Project CYCLE NETWORK PLAN FOR WATERFORD CITY AND ENVIRONS Report Title Volume 1 : Main Report Report Version 1st Draft Date June 2014 Client Waterford City Council Cycle Network Plan For Waterford City & Environs Volume 1 : Main Report 2 Document Control Job Title: Waterford City & Environs Cycle Network Plan Job Number: p132041 Report Ref: p132041-Rep-001 1st Draft Report Title: Volume 1 Main Report Author: Mark McKenna / Jacqueline Haley Reviewed by: Thomas Jennings Date: January 2014 Distribution: DBFL Consulting Engineers Waterford City and County Council (Client) National Transport Authority Revision Issue Date Description Prepared Reviewed Approved 1st Draft 12/06/2014 Client Review MMK / JH TJ DR DBFL Consulting Engineers Dublin Office Waterford Office Herbert House Unit 2 Harmony Row The Chandlery Dublin 2 1-2 O’Connell Street, Waterford Tel 01 4004000 Tel 051 309500 Fax 01 4004050 Fax 051 844913 Email [email protected] Email [email protected] Web www.dbfl.ie Web www.dbfl.ie DBFL Consulting Engineers disclaims any responsibility to the Client and others in respect of any matters outside the scope of this report. This report has been prepared with reasonable skill, care and diligence within the terms of the Contract with the Client and generally in accordance with ACEI SE 9101 Conditions of Engagement and taking account of the manpower, resources, investigations and testing devoted to it by agreement with the Client. This report is confidential to the Client and DBFL Consulting Engineers accepts no responsibility of whatsoever nature to third parties to whom this report or any part thereof is made known. Any such party relies upon the report at their own risk. DBFL Consulting Engineers 132041 Cycle Network Plan For Waterford City & Environs Volume 1 : Main Report 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS DBFL would like to express our gratitude to the following stakeholders for their time and valuable contribution in regard to the compilation this report and supporting volumes; Waterford City Council x Ray Mannix – Senior Executive Engineer x Paul Cleary – Executive Engineer x Hugh O’Brian – Senior Executive Planner x Job Hawkins – GIS Coordinator Kilkenny County Council x Simon Walton - Senior Executive Engineer Waterford Sport Partnership x Pauline Cunningham Waterford Institute of Technology x Elaine Greenan x Elaine Mullan Local National Schools Principal, staff and pupils at the following schools; x Gaelscoil PhortLairge x Holy Family School x Newtown Junior School x Our Lady of Lourdes National School x Our Lady of Good Council National School x Presentation Girls National School x ScoilLorcain Boys National School x St Declans Boys National School x St Stephens Boys National School x St Marys Boys National School x St Pauls Boys National School x St Ursula’s Girls National School x Waterpark National School Local Secondary Schools Principal and staff at the following national schools x Abbey Community College x De La Salle College x Mount Sion CBS x Newtown School x Our Lady of Mercy x Presentation Secondary School x Waterpark College Key Local Business and Employers x Bausch & Lomb Ireland x Genzyme Ireland Ltd x Shaws Department Store x Teva Pharmaceuticals x Waterford University Hospital DBFL Consulting Engineers 132041 Cycle Network Plan For Waterford City & Environs Volume 1 : Main Report 4 Influenced by the last two generations focus upon designing environments in response to the FOREWARD requirements of the private motor car, the number of people cycling in Ireland has decreased. Whilst this trend has been experienced in many countries, including Denmark and the The requirements of the private motor car have been the principal focus and prioritisation of the Netherlands amongst others, Ireland has been slower to respond. planning and design for transportation requirements in Ireland over the last five to six decades. With only 2% of all journeys to work, school and college in Waterford City being undertaken by An unintentional yet adverse impact of this approach has been the creation of urban bicycle in 2011, cycling may be considered almost ‘alien’ to many members of the general environments that supress walking and cycling, in addition to public transport use, across all population. Nevertheless, contrary to many beliefs, a cycling culture has previously been sectors of society. experienced within Ireland. As recently as 1986 over 8% of all journeys to work in Waterford Unfortunately much of Waterford’s transport infrastructure has been designed and built on the City were undertaken by bicycle, whilst cycling accounted for approximately 19% and 28% of all assumptions that (a) almost everyone has access to car, and (b) the urban road network can journeys to / from secondary school and college respectively. Accordingly the promotion of accommodate the continued growth of private motorised traffic. It is how increasingly cycling across Waterford and its environs seeks to reintroduce these previous practices. recognised that neither of the each assumptions are true. Accordingly existing Experience reveals that one of the key parameters influencing the uptake of cycling is to ensure conditions and associated travel practices are unsustainable. that our streets and public spaces are suitable for people of all ages and all abilities. To achieve The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that in 2009 this this transformation necessitates a multidisciplinary approach focusing upon the integration of imbalanced approach has influenced the emergence of a transport sector high quality ‘fit for purpose’ infrastructure with complementary behaviour change measures. The that accounts for over 21% of Irelands carbon emissions. This sector findings of the consultation exercise undertaken as part of this study reinforce the important role relies extensively on ever more expensive yet depleting oil reserves. that the provision of best practice cycling infrastructure has upon many stakeholders perspective Experience reveals that switching from motorised transport to cleaner, of cycling in Waterford. healthier travel practices, particularly for shorter journeys, can make a Building upon the ever increasing cycling ‘revolution’ being experienced across a number of significant contribution towards tacking these issues. Such a shift can areas in Ireland, the policy direction provided by Smarter Travel: A Sustainable Transport provide significant benefits for both public health and the liveability of the Future (2009) and the momentum generated following the publication of Ireland’s first numerous communities’ across Waterford City and Environs. In addition, a National Cycle Policy Framework, the Waterford City and Environs Cycle Network modal shift resulting in the greater utilisation of sustainable active modes of Plan has been commissioned to identify a network of integrated cycle links and nodes with the travel, such as walking and cycling, has the potential to offer significant objective of facilitating the reintroduction of a local cycling culture. The Cycle Network Plan, savings on health and environmental costs. incorporating dedicated urban, inter-urban and green route networks constitutes one of a Best practice guidance demonstrates that there is enormous potential for changing number of coordinated initiatives to be implemented with the objective of achieving the following people’s travel behaviour. In the context of the following 2011 ‘Waterford City’ travel vision as outlined within the National Cycle Policy Framework. characteristics, and the acknowledgement that cycling can provide a viable mode of travel for “The mission is to create a strong cycling culture in Ireland. The vision is that all journeys up to between 4 km and 9 km (or even more); clearly the potential for increasing cities, towns, villages and rural areas will be bicycle friendly. Cycling will be a normal cycling levels across Waterford City and its environs is significant. way to get about, especially for short trips. Cycling contributes to improved quality of x Travel to Work :46% travel 4km or less (72% 9km or less) life and quality of the public realm, a stronger economy and business environment, x Travel to Primary School :81% travel 4km or less (97% 9km or less) and an enhanced environment. A culture of cycling will have developed in Ireland to x Travel to Secondary School : 63% travel 4km or less (77% 9km or less) the extent that 10% of all trips will be by bike by 2020.” x Travel to College : 74% travel 4km or less (94% 9km or less) Extract from Page 6 of the National Cycle Policy Framework (2009-2020) DBFL Consulting Engineers 132041 Cycle Network Plan For Waterford City & Environs Volume 1 : Main Report 5 VOLUME 1 :MAIN REPORT Table of Contents 1.0 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................ 7 1.1 OVERVIEW ..................................................................................................... 7 1.2 CONTEXT OF STUDY ....................................................................................... 7 1.3 BACKGROUND ................................................................................................ 8 1.4 STUDY METHODOLOGY ................................................................................... 9 1.5 DATA COLLECTION ....................................................................................... 10 1.6 CONSULTATION............................................................................................ 11 1.7 FORMAT OF REPORT ....................................................................................