The board of the National Transport Authority (NTA) has approved a proposed settlement to halt legal action taken against its planned BusConnects corridor from Swords to Dublin city centre.
The NTA would not disclose the terms of the settlement, but the board’s approval raises hopes judicial review proceedings will be dropped to allow construction of the 12km route granted planning permission more than a year ago.
The Swords corridor is one of 12 segregated bus routes to be built as part of the €4 billion scheme to transform the capital’s bus services.
The planned route runs from the south side of Swords town in north Dublin, past Dublin Airport and through Santry along the Swords Road, then along the Drumcondra Road and Dorset Street to the top of O’Connell Street and Parnell Square.
The NTA secured permission from An Bord Pleanála for the route in June of last year, but judicial review proceedings against the board’s decision were initiated in August by two separate parties: owners of a business park near the airport and a veterinary practice south of Swords.
The cases have not yet been heard in the High Court but in their submissions to An Bord Pleanála both Brendan Collins, of Collinstown Business Park, and Conor O’Scanaill, of O’Scanaill Veterinary Surgeons, raised concerns about the effect the bus corridor would have on their properties.
Minutes of a recent NTA board meeting show details of a “settlement proposal” were presented to the board by interim NTA chief executive Hugh Creegan.
“Following the overview provided, the board approved the terms of the proposed agreement to settle the particular judicial reviews proceedings being taken in relation to the Swords to City Centre Core Bus Corridor scheme,” the minutes state.
This is the first settlement approved by the board in an effort to bring an end to legal action taken against one of the bus corridor schemes.
Of the 12 corridors, judicial review proceedings have been taken in relation to seven, the corridors from Swords, Clongriffin, Belfield/Blackrock, Blanchardstown, Templeogue/Rathfarnham, Bray and Kimmage.
The other five now have “full” planning permission as the time frame by which they could be challenged in the courts has expired. These are the routes from Ballymun/Finglas, Liffey Valley, Ringsend, Tallaght/Clondalkin and Lucan.
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Green Party transport spokesman Feljin Jose said the delays caused by the judicial reviews were extremely concerning.
“The NTA has to build three of these at the same time over the next four to five years to get this done this side of 2035. Seven out of the 12 approved corridors in judicial review is not a good return rate and will add at least a year, maybe up to two years, delay.”
The settlement of the Swords cases would be a win for Dubliners, he said.
“Without knowing the details of the settlement I can only say it’s good news if the cases are dropped and the quicker we can get this done and have bus priority and improved cycling and pedestrian infrastructure.”
The plaintiffs and their legal representatives declined to comment on the settlement agreement.
A spokeswoman for the NTA said it could not comment on the details of the proposed agreement “other than to acknowledge that the board approved the terms of the agreement at the June board” meeting.
Construction of the first core bus corridor from Liffey Valley to the city centre is due to begin next month.