R132 Connectivity Improvements On Way As Planning Permission Granted

R132 connectivity project artists impression

Fingal County Council is delighted to announce that full planning permission has been granted to the R132 Connectivity Project by An Bord Pleanála.

Fingal County Council is working in conjunction with the National Transport Authority to improve connectivity for the town of Swords and this includes a renewed focus on safe facilities for pedestrians and cyclists on the R132. The R132 Connectivity Project will improve the connectivity and safety of pedestrians and cyclists moving along, and across, the R132 and enhance facilities for all road users with particular benefits for those choosing sustainable modes of transportation such as bus users, cyclists and pedestrians.

Works will focus on the section of the R132 which runs east of Swords Town Centre, from Pinnock Hill to the Estuary Roundabout.

A public consultation was launched in November 2020 and, following submissions from the public, detailed designs were submitted for planning permission to An Bord Pleanála in May 2021.

On January 20th of this year An Bord Pleanála announced their decision to grant permission for this very important project, which will enhance road safety and connectivity for all those living, working in and visiting the area.

Mayor of Fingal Cllr Seána Ó Rodaigh says the project is key for Swords. ‘This connectivity project will make getting to work, school and the shops by walking and wheeling an easy choice for people in Swords. The changes being made are designed to improve safety but also to promote a healthy environment by reducing the number of short journeys taken by car. We will be publishing our Sustainable Swords strategy later this year and this R132 project will feed into that by supporting the growth of a healthy and connected community in line with the plans for Sustainable Swords.’

Director of Planning and Strategic Infrastructure for Fingal County Council, Matthew McAleese, shared his excitement to progress the project into the design stage in the coming months. ‘With the return to office now a prospect for many, it is clearer than ever that safe and convenient connectivity is an issue in the Swords area, and we are looking forward to tackling this. The design for this project will also offer improved connectivity to public transport for those looking to travel further afield and will form a key component when integrating with the delivery of MetroLink and BusConnects in the future.’

The project is comprised of:

  • Carriageway changes from north of Pinnock Hill Roundabout to north of Estuary Roundabout including the establishment of designated bus lanes, cycle lanes and pedestrian walkways along each side of the carriageway, with a new reduced speed limit of 50km/h;

     
  • Conversion of three existing roundabouts along the R132 (Estuary, Seatown and Malahide Road roundabouts) to signalised intersections with pedestrian and cyclist crossing points;

     
  • Reconfiguration of the Drynam Road arm of the Malahide Road Roundabout to link directly to Malahide Road as a one-way road;

     
  • Three new signalised crossing points at:
    • North of Pinnock Hill Roundabout
    • Adjacent to existing Chapel Lane/Ashley Avenue overbridge
    • North of Estuary Roundabout

       
  • Installation of turning areas at two separate points along the R132;

With the Sustainable Swords strategy due to be published later this year, the multi-disciplinary project team will continue to prepare more detailed designs to enable this project to proceed to implementation. This will include liaising with the NTA and TII (Transport Infrastructure Ireland) in relation to providing a seamless integration with the proposed MetroLink and BusConnects project.

Anne Graham, CEO of the National Transport Authority, welcomed the announcement of the planning permission. ‘The NTA are delighted to work with Fingal County Council on providing significant improvements to the walking and cycling infrastructure in the Swords area. This project will improve the safety for all road users and reduce the severance effect of the R132 and its surrounding areas. This infrastructure will enable the residents of Swords to walk or cycle for local trips and  to access public transport services for longer trips.’

Those who wish to view plans for the scheme can find them on the Consult Portal at https://consult.fingal.ie/en/consultation/application-bord-pleanala-fingal-county-council-r132-connectivity-project

R132 Swords Connectivity Project