Clane Community Council submission on Kildare Meath Grid Update

Clane Community Council submit:

• This is by far the preferred road-based route for the community of Clane and environs.
• This route does not directly disrupt the main commuter/traffic routes for residents of Clane.
• This route would redirect some commute traffic onto already congested Clane village during construction.

Clane Community Council submit:

• “Social impact and potential disruption during construction” is Very High for this option near Clane, not Low-moderate as suggested
• This route option would generate the most significant tailbacks throughout construction on the most significant access roads for Clane. Residents of Clane have already endured the digging up of R407 Naas | Clane and numerous local roads for Irish Water pipe-laying over the last ~18 months. Repeating this as well as long-term disruption of the road from Clane through Barberstown to Maynooth would be completely unacceptable.
• R406 Maynooth | Barberstown and R403 Barberstown Clane is a key commuter route for traffic between Midlands/Offaly/West Kildare/Clane and Dublin. For example, in recent years commuter traffic has regularly backed up from Maynooth all the way to Barberstown Roundabout waiting to get into Maynooth and onto the M4 to Dublin. Thus, this Blue option would present enormous traffic tailbacks for the entire construction period.
• There are planning applications for 366 houses approved for a site just north east of Clane and for 333 houses just east of Clane in the region indicated for crossing the Liffey. There will be significant additional traffic congestion beyond current traffic levels should these estates be constructed before the Kildare-Meath Grid upgrade project.
• There is a strategic reservation for a river crossing to the east of Clane so any underground construction should be cognisant of potential for outer bypass of Clane and bridge over the Liffey.
• In cross-country sections it is important that biodiversity - in particular old-growth biodiversity and sites with ground nesting birds (especially waders such as Curlew and Lapwing) - should be protected where possible. There are fields with breeding Lapwing along the Blue route between Clane and Maynooth.