The new city in west Dublin will have a larger population than Galway, and will be completely car-free, according to proposed plans.

Dublin City Council and South Dublin Council have published their new City Edge Project. This project aims to introduce 40,000 homes across 700 hectares of industrial land across the Naas Road. The City Edge project will be a “zero-parking area” and a completely car-free development.

The projected 85,000 people will be expected to walk, cycle or use public transport throughout the City Edge Project. Apartment blocks will not be built with underground car parks, which was previously a requirement for many apartment building schemes.

This car-free area will require massive investments of public transport in areas around the Naas Road, Kylemore, Cherry Orchard, Red Cow and Greenhills.

Residents in the City Edge project will largely access the city centre through the Naas Road Economic Corridor, the Red Luas line, and the incoming BusConnect orbitual routes, according to plans.

The area will require the development of the Lucan Luas line, introduced in the Greater Dublin Area Transport Strategy. The plans also include the possibility of a new rail station at Kylemore, a new Luas stop on Naas Road. The Council also plans to implement a new Luas line to Kimmage.

Car-free future

There are currently 5,000 people in the proposed area. The first 3,500 homes are expected to be completed by 2030. The Council plans to develop the entire area over 50 years.

Dublin City Council will provide temporary multistorey car parks or “collective parking units” in the area as they build up the public transport in the area. These units will then be used for “other uses” once the City Edge goes car-free.

The car-free city will prioritise pedestrians, cycle-lanes and bus lanes. However, residents of the City Edge project will be able to opt in to a public car sharing scheme where they can rent cars by the hour. Cars will not be able to access the core areas of the city.

The neighbourhoods with the area would follow the “15-minute city” concept, allowing residents to access basic services such as shops and schools within a 15-minute walk or cycle.

A small amount of parking will be retained throughout the area to facilitate people with disabilities. But the Council envisages a “long-term transition to an overall car-free development as both the public transport offering and supporting services mature”.

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