A residents group has accused Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) of “deliberately withholding information” from the public about a key piece of MetroLink infrastructure.
Griffith Avenue and District Residents Association in Dublin told An Bord Pleanála that it objects to the positioning of an intervention shaft for the metro on the grounds of Albert College Park.
Resident Una Caulfield claimed the shaft’s “large footprint” will impact the environment and nature of the park and deliver little or no benefit to the public.
Residents also claimed that TII’s public consultations did not meet the standards of existing environmental protections and the rights of public participation guaranteed by EU law and the Aarhus Convention.
They have accused TII of deliberately withholding information relating to the above-ground nature of the shaft and during the statutory consultation period in 2019.
“Every obstacle was placed in our way when we sought to obtain information on behalf of our residents,” Ms Caulfied said.
Emily Egan McGrath, Senior Counsel for TII, said extensive public consultations regarding the railway order have been conducted by the body, dismissing the allegations from residents as “without merit”.
“We believe that there was full compliance with the procedures of Aarhus,” Ms Egan Mc Grath said.
TII also said that any agreements reached with public bodies such as local authorities have been uploaded to the TII website.
Ms Egan McGrath said any agreements reached with other organisations and private individuals would require further consent from the other party to “consider what is appropriate”.
Residents said the location of MetroLink stations at Collins Avenue and Griffith Park will have major consequences for the local community.
“The permanent loss of a significant area of public parkland will have a significant adverse environmental effect for our residents. We are again asking for a station in this park and not a shaft.
“We do not feel present or future generations will thank us for allowing TII to put a concrete box and car park in our beautiful park instead of a station,” Una Caulfield said.
Noel Cowie, an engineer for TII, said the body has tried to keep the intervention shaft as small as possible.
He told inspectors that there are also significant differences between building a station in Albert College Park instead of a shaft.
TII claimed a “much bigger station” would take up more space in the park.
A station would impact the amenity of the park, there would be greater tree loss and a longer period of construction would be required to build a station.
Another residents group in Ballymun spoke of fears that their local church “will not survive” due to the planned construction of the MetroLink.
Albert College Residents Association asked TII to carefully study the area around Ballymun Road and ask themselves “does this look like a suitable place to construct the metro?”.
Under TII plans, a metro station will be built in front of the grounds of Our Lady of Victories Church in Ballymun, residents want the metro station moved 500m south to a location closer to DCU.
In a submission to An Bord Pleanála inspectors, resident of Albert College Estate Paul Cusack said the impact of the construction works on the church will result in the “congregation going elsewhere” for weddings, funerals and other church services.
“It [the church] will be gone forever,” Mr Cusack said, adding that elderly people, residents with special needs and children in the community would be adversely affected if TII goes ahead with construction around the church.
“It could be in a better location, the plans are at odds with the area itself,” Mr Cusack argued.
He outlined that there would be other consequences for members of the community, including restricted access to properties, a drop in car parking spaces, and excessive delays for motorists due to “gridlocked” traffic while construction is under way.
Albert College Residents and Ballymun Road North Residents said they are “sceptical” about the justifications given by TII for building the MetroLink station so close to the church.
“I don’t think [the plans] are fair, reasonable or necessary,” Mr Cusack said.
TII maintains that a station located close to the church is the best place to build the metro station because it will maximise the footfall of potential passengers.
TII also said the site offers the best interchange and connectivity options that reduce the overall total journey time for rail passengers.
Matt Foy, a traffic and transport expert on MetroLink for Jacobs engineers, gave a detailed breakdown of scientific modelling based on population numbers predicting the demand for the metro and forecasted trips people will take.
His analysis was based on NTA and local authority models and airport travel surveys among several other factors that were taken into consideration.
“We’ve got eyes and ears, we live there’’ Paul Cusack said, claiming that the projected numbers provided by TII don’t add up.
“The science is fantastic, but it doesn’t give us the feeling that this is the right thing to do,” he said.
Senior Associate Director Environment for Jacobs Dr Ronan Hallisey said “most of us don’t understand the modelling” which elicited a laugh from those attending the oral hearings.
However, he clarified that NRA tools were used to model correct and future projections of all traffic movements in the area.
The church campus which includes local schools and the church itself, later provided a written statement to An Bord Pleanála outlining its support for the rail project because its concerns have been satisfactorily addressed by TII.
