12% Cycle 1% Bus 10% Train 1% MotorBike 0% Car 45% Car Passenger 24% Light Good 6% HGV 1% Modal Share for all trips generated in County Offaly Walk 19% Cycle 1% Bus 22% Train 1% MotorBike 0% Car 5% Car Passenger 52% Light Good 0% HGV 0% Modal Share for trips to school / college generated in County Offaly

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 8 Sustainable Transport Strategy Page 268 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. The Council will, in improving the modal share shift away from the car, exercise an Avoid – Shift – Improve framework as set out hereunder: Figure 8.1 Avoid-Shift-Improve Framework (Source: EPA document titled ‘Ireland’s Environment - An Integrated Assessment 2020’) Walk 8% Cycle 2% Bus 2% Train 1% MotorBike 0% Car 71% Car Passenger 5% Light Good 10% HGV 1% Modal Share for trips to work generated in County Offaly

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 8 Sustainable Transport Strategy Page 269 Appendix 1 of this Plan includes a list of policies, objectives and standards within many chapters of the Plan that strive to encourage a higher proportion of modal share for sustainable modes of travel such as walking, cycling, bus and rail. Each town plan includes graphs depicting its baseline modal share figures with accompanying objectives tailored to its specific needs in an attempt to improve sustainable modal share. Sustainable Mobility The challenge is to facilitate the shift towards alternatives to the private car and promoting greater efficiency in the use of our transport networks. There is a need to ensure that alternatives to the car are integrated in the design of streets and public spaces, prioritising cycling and walking as active transport modes. Achieving sustainable mobility will require a suite of actions which involves: • Focusing population and employment growth in urban areas; • Providing alternative options to the car, namely, walking, cycling and public transport; • Improving fuel efficiency, promoting energy efficient driving and alternative technologies; and • Permeability and accessibility improvements. Reduction in trip generation is a particular challenge for County Offaly as access to a car stands at a rate of 85% (2016 Census). This high rate can be partially attributed to the predominantly rural nature of the settlement pattern of the county. The challenge for Offaly however, within the lifetime of this plan, is to integrate landuse and transportation policy and give due emphasis to the factors that have a positive role in promoting sustainable transport to reduce levels of car dependency such as: • Promoting higher densities at appropriate locations; • Mixing landuses; • Designing for compact settlement forms; and • Concentrating appropriate development on transport corridors and linkages. The management of space in town and village centres should deliver a high level of priority and permeability for walking and cycling to create accessible, attractive, vibrant and safe places to work, live, shop and engage in community life.

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 8 Sustainable Transport Strategy Page 270 Walking and Cycling Walking and cycling have the lowest environmental impact of all travel modes. The promotion of walking and cycling requires pedestrian and cycle facilities that form an integrated, safe, convenient, direct and comfortable network of routes. Offaly County Council promotes walking and cycling as a means of transport; as a means of recreational activity, particularly given the terrain in Offaly; and for the purposes of mental and physical health and wellbeing. The Council will endeavour to make provisions for pedestrians and cyclists in both urban and rural areas of the county. Chapter 6 Tourism and Recreational Development deals further with walking and cycling. Cycle parking should be appropriately designed into the urban realm and into new developments at an early stage to ensure that adequate cycle parking is provided. Figure 8.2 Extract from Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 8 Sustainable Transport Strategy Page 271 Electric Vehicles, Autonomous Vehicles and Fuel Cell Vehicles The Council will promote and support the development of appropriate reliable charging-point infrastructure to accommodate a change to electrically powered vehicles and to assist in achieving Ireland’s target of ending the sale of new cars powered solely by fossil fuels by 2030. The Council will also promote and support the development of the necessary infrastructure required by Government to accommodate autonomous vehicles (self-driving) and fuel cell vehicles. ‘Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles’ use fuel cells to combine stored hydrogen with oxygen to generate electricity (as opposed to electricity from the public grid which currently is part generated from fossil fuels), which then powers the vehicle’s electric motors. They offer greater range and faster refueling. Figure 8.3 Grand Canal Greenway

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 8 Sustainable Transport Strategy Page 272 Figure 8.4 Lloyd Town Park, Tullamore Figure 8.5 Mount Lucas Windfarm Walk and Cycle Park

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 8 Sustainable Transport Strategy Page 273 Public Transport The provision of a well–functioning, integrated public transport system and enabling mobility choices for citizens is paramount to providing a viable sustainable alternative transport mode. By encouraging employment and residential development to locate in towns and villages, it will be possible to take full advantage of existing and future investments in public transport and strengthen public transport connectivity with improved services and reliable journey times. Due to the predominantly rural nature of County Offaly and its dispersed population, it is considered that small-scale public transport initiatives could be viable. The Council will co-operate and seek to find opportunities within the Local Link Rural Transport Programme under the auspices of the National Transport Authority to continue addressing rural social exclusion; to integrate rural transport services with other public transport services; and to address the needs of people with mobility, sensory and cognitive impairments. An integrated and environmentally sustainable public transport system is required to service our climate action goals. Rail Infrastructure County Offaly is centrally located along national interconnecting strategic rail corridors. The 2030 Rail Network Strategy Review was published in 2011 and its purpose is to provide the Government with a basis for establishing a strategic policy framework for the future development of the rail passenger and rail freight sectors in Ireland. Figure 8.6 Train at Tullamore Train Station The Review informs the strategic priorities and future investment strategy up to 2030 and the outstanding improvements in rail services to County Offaly include double tracking from Portarlington to Athlone (2020-2025) and the Electrification of Dublin to Galway line (2025-2030).

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    Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 8 Sustainable Transport Strategy Page 274 The Iarnród Éireann Strategy 2027 aligns Iarnród Éireann with the National Development Plan 2018- 2027 and retains the objective for Dual Tracking between Athlone and Portarlington, albeit it is pushed out to the 2040 timeline as a long-term strategic objective. Offaly County Council will co-operate with Iarnród Éireann to encourage and secure the upgrading of the existing rail linkages between Offaly and Athlone as this represents a major opportunity to establish good physical links between Tullamore (a Key Town) and Athlone (a Regional Growth Centre). As part of this, there is an opportunity for Tullamore train station and adjoining lands to be developed as a transport (bus / rail) node. This would allow for the integration of local bus services, including a possible future town bus service with the rail network. Clara station could be developed similarly to increase service provision in the town. The Portarlington Land Use and Transportation Study (2004) identified the railway station as a key asset in the development of the town. The provision of a rail link from Mullingar directly to Clara would create an integrated rail network linking Longford, Mullingar, Ballinasloe, and Athlone with Tullamore, Portarlington, Kildare and Portlaoise. The final link in the network could involve the provision of a new rail line from Enfield to Edenderry with a continuation to Portarlington (possible junction at Garryhinch). This rail line, if provided, would be of great strategic importance in the context of the midlands. Many of the wayleaves between Portarlington and Enfield are in the ownership of Bord na Móna. It is important to maintain the rail link between Dublin and Tullamore train station. Offaly County Council recognises that it would be valuable to the citizens of both the county and the region to provide double rail lines between the two locations. Improving the frequency of train journeys between Athlone and Dublin and the manning of train stations in Offaly would also attract increased usage of the rail service. Bus Bus Éireann and private operators operate public bus services in Offaly. Offaly County Council will facilitate the improvement and expansion of public bus services where they strengthen linkages to other areas of the county, the midlands and the rest of the country. Roads The position of Offaly in the centre of Ireland means that serviced strategic transport routes traverse the county. The Council recognises the importance of providing a safe and efficient road system in the county in order to facilitate the development of the local and national economy; to protect the safety of users of public roads; and to safeguard public investment in their provision. The Council is aware of the vital importance of Motorway and National Routes to the economic and social development of County Offaly and the country. The Council will require the reservation of corridors of land, free from future development, for the provision of road improvements or new roads including bypasses and relief routes serving towns and villages.

Source Offaly County Council: Offaly County Development Plan 2021–2027 (as varied) — Chapter 8: Sustainable Transport Strategy (2021–2027) · Licence the publisher's termsText read from the publisher’s PDF; tables, maps and drawings do not survive as text, and page numbers are the PDF’s (its first page is 1). Check the original before relying on a passage.