"Delays to public transport improvements not good enough" says Nash

It has been confirmed to local Labour TD, Ged Nash, that that the long-awaited draft Local Transport Plan for Drogheda won’t be completed until the middle of next year.  

Deputy Nash said "It's not good enough that people in areas like Donacarney and Mornington, and indeed across Drogheda, have to wait for basic public transport improvements and active travel measures, until this transport plan is done.

In response to deputy Nash’s Parliamentary Question, the National Transport Authority (NTA) said it had recently commenced work on a Local Transport Plan (LTP) for Drogheda in conjunction with Louth County Council and Meath County Council. 

However, deputy Nash said "Every time I make contact with either County Council, Bus Eireann or the NTA about extending the D4 and D5 to start at Donacarney, or about linking the area with the DETSS, or about providing Southgate with safe cycling routes and basic footpath infrastructure, or badly needed bus shelters, I'm told in effect that nothing will be done until this plan is completed.”

Nash was also informed by the NTA that “it is intended that public consultation on the Draft LTP will occur as part of the consultation for the ‘Draft of the statutory Coordinated Area Plan’ (formerly Joint Urban Area Plan), which is being prepared by the two local authorities in parallel with the LTP.” 

The Louth Labour TD shared the frustration of residents saying, "The Authority and both Councils need to get a move on”.

Deputy Nash added that it is “nearly ten years after the Boundary Review and seven years since its recommendation that there should be an overall Local Area Plan for South Drogheda and an integrated transport plan.” 

The Drogheda TD concluded saying “the people of this heavily built-up area are being taken for granted. It's simply not good enough."