Route Options Assessment Report

\\DUBNTS03\DUBLIN_JOBS\225000\225244-10\4. INTERNAL PROJECT DATA\4-04 REPORTS\4-04-02 CONSULTING\REP005 - OA\ROUTE OPTIONS ASSESSMENT ISSUE - 24 OCT 2014.DOCX

4.3 4.4
Physical Constraints and Opportunities Integration with Existing and Proposed Public Transport Network
36 37

38

4.5

Compatibility with Other Road Users

5 6

Assessment Methodology

39

5.1 5.2 5.3
Assessment Process Stage 1: Route Options Assessment – Sifting Stage Stage 2: Route Options Assessment – Detailed Assessment 42
39 39

Study Area Section 1: Swords North to Dublin Airport

54

6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4
Terminus Options Assessment Stage 1: Route Options Assessment Stage 2: North-West Swords Route Options Assessment Stage 2: Swords Central Route Options Assessment
54 56 62 76

7

Dublin Airport

82

7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 7.8
Introduction Airport Travel Demand Service Options Airport Route Options Assessment Methodology Airport Route Options Assessment Service Options Testing Conclusions and Recommendations
82 82 83 83 91 92 93 97

8 9

Study Area Section 2: Dublin Airport to Royal Canal

98

8.1 8.2
Stage 1: Route Options Assessment Stage 2: Santry Route Options Assessment
98
100

Study Area Section 3: Royal Canal to St. Stephens Green

108

9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 9.7

Introduction

108

108 111 118 128 133 145
City Centre Route Corridors (Bridge Crossings) Stage 1: North City Route Options Assessment Stage 2: North City Route Options Assessment City Centre Turnaround Options Assessment Stage 1: South City Route Options Assessment Stage 2: South City Route Options Assessment

10 11

Transport Demand and Economic Appraisal

158

10.1 10.2
Introduction Transport Modelling
158 159

Proposed Scheme

11.1 Introduction

190

190

11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 11.7
Route Options Assessment Conclusions Recommended Preferred Route Preferred Route Proposed Stop Locations Provision for Cyclists Interaction with Other Buses
190 190 192 194 200 201

12

Next Steps

202

Appendices

Appendix A

Route Options Assessment Summary Tables

Executive Summary

This report presents the route options assessment work undertaken for the Swords / Airport to City Centre Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) scheme and makes a

recommendation on a preferred route.

Swiftway BRT

The proposed scheme forms part of the planned ‘Swiftway’ BRT Network for

Dublin which was launched by the National Transport Authority (NTA) in February 2014.

The Swiftway BRT Network will comprise of three new BRT routes as follows:  Swords / Airport to City Centre (the proposed scheme);  Blanchardstown to UCD; and  Clongriffin to Tallaght. BRT is a high quality form of bus transport that is similar to light rail (Luas) in terms of quality of service. Its features include:

 Modern, attractive, multi-door vehicles;  Use of own BRT lane or shared Bus/BRT lane;  BRT vehicle given priority at traffic signals;  Conveniently located stops with optimal spacing;  High quality stops and level boarding on and off vehicles; and  Off-board fare collection (tickets purchased in advance or use of Leap card).

Scheme Objectives

The following scheme specific objectives have been set for the proposed scheme:  To deliver a high quality public transport service along the Swords/Airport to
City Centre corridor, encompassing all aspects of BRT, including BRT lanes and associated pedestrian and cycle facilities along the route, Swiftway vehicles, operational standards and customer service;

 Journey-time reliability and consistency of bus speeds along the Swiftway route. BRT lanes is to be provided ensuring whole route Swiftway vehicle priority where practical;

 To deliver overall enhancements and benefits to pedestrians and cyclists travelling along or intersecting the Swiftway route;

 To provide a high frequency service between the City Centre and Dublin
Airport;

 To deliver an enhanced urban environment at stops and along the full length of the route;

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 To minimise adverse impacts on the natural and built environment;  To minimise impacts on general traffic where practicable;  To provide a clear and legible bus system which avoids where possible, splitting of the northbound and southbound services onto different roads; and

 To establish the standard for BRT schemes in Ireland.

The Study Area

The proposed Swords / Airport to City Centre Swiftway will serve a busy transport corridor with several key destinations along, or close to, the route.

These include Dublin Airport, Santry, Dublin City University, St. Patrick’s

College, several hospitals as well as the major growth area of Swords itself. The corridor is already a busy transport artery, with additional capacity required to cater for travel growth predicted. While a rail based solution may be required in the long term, Swiftway can provide an attractive public transport service for the short and medium term.

It is not practical that the proposed scheme would directly serve all destinations within the broader corridor, and maintain a core scheme objective of journey time reduction and reliability. As such, the introduction of proposed scheme will also result in a rationalisation of the wider bus network and service provision within the corridor. This network rationalisation will both complement the proposed scheme and improve overall transport accessibility and level of service provision for existing and new public transport users.

Route Options Assessment Process

A two-stage assessment was adopted:

 An initial ‘Stage 1’ high-level route options assessment or ‘sifting’ process

which appraised routes in terms of ability to achieve scheme objectives and whether they could be practically delivered; and

 Routes which passed this initial stage were taken forward to a more detailed
Stage 2 assessment.

The Stage 2 assessment comprised a ‘Multi-Criteria Analysis’ (MCA) of route

options under the following main criteria:  Economy;  Integration;  Accessibility and Social Inclusion;  Safety; and  Environment. An appreciation of the constraints and opportunities within the study area, as well as the defined project objectives, led to establishment of project-specific route options assessment sub-criteria under each of the main criteria listed above.

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The Preferred Route

As part of the initial scheme planning for the proposed scheme, a Corridor Assessment study was undertaken. This included the development of the

‘Swiftway’ concept, establishment of objectives for the proposed scheme,

generation of initial patronage demand forecasts, establishment of an outline business case for the provision of a Swiftway service and an initial assessment of route options along the Swords corridor. The purpose of the initial corridor assessment studies was to establish the viability of the scheme and that a technically feasible route was available within the broad Swords to City Centre corridor.

Early outputs from this study informed the establishment of an initial emerging preferred route (EPR) for the proposed scheme which was used to launch the Swiftway BRT Network in February 2014.

This route options assessment report effectively supersedes earlier corridor assessment work undertaken and describes the detailed assessment of potentially viable route options within the study area identified for the proposed scheme against established assessment criteria.

The resulting recommended preferred route and proposed stop locations are

presented in Figure (i).

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Figure (i): Swords / Airport to City Centre Swiftway Scheme Preferred Route

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The preferred route starts on the Glen Ellan Extension Road in Oldtown in the northwest of Swords. A terminus for Swiftway vehicles, comprising layover space and driver welfare facilities, will be provided at the western edge of Oldtown. The first stop will be located in the developing neighbourhood centre of Oldtown serving the surrounding residential estates and the Swords Educate Together and Brian Bóroimhe schools.

The preferred route continues along Glen Ellan Road Extension Road towards Applewood where the next stop will be located close to the junction with the Ashton Distributor Road. This stop will serve residents in the Castleview and Applewood areas as well as those living south of the preferred route along Rathbeale Road. This stop will also serve the Thornleigh Educate Together National School and is in close proximity to Applewood Main Street.

The next stop will be located adjacent to Jugback Lane and will serve eastern parts of Applewood, St. Finian’s Community College and residents living in the Broadmeadows area south of the preferred route.

From Jugback Lane, the preferred route continues along Glen Ellan Road before turning onto Balheary Road where the next stop is located. This stop will serve the Swords Business Campus and the Castlegrange residential neighbourhood.

The preferred route then turns onto Castlegrange Road before following the R132, along the Swords Bypass, with stops provided at the Estuary, Seatown (Swords North), Malahide Road (Swords Central) and Pinnock Hill (Swords South) junctions. These stops will serve residential areas along the corridor as well as the retail and commercial centre of Swords, including Swords Pavilions. The Swords Central stop will also serve future development lands to the east of the R132 (i.e. the Barrysparks LAP lands).

South of Swords, the preferred route continues along the R132, stopping at Airside Retail Park. The Airside stop will serve residents in the River Valley area as well as passengers travelling to Airside Retail Park.

From Airside, the preferred route continues along the R132 towards Dublin Airport with potential for a future stop at Cloghran to serve development lands to the south of Clonshaugh Road.

It is anticipated that Swiftway services from Swords will stop at an Airport stop located on the R132 with a separate Swiftway service to/from the City Centre entering the airport, providing more direct access to the terminals and airport campus.

From the airport, the preferred route follows the R132, with a future stop identified at Dardistown (subject to demand). A stop will also be located at the entrance to Northwood to cater for existing residential and employment demand in the area.

The preferred route continues along the R132 towards Santry, turning onto Coolock Lane where a stop (Santry North) will be located to serve central and northern areas of Santry as well as western areas of Coolock. From here, Swiftway vehicles will be routed via the N50 before stopping at a ‘Santry South’ stop located below the Shantalla Road overpass. This stop will serve central and southern areas of Santry as well as being the closest stop to Beaumont Hospital.

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Continuing southwards, the next stop is located at the R132/Collins Avenue junction and will serve Dublin City University.

A stop will be located at Griffith Avenue, while at the northern end of Drumcondra, a stop will be located outside St. Patricks College, serving the college as well as the retail centre of Drumcondra. A second stop will be located at the southern end of Drumcondra next to Clonliffe Road, to facilitate interchange with suburban rail services at the nearby Drumcondra rail station. This stop is also the closest stop to Croke Park.

The preferred route continues southwards along Dorset Street with a stop located to the south of Gardiner Street. This stop will serve residential areas in the vicinity as well as the Mater Hospital.

From Dorset Street, the preferred route turns onto North Frederick Street and continues onto Parnell Square East where the next stop is located. As well as serving north inner city residential and retail areas, this stop will serve the Rotunda Hospital and Gate Theatre.