Councillors criticised over lack of urgency to address traffic issues in Bray

By Hugh O'Farrell Walsh, The Wicklow People

District councillors in Bray have been criticised over a lack of urgency to address the growing traffic and transport issues affecting the town.

The Bray Municipal District Traffic and Transport Sub-committee was first proposed a year ago to provide a structured platform to “comprehensively examine traffic, transport and mobility challenges in Bray and to develop sustainable and innovative solutions for the future”.

The members include four Bray councillors, as well as the Bray Municipal District engineer and district administrator, a member of the Active Travel Section, a representative of Wicklow County Council Roads Section, and reps from An Garda Síochána, Iarnród Éireann and Dublin Bus.

The committee’s formation in January followed on from extensive lobbying and community engagement by, amongst others, the Alliance of Bray Residents Association to a district council meeting last October.

During their presentation campaign group members demanded immediate action to address the lack of traffic and mobility planning in the town.

At the end of the presentation, the alliance asked for a comprehensive traffic, transport and mobility study and the timeframe was one year which has now passed.

Members also laid out the two possible outcomes of action or inaction; the first lead to “a town that retained its identity and as a place to live and visit”.

The latter inaction outcome “leads us to a town that is hugely congested dormitory suburb of Dublin”.

Local Aontú representative Ciarán Hogan, who attended that meeting has now slammed the council for inaction on the one-year anniversary.

“At first we were promised a sub committee to investigate and produce a report, that committee stumbled at the first block when no one knew who was on it, or how to apply.

“That committee to my knowledge hasn't had one single meeting yet, hasn't produced a single report not even a study towards a report, hasn't advocated for any changes, hasn't made a plan, and most definitely not done anything to solve the traffic issues in Bray.”

Mr Hogan believes district officials should be taking more bold decisive steps that materially improving life in the town.

“If each person is slowed in traffic just 15 minutes each direction, that would mean we lose 31,250 productive hours lost in an academic year. That lost time is draining our town of its vibrancy and progress.”