Navan resident lodges submission over cycle lane plans for Limerick

A COUNCILLOR has asked how it's "fair" that "cycling lobbyists" outside Limerick can influence active travel measures they are not impacted by.

At a meeting of the Metropolitan District, Fine Gael's Sarah Kiely said she had seen a text message in relation to one of the city's planned schemes which will see the replacement of parts of a road with bike lanes.

She said it was "encouraging people from outside Limerick, all over Ireland - cycling lobbyists - to put in submissions."

Councillor Kiely did not name the scheme, but it's understood there is opposition from local residents to the plan in question.

She asked the council executive how submissions are dealt with.

"If I am living in Bellfield Gardens, Childers Road or South Circular Road, the impact on me is greater then the impact on someone from Navan - I've seen a submission in from Navan," she said.

"How is that fair that someone from Navan can put in an objection or submission or have a bearing on how an active travel proposal is implemented and executed here?

"We need to look at how we deal with submissions and how the public engagement piece is done," added the City East councillor.

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Local authority planner Barry Henn said in response: "I take your point about someone from Navan making a submission as opposed to someone from in the area. But what we have to do is summarise all submissions. If they raise a planning matter, we need to respond to that. There wouldn't be different weight if it were someone from Navan, or from the local area. The legislation sets out as long as it's a planning matter, we have to respond."

Councillor Kiely made the comments during a debate which ultimately saw the passing of the introduction of cycle lanes between the Technological University of the Shannon and the city centre.

But it was not this scheme she was referring to.