Proposed through road at Rathbride Abbey

rathbride resident

Rathbride Ranger wrote: »

Think of it guys "profit before people" Councilor Doyle would surely support that! We could set up the Rathbride road Chamber of commerce, us and her.

Speaking of Chamber of Commerce. This is not the first time Suzanne Doyle has made very mad decisions and wasted tax payers money! How much did we pay for the crib in the middle of the town Suzanne? €20,000! and how long did it last for Suzanne?? 2 years before it was put in storage! and who's paying for the storage fees Suzanne? Us! Another one of your bright ideas. Face it, you make bad decisions and waste tax payers hard earned money. You shouldn't be allowed out of the house never mind into a town planning office!

It also worries me that someone owning a creche has very little regard for the welfare and safety of young children! But sure what's a few lives lost when there is a lot of money to be gained by you.

Irish Fire

rathbride resident wrote: »

Speaking of Chamber of Commerce. This is not the first time Suzanne Doyle has made very mad decisions and wasted tax payers money! How much did we pay for the crib in the middle of the town Suzanne? €20,000! and how long did it last for Suzanne?? 2 years before it was put in storage! and who's paying for the storage fees Suzanne? Us! Another one of your bright ideas. Face it, you make bad decisions and waste tax payers hard earned money. You shouldn't be allowed out of the house never mind into a town planning office!

It also worries me that someone owning a creche has very little regard for the welfare and safety of young children! But sure what's a few lives lost when there is a lot of money to be gained by you.

Ah bright ideas…. but are they bright beginnings……

I think not.... bones of 2,000 cars a day to drop kids to school and if and when the 2,500 houses go ahead with an average of 2 cars per house (approx 5000 cars). That's a minimum of 7,000 cars a day and that's not taking into account the extra local traffic i.e. trucks, buses and cars, that's nearly 10,000 YES 10,000 cars vans buses and trucks A DAY!!!!!!

The end of the world as we know it is coming down the tracks folks....... OH wait..... its not on near the tracks is it 'cause the council won't touch that area will it.......... Sort the god damm bridges out and there wont be any problems!!!!!!

tcif

rathbride resident wrote: »

This link road is massively beneficial to Suzanne Doyle's Montessori and Creche financially.

The Code of Conduct for Councillors (Local Govt. Act 2001) states the following:

"3. Conflict of personal and public interest
3.1 The Act prohibits a councillor from influencing or seeking to influence a decision of a local authority in any matter with which the local authority is concerned in the performance of its functions and in which, or related to which, the councillor has actual knowledge that s/he or a connected person has a pecuniary or other beneficial interest."

Leaving aside incompetency (like the 20,000 crib) do we have a situation here where the Council acted improperly in permitting Councillor Doyle to attend or have any input to the relevant meetings? If so, can their attempt to act on the decisions of those meetings, and implement the road, be valid?

There are regulations for Standards in Public Office that maybe we should be looking more closely at. The Councillors Conduct is at http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/LocalGovernment/Administration/FileDownLoad,1956,en.pdf and in itself probably raises a few more questions.

Irish Fire

tcif wrote: »

The Code of Conduct for Councillors (Local Govt. Act 2001) states the following:

"3. Conflict of personal and public interest
3.1 The Act prohibits a councillor from influencing or seeking to influence a decision of a local authority in any matter with which the local authority is concerned in the performance of its functions and in which, or related to which, the councillor has actual knowledge that s/he or a connected person has a pecuniary or other beneficial interest."

Leaving aside incompetency (like the 20,000 crib) do we have a situation here where the Council acted improperly in permitting Councillor Doyle to attend or have any input to the relevant meetings? If so, can their attempt to act on the decisions of those meetings, and implement the road, be valid?

There are regulations for Standards in Public Office that maybe we should be looking more closely at. The Councillors Conduct is at http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/LocalGovernment/Administration/FileDownLoad,1956,en.pdf and in itself probably raises a few more questions.

Hi tcif,

Fair point something to look at

NedNew2

Aodh Rua, it's blatantly obvious that the huge majority of people are against this and there are lots of suggestions of alterior motives and skull-duggery going on too.

What is clear iased on previous "ventures" undertaken by Kildare County Council is that bad situations are made worse (Just think of the crib expenditure wastage, traffic lights on bridges, street parking charges, proposed town traffic changes, road repairs, hard water water supply debacle, etc, etc).

The best thing KCC can do here is drop this ridiculous idea straight away. I'm not joking when I honestly believe Kildare Town would be a far better place to live and shop without KCC interference.

Of course KCC and/or councillors (who apparently represent local people!!) would never admit such projects as abject failures, would they?

Irish Fire

Local Area Plan Kildare

2.0 DEVELOPMENT POLICY
Access around the town
Traffic congestion within the town is concentrated on Main St. The Council will aim
to ensure the environment of the town centre is enhanced on completion of the
bypass by carrying out environmental improvement measures in the town centre
aimed at improving the environment for pedestrians and cyclists.
P2.5.2 It is the Policy of the Council to seek to improve residential amenity,
traffic flow and the provision of public transport in conjunction with the
Garda, local business interests and residents’ associations.
The basis of the Council’s roads policy will be to relieve traffic congestion in the town centre and minimise through traffic in residential estates. A new northern relief road, with a new railway crossing to the west of the town, is planned. This road is intended to bear the bulk of traffic generated by new residential development to the north of the town (and from Rathangan) and divert it to the motorway interchange with minimum interface with residential areas. Pending the completion of this road link, any proposed residential development will be restricted in accordance with the Action Area Plan as the necessary infrastructure must be in place before any major development.
The Council will continue to monitor traffic levels after completion of the motorway.
Network and junction improvements and traffic management measures will be
undertaken as required

tcif

Irish Fire wrote: »

The basis of the Council’s roads policy will be to relieve traffic congestion in the town centre and minimise through traffic in residential estates.

So the approved Area Plan means nothing to them and they're just making it up as they go to suit themselves....it would be funny if it weren't so serious! On the up side, surely the more established procedures and plans they flout the more that works in our favour for stopping this crazy idea dead in its tracks.

Irish Fire

Thinking about going forward for the next County Council elections....... Wonder how many votes in the Rathbride/Dunmurray area Tony and Suzanne would loose??

Mum2007

Irish Fire wrote: »

Thinking about going forward for the next County Council elections....... Wonder how many votes in the Rathbride/Dunmurray area Tony and Suzanne would loose??

I'd imagine they'll lose a lot of votes. After speaking to so many residents over the last few weeks in the area they won't be getting a single vote from our area! They dont deserve any either!

tcif

Mum2007 wrote: »

I'd imagine they'll lose a lot of votes. After speaking to so many residents over the last few weeks in the area they won't be getting a single vote from our area! They dont deserve any either!

And now we're talking a language councillors and politicians will understand. If you take all the residents that will be adversely affected by this road that translates into a large body of votes and this is valuable currency. We need to ensure every councillor and politician in the constituency understands that these votes will be cast and will go against anyone advocating or supporting this road. Every time every one of leaves the estate to go polling at any point in the future, we leave on the road they want to pillage from us and I, for one, am prepared to have a very long memory on this.

rathbride resident

I spoke to a friend/colleague today and he explained how well a through road in his estate worked when one was opened up 2 years ago.

Within the first month 4 house were broken into ( which had never happened before in their quiet estate).

Cars belonging to the residents of the estate were stolen and vandalised

One afternoon 4 lads opened his neighbours front door while they were having dinner and walked straight in and demanded cash and jewelry and used the new access road to get away.

4mths in and a 6 year old boy was knocked down while cycling his bike. The boy was fine and admittedly had very little road sense, but what chance did he have with the volume of traffic on his doorstep?

The anti social behaviour including vandalism and house theft has increased 10 fold in the last 2 years in this estate.

rathbridemum

rathbride resident wrote: »

I spoke to a friend/colleague today and he explained how well a through road in his estate worked when one was opened up 2 years ago.

Within the first month 4 house were broken into ( which had never happened before in their quiet estate).

Cars belonging to the residents of the estate were stolen and vandalised

One afternoon 4 lads opened his neighbours front door while they were having dinner and walked straight in and demanded cash and jewelry and used the new access road to get away.

4mths in and a 6 year old boy was knocked down while cycling his bike. The boy was fine and admittedly had very little road sense, but what chance did he have with the volume of traffic on his doorstep?

The anti social behaviour including vandalism and house theft has increased 10 fold in the last 2 years in this estate.

That is exactly what will happen here apart from the huge safety issues with regards to our children, which is my biggest concern, we will be completey opened up and exposed for ALL types of crime, and there will be a fine RUNWAY for thieves etc. to escape on. I would love to know who were the ones who said that the "through road worked very well" because I am sure it would not have been a resident.

Anyone who comes to my door looking for votes in the upcoming election should be prepared that if any of them support this proposed "Rat Run" or "Death Trap" they will never get a vote from me now, or in the future.

Irish Fire

We need a strong show of support at this meeting folks, after all it's YOUR home!!!!!!

Irish Fire

Am I the only one wondering why the councillor that started this thread when asked to nail his colours to the mast hasn't done so??

EvilMonkey

rathbride resident wrote: »

I spoke to a friend/colleague today and he explained how well a through road in his estate worked when one was opened up 2 years ago.

Within the first month 4 house were broken into ( which had never happened before in their quiet estate).

Cars belonging to the residents of the estate were stolen and vandalised

One afternoon 4 lads opened his neighbours front door while they were having dinner and walked straight in and demanded cash and jewelry and used the new access road to get away.

4mths in and a 6 year old boy was knocked down while cycling his bike. The boy was fine and admittedly had very little road sense, but what chance did he have with the volume of traffic on his doorstep?

The anti social behaviour including vandalism and house theft has increased 10 fold in the last 2 years in this estate.

Lol You serious? You have every right to be against the road but don't spread FUD.

Next you will be saying it wall cause unemployment and €1 minimum wage :rolleyes:

rathbridemum

EvilMonkey wrote: »

Lol You serious? You have every right to be against the road but don't spread FUD.

Next you will be saying it wall cause unemployment and €1 minimum wage :rolleyes:

The Council's proposal is what is causing Fear Uncertainty and Doubt! As far as causing unemployment and driving down the minimmum wage, our government and our politicians have excelled at that.

So well you might LOL, you are obviously not a resident of any of the affected area's. It is a huge worry for all of us affected and it is fact that the crime increases around open areas.

aodh_rua

Irish Fire wrote: »

Am I the only one wondering why the councillor that started this thread when asked to nail his colours to the mast hasn't done so??

I've stated already that I believe that a link road is needed in the town, but that there are issues with the plan currently on the table. I have offered to meet with a delegation emerging from the meeting on the 27th or attend a future residents meeting to listen to your issues, and to see if there are reasonable steps that can be taken to address reasonable concerns.

Rathbride Ranger

You have indeed stated that the road is needed in the town, why? To relieve traffic pressure in the town, what does that mean for Dunmurry Rise and Rathbridey Abbey? MORE TRAFFIC! That is something that we as residents do not need or want!

The reason we do not need it is for the safety of our children and for the effect it will have on the value of our already devalued homes!

Come back on here and tell me that they are not reasonable concerns, or better again come on and tell me you're reasonable reasons for wanting the link road.

Is it a case of you fighting for political survival because you and every other councillor got it so wrong in terms of the school being built at its present location and now you are trying to pull a rabbit out of a hat, a quick fix, get the traffic problem away from the school.

It is ill thought out, another example of KCC making a bad situation worse.

If I were you I would start counting the houses in the area, start counting the occupants of voting age in those houses, do the multiplication and you have your answer, NUMBER OF VOTES LOST

So Link road = Political suicide.

tcif

aodh_rua wrote: »

I've stated already that I believe that a link road is needed in the town, but that there are issues with the plan currently on the table. I have offered to meet with a delegation emerging from the meeting on the 27th or attend a future residents meeting to listen to your issues, and to see if there are reasonable steps that can be taken to address reasonable concerns.

And whose definition of "reasonable" are we talking about here????? Speaking of definitions, when we say "No road" what part of "No" are you having difficulty with? As for "..listen to your issues, and to see if there are reasonable steps that can be taken to address reasonable concerns" - you talk as if this is a done deal, like you've already decided about the road but you're open to tinkering around the edges. Well, newsflash! We've decided too, and we've decided it's not coming through our estate.

Irish Fire

aodh_rua wrote: »

I've stated already that I believe that a link road is needed in the town, but that there are issues with the plan currently on the table. I have offered to meet with a delegation emerging from the meeting on the 27th or attend a future residents meeting to listen to your issues, and to see if there are reasonable steps that can be taken to address reasonable concerns.

To be fair yes you have said that but you also said that you didn't want it to become a rat run through a housing estate, we as residents know that it will. It is beyond belief that the council would perfer to save a few bob on a proper link road and risk the lives of our kids!!!!

So on that note are we getting your support to object to this road??

Irish Fire

tcif wrote: »

And whose definition of "reasonable" are we talking about here????? Speaking of definitions, when we say "No road" what part of "No" are you having difficulty with? As for "..listen to your issues, and to see if there are reasonable steps that can be taken to address reasonable concerns" - you talk as if this is a done deal, like you've already decided about the road but you're open to tinkering around the edges. Well, newsflash! We've decided too, and we've decided it's not coming through our estate.

Bloody right it's not!!!!!!

rathbridemum

aodh_rua wrote: »

I've stated already that I believe that a link road is needed in the town, but that there are issues with the plan currently on the table. I have offered to meet with a delegation emerging from the meeting on the 27th or attend a future residents meeting to listen to your issues, and to see if there are reasonable steps that can be taken to address reasonable concerns.

I find it insulting that you say you would be happy to meet with the residents to discuss reasonable concerns, Every concern stated by people on this forum are more than reasonable. You make it sound like you will meet with the residents to come to a compromise, well as said before there will be NO COMPROMISE! we the residents are saying "NO ROAD".

If I was to sit back and let this happen I would deserve to be locked up as an unfit mother, for exposing my children to such Danger, and my friends and neighbours feel exactly the same.

Look deep inside yourself counciller and ask yourself this, If it was your estate, that the road was proposed to run through, would you not feel exactly as we feel? Would you not worry about the safety of your children and the quality of their lives? Would you not feel sickened that the house that you paid way over the odds for would soon be worthless and because of the state of the economy you knew your were stuck here that you could not afford to move? Would you still honestley believe that a link road was needed??

Irish Fire

Hi Folks,

This is a Facebook page that has been around for a while, if your from Rathbride please join......

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/group.php?gid=145182284134

gealach gorm

I'm a resident of Rathbride Demesne (at the back of Rathbride Abbey). Every evening a large number of youths congregate at the entrance to Rathbride Demesne. The entrance to Rathbride Demesne is constantly littered and there is graffiti on the walls near the entrance, making the place look like a ghetto on first view. There has been much anti social behaviour at this entrance in the past couple of years including the repeated burning down of out buildings. Various measures by the residents has failed to prevent this anti social behaviour.
It is my opinion that a through road would put an end to these anti social actions and would certainly not cause a decrease in our homes values. For the residents of Rathbride Demesne this road may be the cure to this scourge that has plagued us for a number of years now.

I understand people may have safety concerns, however i believe if appropriate measures can be implemented then those concerns could be alleviated.

Irish Fire

gealach gorm wrote: »

I'm a resident of Rathbride Demesne (at the back of Rathbride Abbey). Every evening a large number of youths congregate at the entrance to Rathbride Demesne. The entrance to Rathbride Demesne is constantly littered and there is graffiti on the walls near the entrance, making the place look like a ghetto on first view. There has been much anti social behaviour at this entrance in the past couple of years including the repeated burning down of out buildings. Various measures by the residents has failed to prevent this anti social behaviour.
It is my opinion that a through road would put an end to these anti social actions and would certainly not cause a decrease in our homes values. For the residents of Rathbride Demesne this road may be the cure to this scourge that has plagued us for a number of years now.

I understand people may have safety concerns, however i believe if appropriate measures can be implemented then those concerns could be alleviated.

While I understand your frustration with the anti social behaviour I do feel that while the through road may some what reduce the issue will not stop it completely.

Can I ask what measures you have taken to try to stop the anti social behaviour? Please understand I do not mean to sound smart when I ask this.

You also have to remember that the council are proposing this road as the northern link road instead of going ahead with what is meant to be the northern link road further out on the Curragh.

And to quote Tony O’Donnell in his opening post “The Council has just published a proposal for a through road at Rathbride Abbey, Kildare Town that will link the Dunmurry and Rathbride roads (including access to the new school).” Now if this road is for a link road to the school why put it in when the current entrance is only to be used for 5 years from start of building works? He has also stated that they are using this road as the new link road to save money, the only safety measures are on the section they are installing and to top it all off they don’t by their own admission have control of the road as the builder still owns it and therefore they are not responsible for it, basically what this means is if potholes start appearing in the roads they won’t repair them!!! These are just a few points about this project and I would ask you to have a good look at this proposal as the majority of residents would tend to disagree with you.

tcif

gealach gorm wrote: »

For the residents of Rathbride Demesne this road may be the cure to this scourge that has plagued us for a number of years now.

I would hate to be living beside what you're describing and I can understand your desire to try anything that might alleviate the situation you're in. You say the road "may be" a cure, but it also may not and I'm of the opinion, as others seem to be, that it will bring a whole other set of scourges down on all of us with it. And there is no going back once it's in place.

As Irish Fire said in the previous post, the scale of what KCC intends has to be considered. It's not just a through road that may draw a little extra local traffic. It's the northern link for the entire town and all the traffic that implies. The scale is huge and will irrevocably change the Rathbride community for the worse.

An answer to the anti-social behaviour has to be found, but this isn't it.

rathbridemum

gealach gorm wrote: »

I'm a resident of Rathbride Demesne (at the back of Rathbride Abbey). Every evening a large number of youths congregate at the entrance to Rathbride Demesne. The entrance to Rathbride Demesne is constantly littered and there is graffiti on the walls near the entrance, making the place look like a ghetto on first view. There has been much anti social behaviour at this entrance in the past couple of years including the repeated burning down of out buildings. Various measures by the residents has failed to prevent this anti social behaviour.
It is my opinion that a through road would put an end to these anti social actions and would certainly not cause a decrease in our homes values. For the residents of Rathbride Demesne this road may be the cure to this scourge that has plagued us for a number of years now.

I understand people may have safety concerns, however i believe if appropriate measures can be implemented then those concerns could be alleviated.

I have only heard recently of problems with anti social behaviour in the demesne, and no doubt it is very distressing, I have experienced some of this myself in the past at a previous address, these issues can be dealt with. I do not think that a new road will do anything to solve this problem. This proposed road is a REGIONAL road, not just a road to facilitate a few school children! Do you really think that HGV's, buses and not to mention Boy racers thundering down the road day and night would change anything. I think it would only add to the problems. Two wrongs have never made right. The safety and lives of the children in rathbride demesne, rathbride abbey, rathbride close etc have to be the main concern in all of this.

Mum2007

gealach gorm wrote: »

I'm a resident of Rathbride Demesne (at the back of Rathbride Abbey). Every evening a large number of youths congregate at the entrance to Rathbride Demesne. The entrance to Rathbride Demesne is constantly littered and there is graffiti on the walls near the entrance, making the place look like a ghetto on first view. There has been much anti social behaviour at this entrance in the past couple of years including the repeated burningI down of out buildings. Various measures by the residents has failed to prevent this anti social behaviour.
It is my opinion that a through road would put an end to these anti social actions and would certainly not cause a decrease in our homes values. For the residents of Rathbride Demesne this road may be the cure to this scourge that has plagued us for a number of years now.

I understand people may have safety concerns, however i believe if appropriate measures can be implemented then those concerns could be alleviated.

My house backs onto Rathbride Demesne, so I am fully aware of the anti social behaviour in your estate as we have experienced it too. I don't see how a through road will discourage youths from congregating and causing graffti at the entrance of your estate? Youth will always congregate so by having a through road through our estate will only encourage more youths to pass through the estate in the evening.

Irish Fire

Great Meeting.... Great Turnout...... Good to see that people DO care what happens.

tcif

Looking at the Minutes section of the Council site, for Kildare town meetings, I could find minutes for 2010 only, and then only Jan, Feb,Mar,Apr,Jun and Jul. The first, and only, mention of Rathbride and a road is in the July minutes and is

"Could the committee have a progress report on the TMP for Kildare town and the completion of the connector road between Rathbride Road and Dunmurray Road?"

Asking for a progress report says this was already in motion and I would like to see the minutes of the previous meetings where this was proposed and discussed. Does anyone know where these may be? Aodh_rua??