17th Oct 2022
Dear Minister Ryan,
I am emailing you in relation to the M1 interchange in Santry. It is very dangerous for pedestrians and there have already been multiple accidents. How can we encourage active travel in our community when it is divided by an impassable roadway? Many parents cannot even allow kids walk to school as they are afraid for their lives as a result of the dangers posed to them when trying to cross at this interchange?
This location is directly above the entrance to the Dublin Port Tunnel which cost €750m, and the fact that there has been no investment on improving pedestrian safety at this roundabout since the opening of the Dublin Port Tunnel in 2006 is very concerning. In today’s money, we could expect the port tunnel would possibly cost upwards of €1Bn so we should expect better for the Santry Community and others who are trying to cross the road from either side of our community on foot or by bicycle. I am sure you can understand the concerns, we the people of Santry have regarding this considering, as a cyclist yourself you appreciate the benefits of active travel. Furthermore, you are our Minister of Transport and this major issue with transport infrastructure in our community needs to be given the attention it deserves.
I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to our community, to witness in person the difficulty being faced on a daily basis during rush hour traffic at the M1 interchange in Santry. I must also point out that the difficulty in crossing this road dramatically increases for those with reduced mobility, or who are pushing a pram whilst crossing. I would be obliged also if you can arrange for a member of the transport dept. to meet with residents as soon as reasonably practicable. I have been made aware that funding from the NTA is available for the purpose of upgrading this interchange, but due to the fact the interchange is divided by Fingal and Dublin City administration area, it has been difficult to make any progress on the matter. I look forward to a response from you at your soonest convenience. Many thanks.
Yours sincerely,
Ian Croft
Chairman, Santry Tidy Towns
