Development plan · Westmeath County Council
Westmeath County Development Plan 2021–2027
The council's development plan written statement: its strategy, policies, objectives and development standards.
Westmeath County Council · 2021–2027 · 634 pages
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- TRANSPORT, INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENERGY 10 Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027 298 10.4.2 Greenways In recent years, the Council has significantly invested in developing a network of strategic greenways across the County such as: - Old Rail Trail extending 42km from Mullingar to Athlone forms part of the of the proposed 277km Dublin to Galway National Cycle Network (NCN). - Royal Canal Greenway. - Lough Owel Greenway. Infrastructure and Mobility Policy Objectives - Walking and Cycling It is a policy objective of Westmeath County Council to: CPO 10.11 Promote walking and cycling as efficient, healthy and environmentally friendly modes of transport by securing the development of a network of direct, comfortable, convenient and safe cycle routes and footpaths, particularly in urban areas and in the vicinity of schools. CPO 10.12 Improve pedestrian and cycle connectivity to stations and other public transport interchanges and request Iarnrod Eireann to provide accommodation for bicycles on inter-city and commuter trains. CPO 10.13 Design pedestrian and cycling infrastructure in accordance with the principles, approaches and standards set out in the National Cycle Manual, the Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets and international best practice. CPO 10.14 Encourage and seek sustainable transport movement at the earliest design stage of development proposals, to ensure accessibility by all modes of transport and all sections of society and promote the provision of parking space for bicycles in development schemes. CPO 10.15 Improve the streetscape environment for pedestrians, cyclists, and people with special mobility needs by providing facilities to enhance safety and convenience, including separation for pedestrian infrastructure from vehicular traffic. CPO 10.16 Provide better sign posting and public lighting where considered appropriate and ensure that the upgrading of roads will not impact negatively on the safety and perceived safety of cyclists. CPO 10.17 Work with the National Trails Office, Coillte, the Department of Planning, Housing and Local Government, the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, and other relevant stakeholders, to improve on the existing level of infrastructure and facilities for walking and cycling.
- TRANSPORT, INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENERGY 10 Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027 299 - Kilbeggan Branch of the Grand Canal Greenway from the Harbour building in Kilbeggan to the County Offaly border. The Council recognises the numerous benefits arising from the further development of Greenways in Westmeath, in particular as a tourism product with significant potential to attract overseas visitors, for local communities in terms of economic benefits, and for all users as an amenity for physical activity and a contributor to health and well-being. Accordingly, it is Council policy to continue to expand and create an integrated network of greenways across the County and maximise pedestrian and cycle access to same. Transport and Infrastructure Policy Objectives – Greenways It is a policy objective of Westmeath County Council to: CPO 10.18 Continue to develop an integrated and connected network of sustainable greenways and green routes within Westmeath and to adjoining counties, in accordance with the “Strategy for the Future Development of National and Regional Greenways”. CPO 10.19 Progress the expansion of the National Cycle Network westwards from Athlone to the Roscommon County boundary. CPO 10.20 Support the development of a greenway extending northwards of Athlone, along Lough Ree to the Longford County border, in accordance with a habitat management plan for Lough Ree. CPO 10.21 Support the development of a greenway linking the Hill of Uisneach to the Old Rail Trail, subject to the protection of the archaeological significance of Uisneach. CPO 10.22 Support and promote the development of additional greenway links from the various towns/villages to the Old Rail Trail and Royal Canal Cycleways, subject to Environment and Habitats Requirements. CPO 10.23 Maximise both pedestrian and cycle connectivity to the network of existing greenways within the County. CPO 10.24 Protect established Greenways within the County against inappropriate new vehicular accesses and increased traffic movements. CPO 10.25 Carry out a permeability and connectivity audit of existing pedestrian and cycle facilities in all towns and villages.
- TRANSPORT, INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENERGY 10 Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027 300 10.4.3 Public Transport The Council acknowledges the importance of the provision of high-quality public transport services and will facilitate transport service providers where possible during the expansion and improvements in the quality of services on offer. Future growth, both in terms of employment and residential development must be based on sustainable modes of transport. Given the strategic position of County Westmeath in terms of the national transport infrastructure and arterial public transport routes, consideration should be given to the development of integrated transport hubs within the County and the promotion of public transport connectivity between designated towns and villages within the County. 10.4.4 Rail Athlone and Mullingar are both accessible by rail and are positioned on the Galway / Dublin / Westport and the Dublin/Sligo rail lines respectively. Trains operate on each route several times daily. Currently there are no other train stations operating within the County although a disused station is located at Killucan on the Dublin/Sligo line. Iarnród Éireann in their strategic policy document “Rail Vision 2030: The Future of Rail Transport in Ireland” seeks to provide for the maintenance and renewal of existing rail infrastructure, to avoid the asset being “run down” over time. The strategy undertook an appraisal of proposed new rail lines and suggested the reinstatement of the double track rail link between Athlone and Mullingar. This would also facilitate greater connectivity not just within the County but also on a national level providing improved cross linkages, with services to the two main stations in the capital and enabling increases on the Galway to Dublin rail line. In the longer-term, electrification of key routes including the Dublin to Galway line is promoted. It is also envisaged that capacity will be increased through double tracking the line from Portarlington to Athlone and from Mullingar to Maynooth to cater for hourly services between Galway and Connolly Station (alternative to Heuston). This would serve to further strengthen public transport interconnectivity by connecting the Galway/Mayo rail line with the Sligo rail line and potentially provide an additional line option for the Galway-Dublin service. 10.4.5 Bus The development of a quality bus system as an alternative to private car use is an essential element of an integrated and balanced land use transport system. Westmeath is well serviced by Bus Éireann expressway services, which primarily mirror the national primary routes and traverse the County on an east-west axis. The National Transport Authority has supported the expansion of Local Link services to include regular commuter services, to ensure connectivity with other public transport services to facilitate onward journeys to access education, employment, health, recreational and other opportunities. There is a need for increased bus services to improve connectivity between the main urban centres in the north and south of the County and to regional centres. Greater integration of bus and rail services would provide for enhanced services and facilitate the transfer from private car to bus and rail.
- TRANSPORT, INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENERGY 10 Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027 301 The provision of Quality Bus Corridors (QBC) is in keeping with the principles of Smarter Travel to encourage a modal shift to public transport. The aim is to make taking the bus more attractive, thereby taking private vehicles off the roads. The Council supports the provision of QBC’s, as part of the delivery of a seamless and fully integrated public transport service. The promotion of permeability within and connectivity between the existing urban towns and settlement remains a key transport goal of the Council. In addition to community bus routes operated under the Rural Transport Initiative, a number of private bus operators service both urban centres and rural communities in the County. It is important that these services are retained and improved, to maintain access to public services for all citizens. 10.4.6 Public Transport in Rural Areas The National Transport Authority (NTA) was established in 2009 and is charged with overall responsibility for public transport service provision in County Westmeath. In this regard, the role of the NTA involves: • A Public Service Obligation (PSO) contract between the NTA and Irish Rail; • A PSO contract between the NTA and Bus Éireann; • Direct award contracts for the operation of bus services; and • The licencing of commercial bus services. In addition, the NTA provides rural transport services through the Local Link Rural Transport Programme. The key priorities of this programme continue to be directed at addressing rural social exclusion and the integration of rural transport services with other public transport services. The NTA will develop and expand the Local Link Rural Transport Programme in the following manner: • seek further integration with other public transport services, including HSE and school transport; • ensure fully accessible vehicles operate on all services; • enhance the customer experience; • increase patronage among children and young people; and • encourage innovation in the service. The availability of public rural transport plays a major role in combatting rural isolation and acts as a catalyst in creating models of partnership, at all levels, where key sectors actively engage in transport provision, to ensure equality of access for all.
- TRANSPORT, INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENERGY 10 Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027 302 Local Link Longford Westmeath Roscommon provides public transport for rural people living, working and visiting rural areas. This service operates 70 different routes with 66 door to door scheduled services. 56 services operate weekly with 3 evening services. This invaluable service provides access to public services, employment, training, health and social facilities. In recognition of the importance of improving access to and from rural locations, the Council supports the extension of the Local Link Rural Transport Programme and other such initiatives which respond to local travel needs throughout the County. 10.4.7 Park and Ride Facilities The purpose of a ‘Park and Ride’ facility is to encourage car commuters to transfer to public transport, thereby reducing congestion and promoting public transport. This Plan will promote and support, as a transitional arrangement, the development of Park and Ride facilities at appropriate locations in the County, subject to a full appraisal of each location in accordance with the DoECLG’s publication “Spatial Planning and National Roads Guidelines” and in consultation with the relevant public transport providers. Park and Ride sites often use valuable land adjacent to high-capacity public transport stations/stops which might be better used to provide trip intensive development. Having regard to the importance of reducing the carbon footprint, cognisance will be given to the inclusion of dedicated fully functional Electrical Vehicle (EV) charging points through appropriate objectives. 10.4.8 Park and Stride The purpose of a “Park and Stride” facility is to encourage car commuters to transfer to a healthy and ecologically sound mode of transport, i.e. walking for the final element of their journey, thus reducing car journeys and easing congestion. Transport and Infrastructure - Public Transport Policies It is a policy objective of Westmeath County Council to: CPO 10.26 Support the continued integration of national, regional and local bus and rail services to ensure the delivery of a seamless and fully integrated public transport service. CPO 10.27 Promote the use of and facilitate improvements to existing public transport services to support initiatives designed to improve bus/coach/rail interchange facilities. CPO 10.28 Ensure that new development proposals for public transport infrastructure are designed to be fully accessible to people with disabilities and older persons by adopting a universal design approach to the built environment, including footpaths, roads, pedestrian crossing points, bus stops, seating and interchange facilities.
- TRANSPORT, INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENERGY 10 Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027 303 CPO 10.29 Support public transport improvements by reserving corridors for any such improvements free of development, including provision of setbacks along public transport corridors. CPO 10.30 Continue to work with the relevant transport providers, agencies and stakeholders to facilitate the integration of active travel (walking, cycling etc.) with public transport, thereby making it easier for people to access and use the public transport system. CPO 10.31 Support the improvement of existing rail transport infrastructure, including the provision of increased frequency of services on the Dublin to Sligo and Dublin to Galway Lines. CPO 10.32 Safeguard all existing rail infrastructure and encourage the re-opening of rail stations including Killucan and preserve disused stations/halts and track appropriate to future strategic and public transport needs. CPO 10.33 Support the reopening of the Mullingar to Athlone Rail Line and Moate Railway Station, thereby increasing connectivity between these Towns. CPO 10.34 Support the operation of existing bus services and facilitate the provision of improved facilities for bus users in towns and villages, including the provision, in collaboration with the relevant agencies, of set down areas for coaches and bus shelters for passengers. Such provision is particularly required in towns and villages bypassed by National Routes. CPO 10.35 Support bus priority measures on existing and planned road infrastructure, where appropriate, in collaboration with the National Transport Authority, Bus Éireann and the Transport Infrastructure Ireland. CPO 10.36 Support and encourage public transport providers and rural community transport initiatives to enhance the provision of public transportation services linking the rural villages to the main towns within Westmeath. CPO 10.37 Support the provision of an integrated rural community public transport system as a means of reducing social isolation and as a viable long-term sustainable public transport option. CPO 10.38 Investigate the potential of providing a number of ‘Park and Ride’ facilities in appropriate locations in the County, subject to environmental assessment of identified locations. CPO 10.39 Support the upgrade of Mullingar rail line, to facilitate increased use of rail travel and expected increase of the population of Mullingar.
- TRANSPORT, INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENERGY 10 Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027 304 10.4.9 Electric Vehicles Electric Vehicles (EV) refer to both Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV). Benefits of Electric vehicles include the emission of zero tailpipe greenhouse gas emissions thereby helping to improve air quality in our towns and cities, as well as reducing noise pollution. Ireland’s target is to achieve 10% electric vehicle usage by 2020. There are a number of charging points around the County and this Plan promotes the further installation and expansion of charging points for these vehicles. In 2019, there was a total of 23 electric charging points registered in Westmeath located in Athlone (7) Moate (2) Mullingar (6) Kilbeggan (5) and Ballinalack (3). The Council will continue to support and facilitate the development of infrastructure to increase the usage of Electric Vehicles by the inclusion of dedicated fully functional Electrical Vehicle (EV) charging points through appropriate objectives. CPO 10.40 Investigate the feasibility of providing a ‘Bike Sharing Scheme’ for Athlone Town and Mullingar Town to facilitate and encourage Modal Shift. Transport and Infrastructure Policy Objectives – Electric Vehicles It is a policy objective of Westmeath County Council to: CPO 10.41 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 Chapter 16 - Development Management Standards. CPO 10.42 Support the growth of Electric Vehicles with support facilities, through a roll-out of additional electric charging points in collaboration with relevant agencies at appropriate locations. CPO 10.43 Support the prioritisation of parking for Electric Vehicles in town centre locations. CPO 10.44 Make provisions for electric car charging facilities in every town and village in County Westmeath.
- TRANSPORT, INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENERGY 10 Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027 305 10.5 Road Infrastructure The Council acknowledges the importance of Westmeath’s strategic road infrastructure in providing intra and inter county movement of goods and services. Whilst the plan supports the promotion of sustainable transport, it is recognised that the roads infrastructure maintains a central position in the overall transportation network. 10.5.1. National Roads Due to its strategic location in the middle of the country, Westmeath and its main urban centres are particularly well served by a hierarchy of roads including sections of motorways, national roads, regional roads, local roads and urban roadways. Westmeath has a total public road network accounting for 2,332 km in length of which approximately 193 km comprise of National Primary and Secondary roads. The M6/N6, M4/N4, N51, N52, N55 and N62 traverse the County providing important linkages and networks within, into and out of the County. The Council will preserve a corridor to enable design options for National Road improvement and upgrade projects to be advanced. Significant investment and improvements in the existing road infrastructure have been made by the Local Authority in terms of upgrades, realignments, maintenance, traffic management measures, traffic calming measures and road safety measures, and it is important to protect and maintain the carrying capacity of this road network in the future as deemed necessary and as resources allow. In doing so, regard will be made to the Spatial Planning and National Roads Guidelines for Planning Authorities 2012, relating to development affecting National Primary and Secondary roads, including motorways and associated junctions. The policy objectives within this Plan will seek to support and encourage sustainable and compact forms of development which will have minimal impact on the carrying capacity, efficiency and safety of the road network. Consideration also needs to be given to avoid adverse impacts when introducing noise sensitive uses in proximity to existing and future national roads. Where warranted, proposals should include mitigation and should have regard to Section 3.7 of the DoECLG ‘Spatial Planning and National Roads Guidelines’. Transport and Infrastructure Policy Objectives – National Roads It is a policy objective of Westmeath County Council to: CPO 10.45 Maintain and protect the safety, capacity and efficiency of National roads and associated junctions in accordance with the Spatial Planning and National Roads Guidelines for Planning Authorities, DECLG, (2012) and the Trans-European Networks (TEN-T) Regulations.
- TRANSPORT, INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENERGY 10 Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027 306 Table 10.1 Schedule of National Road Improvements Road no. Project Description N4 Realignment and Upgrade from Mullingar to Longford County Boundary (part of the NDP N4 Mullingar to Longford). N52 Realignment and Upgrade from Kilbeggan to Offaly County Boundary (part of the NDP N52 Tullamore to Kilbeggan). N55 Realignment and Upgrade from the N6 Athlone to the Longford County Boundary. N51 Realignment and Upgrade from Delvin to Meath County Boundary. N52 Realignment offline Delvin Bypass. N52 Realignment and Upgrade from Delvin to Meath County Boundary including realignment offline Clonmellon Bypass. CPO 10.46 Protect national roads from inappropriate access in order to protect the substantial investment in the national road network, to preserve the carrying capacity and safety of the National Road Network and to prevent the premature obsolescence of the network. CPO 10.47 Support and provide for improvements to the national road network, including reserving corridors for proposed routes, free of development, so as not to compromise future road scheme. CPO 10.48 Prevent, except in exceptional circumstances, the creation of additional access points from new developments or the generation of increased traffic from existing accesses to national roads, to which speed limits greater than 60 km/h apply. CPO 10.49 Require all applications for significant development proposals to be accompanied by a Traffic and Transport Assessment (TTA) and Road Safety Audit (RSA), carried out by suitably competent persons, in accordance with the TII’s Traffic and Transport Assessment Guidelines. CPO 10.50 Seek to implement the Road Improvement Schemes indicated in Table 10.1. The corridor and route selection process for such schemes shall be undertaken in accordance with Section 10.5.3 of the Plan. CPO 10.51 Seek to ensure that the capacity and efficiency of the national road network drainage regimes in County Westmeath will be safeguarded for national road drainage purposes.
- TRANSPORT, INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENERGY 10 Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027 307 N62 Realignment from Fardrum to Offaly County Boundary including Ballinahown Bypass. Any improvements relating to national roads identified at a local level should be carried out following consultation with TII. 10.5.2 Non-National Roads Both regional and local roads provide vital links between the towns and villages to retail, service and employment centres throughout the County and to adjoining Counties. There are 306 km of regional routes in the County and 1900 km of local roads. In order to safeguard the carrying capacity and safety of these roads, access for residential development will be restricted onto a regional route including the former N6 (R446) where access to a lower category road is available. Regard shall be had to the requirement in the Spatial Planning and National Roads Planning Guidelines 2012, to preserve the carrying capacity of these routes and safeguard their strategic role in providing connections to the National Road Network. There are six (6) Strategic Regional Roads in County Westmeath linking the main County towns to the national routes and motorways. These are shown in the table below: Table 10.2 Schedule of Strategic Regional Roads in Westmeath Road No. Road Location and Description R390 Mullingar- Ballymore - Athlone R392 Mullingar - Moyvore - Longford County Boundary R394 Tullaniskey - Castlepollard- Finnea – Cavan County Boundary R395 Delvin - Castlepollard – Lismacaffrey- Longford County Boundary R400 Mullingar – Rochfortbridge- Offaly County Boundary R446 Kinnegad – Kilbeggan- Moate- Athlone - Roscommon County Boundary Table 10.3 Schedule of Regional Road Improvements Road No. Road Location and Description R390 Realignment at Walderstown, Athlone R394 Realignment from Taughmon to Gartlandstown
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