Dublin residents appeal decision to put a toilet for bus drivers at entrance of their estate
Kingston Residents' Association have lodged an appeal with An Coimisiún Pleanála over concerns that the toilet adjacent to a bus stop on Brehon Field Road, Ballinteer, Dublin 16 will become 'a magnet for graffiti and anti-social behaviour'.
The' association, which represents approximately 270 households, claims the proposed self-cleansing unisex toilet must be rejected on aesthetic grounds.
Chairperson Ian Duckenfield said they understood Dublin Bus was considering new bus routes and timetables, and believed some new arrangement could be found 'which does away with the requirement for a WC at the entrance to our estate'.
Kingston Residents' Association said it fully appreciated that bus drivers must have proper welfare facilities but stressed that it must not be 'at the expense of residents'.
It claimed sewage and electricity connections would be easier and cheaper if the toilet was located on the other side of the road as that is where buses stop at the end of a journey and drivers would not have to cross the road to access the facility.
Dublin Bus had originally proposed that the toilet would be located further east on the same side of Brehon Field Road, but planners with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council asked the company to review the location over landscaping concerns.
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Dublin Bus said it had examined four alternative locations on Brehon Field Road to the current proposal, including near a bus stop on the other side of the road which was deemed 'unsuitable' due to a lack of space as a result of a cycle path.
The company said a grass area on Kingston Drive was also discounted because of its high visual impact on residents of the estate. Dublin Bus said the proposed site was considered 'the best location for the purpose'.
It added: 'The closeness to the existing bus shelter contributes to reduce the visual impact notably.'
The company observed there was a pedestrian crossing 50 metres from the bus stops which provided a perfect connection to the bus terminus. It claimed the installation of self-cleaning, standalone toilets has been assessed as the most sensible option.
Dublin Bus said a failure to deliver welfare facilities for drivers would have an evident negative impact on a group of people who provide an essential public service. It also said that passengers could experience delays if there were no facilities provided.
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council said a staff toilet may be approved following a greenlight from the relevant planning authorities and standards. It stressed that the facility in Ballinteer would not be publicly accessible.
The National Transport Authority, which is overseeing the BusConnects programme across Dublin, said a key element was a significant expansion of the bus network with new and more frequent services.
Among the expansion plans, it is understood, up to 15 staff toilets will be placed at the last stop for routes in the Limekiln, Swords, Seán Moore Road, Ballycullen, Tallaght and Citywest areas of Dublin.
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