Latest news with #WicklowCountyCouncil
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Times
LGBTQ+ inclusivity: Plan for effective removal of rainbow pedestrian crossing leads to official clash
Plans by Wicklow County Council for the effective removal of the State's first rainbow pedestrian crossing have led to a clash between the council and the Department of Transport. Rainbow crossings, which feature rainbow colours painted each side of a pedestrian crossing, are designed to signal inclusivity and respect for diversity, particularly to members of the LGBTQ+ community. Wicklow County Council's Arklow Municipal District was the first local authority in the State to install a permanent rainbow crossing. The rainbow colours were painted on either side of the white lines of a pedestrian crossing on Arklow's Main Street in December 2021. Stakeholders and vulnerable road users such as visually impaired advocacy group the NCBI were consulted on the design. However, in May, members of the municipal council were told the colours would be allowed to wear away. READ MORE The council said it was 'not in a position to refresh the paint, having regard to current legislation'. The council said 'pedestrian crossings are regulatory road markings, and as such, it is not open to Wicklow County Council to ignore the detailed specifications set out'. Asked what specifically has changed in legislation since the rainbow crossing was installed, the council told The Irish Times: 'All road markings are undertaken in accordance with the Traffic Signs Manual (updated December 2024). This manual, published by the Department of Transport , constitutes a direction given by the Minister of Transport to Road Authorities under Section 95 (16) of the Road Traffic Act 1961 in relation to the provision of traffic signs.' However, the Department of Transport responded that the only change made to the Traffic Signals Manual since 2021, which updated the manual in 2024, was in relation to the use of orange flashing lights, known as Belisha beacons. The beacons require electricity and more complex installation, making them more expensive than signage. The update said the beacons could be replaced by signage, but was silent on the installation of rainbow crossings. [ A quarter of major US corporate backers pull out of Dublin Pride over Trump fears Opens in new window ] The council also appeared to clash with a response from Minister for Transport Darragh O'Brien 's office, which said: 'At present, the department does not intend to revise the guidance in relation to the current layout and road markings for pedestrian crossings, guidance which was in place at the time of first installation of the crossing [in Arklow] in question.' In a Dáil reply to Wicklow Wexford Fianna Fáil TD Malcolm Byrne, Minister for State at the Department of Transport Sean Canny said rainbow crossings 'are installed at the discretion of the individual local authority'. Arklow based film-maker Dave Thomas, who campaigned for the installation of the rainbow crossing, said the council 'wrongly cited legislation as the reason – yet the Minister for Transport has confirmed the same legislation that permitted the crossing in 2021 still stands today. The NCBI have also clarified they have no issue with such crossings if guidelines are followed.' He said it was 'appalling' and 'deeply hurtful' that Wicklow County Council 'would announce this at the start of Pride Month'.
Irish Independent
2 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Dart to Wicklow town project's ever-expanding timeframe raises transparency questions
In 2019, it was announced that the Dart for Wicklow town would be operational by 2023-2024. Timeframes for 2025 and 2026 were also announced, but were subsequently rowed back on. Now it has been revealed that the long-promised Dart service has been delayed again and pushed back to 2030. Reacting to the latest set-back, the cathaoirleach of Wicklow Municipal District, Cllr Graham Richmond said local representatives are being left in an impossible situation with the constant changes to the delivery timeframe. He said: 'At this stage the NTA are making local representatives look like fools. We are not being kept properly informed by the NTA, who will be delivering the project. We are provided with timeframes, which we pass on in good faith, only for the NTA to change the timeframe again and again, and make us look like fools. The NTA has to be held accountable. 'Wicklow County Council organised a meeting with the NTA at last year's monthly meeting in October, and promised timely replies to any questions emailed on to them afterwards. I know Wicklow Municipal District has three outstanding emails set to the NTA which have never been responded to, and in all my dealings with the NTA I have never received a response. 'The NTA just can't be trusted and the people who miss out the most on these constantly changing timeframes are the commuting population of Wicklow town.' Deputy John Brady has described the latest setback as 'simply not good enough' and has urged the Transport Minister to 'get a grasp on this situation'. 'People in Wicklow town have been strung along for years with broken promises about the DART coming to the area. First it was 2023, then it was pushed back several times, and now they are saying it will be at least 2030. This is simply unacceptable,' he said. 'Meanwhile, existing services are packed to the brim. Commuters are forced to stand for long journeys in crowded carriages with irregular and infrequent services. It is completely unsustainable for people going to work, students going to college, and those trying to get to hospital appointments. 'Commuters in Wicklow town and surrounding areas are being failed, day in day out. Despite the increase in population in the area, the infrastructure has not been developed to meet the need. This cannot be allowed to continue. We need proper investment in our rail network, we need additional capacity now – not in years to come.' Cllr Gail Dunne stated: 'This is simply not good enough and our growing town ad its commuters deserve so much better. Where are the Wicklow TDs on this, and where is Simon Harris, the Tánaiste no less, when real investment is needed in his own county? The people of Wicklow are being left behind while empty promises stack up. I'll keep fighting for proper infrastructure, with no more delays.'
Irish Independent
2 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Pride crossing repainting debate rages on in Wicklow as district liaises on alternatives
At their May meeting, local councillors were informed by district staff that the Main Street crossing would not be refreshed after they received a correspondence wherein the position of Wicklow County Council was made clear, in that crossings would not be maintained because they 'do not comply with guidelines that he department has issued to us around crossings'. In response, local filmmaker and Wicklow Pride co-founder Dave Thomas, whose campaigning created the crossing in 2021, held a protest rally at the Arklow Bandstand, which was attended by nine people (including Wicklow-Wexford TD Malcolm Byrne) and aimed to highlight 'the lies behind Wicklow County Council and Arklow Municipal District's decision to remove the rainbow crossing'. Convening for their June meeting, Arklow councillors were informed by district administrator Alvina Brehony that they had received correspondence related to the Pride crossing demonstration, and explained that staff have discussed alternative ideas proposed by the Wicklow Pride committee. 'We have been liaising with the Wicklow Pride Committee with regards to other options, and they have come back to us with a couple of ideas, and we are exploring them,' Ms Brehony said. 'They met us last Thursday night, just so you know where we are at with this. Hopefully, the ideas they came back with will be acceptable to the members going forward.' Commenting on the correspondence, Cllr Leonard said that she wasn't at the rally, but had explained to Mr Thomas that it was due to a scheduling conflict, before stating her desire to see the reinstatement of Arklow's Pride crossing, which was the first permanent crossing of its kind in the Republic of Ireland. 'I think, if it hadn't been put it at all, it would be a different ballgame altogether, but we did put it in, and the message it sent has really affected a lot of people, not just the person that wrote that letter – it has impacted that community right across the board,' Leonard said. 'I think it's insensitive and verging on cruel to reverse something that a lot of thought and effort went into installing in the first place. 'I'm 100pc supportive of Dave, and I would like to see it repainted. I think it's important because there are people in the LGBTQIA+ community who have lived their whole lives, I have friends who have lived their whole lives, hiding in the shadows and not being able to tell their own family members because they were embarrassed or ashamed or felt it wasn't acceptable in society. 'I thought we had really turned the corner, and for a bit of paint on a road that means so much to people, and not having to be afraid of being themselves and be accepted, and the community to be inclusive – I think this has turned into such a negative thing when it doesn't have to be. 'I don't know where it came from, or what committee this was discussed with, to decide not to replace it, whatever about them not going into the other MDs,' she added. 'I just like to know on what committee this decision emanated from?' Bringing the discussion to a close, Ms Brehony said that Pride crossings had been discussed at a plenary meeting and the decision was 'not to do them going forward as they are not in keeping with legislation', adding that, on the back of that decision, 'we did reach out to Pride committee to give us some guidance on other ways that we could represent the LGBTQIA+ community'.
Irish Independent
3 days ago
- General
- Irish Independent
Council clarifies which Wicklow piers permit jumping and diving
The local authority has advised that no swimming, diving or jumping is allowed in Greystones Harbour and Marina, which operates under the Greystones Harbour and Marine bye-laws 2014. Section 2.11 of these bye-laws explicitly states that 'in the interest of safety swimming and diving is prohibited within the breakwaters of Greystones Harbour and Marina', the council said. This regulation aims to ensure that 'swimmers do not obstruct navigational fairways and do not come in contact with moving vessels'. The only exceptions are special swimming regattas or training sessions, which must receive prior approval from the harbour master. In recent years, there have been multiple incidents where individuals have dived from the breakwaters directly in front of vessels entering or exiting the marina. Additionally, Wicklow County Council has received reports of people diving from the breakwaters and interfering with private vessels moored at the pontoons, as well as with safety equipment located there. Currently, Bray Harbour has no bye-laws in place, while Wicklow Harbour does have regulations, though none specifically address diving. Wicklow Harbour consists of a larger body compared to Greystones and has a dedicated swim area which is delineated by yellow marker buoys. Regulation 79 of the Wicklow Harbour bye-laws states that, 'no person shall fish from the end of the piers when there are swimming races in progress or when small open craft or yachts are approaching the ends of the piers'. Regulations 80 goes on to note that 'no person shall while within the harbour behave in a noisy or disorderly manner, or in any manner calculated to cause annoyance to other persons lawfully using or being within the harbour.' The council pointed out that there are various hazards associated with diving from breakwaters and piers in both regulated and unregulated harbours, including moving boats, marine wildlife, like seals and jellyfish, underwater obstructions and tides and strong currents 'It is the responsibility of all harbour users to behave sensibly and ensure their own safety and that of others,' Wicklow County Council concluded.
Irish Independent
5 days ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
Dart extension to Wicklow town pushed back to 2030
The National Transport Authority included the extension as part of their Greater Dublin Area Transport Strategy 2022-2042 that was adopted in 2023. An extension of the line to Wicklow town is currently under active review with battery-electric carriages, which are undergoing testing and expected to be used when the service begins operations. The line extension has been hit with many false starts in recent years. In 2019, it was announced that the Dart for Wicklow town would begin serving passengers by 2023-2024. Timeframes for 2025 and 2026 were also promised but were subsequently missed. In February 2025, representatives from Irish Rail met with members from the Transport, Infrastructure Delivery and Emergency Services, Strategic Policy Committee of Wicklow County Council where they were told that an hourly service would be introduced by the end of 2028. This follows a presentation from then NTA CEO Anne Graham and now interim chief Hugh Creegan to Wicklow County Council's monthly meeting in October of last year, confirming that the NTA are looking at a four-to-five-year timeframe to introduce the service. Now in a parliamentary update to Wicklow TDs John Brady and Jennifer Whitmore Transport Minister Darragh O'Brien confirmed that it won't be until the end of this decade when trains will begin carrying passengers on a more frequent basis. 'The new battery-electric Dart carriages will first be deployed from Dublin to Drogheda from next year. As more carriages arrive, it may be feasible to also deploy them to extend Dart services to and from Wicklow, subject to funding and approvals for the required charging infrastructure. The NTA is currently examining this issue with a view to progressing the extension around 2029.' he added.
