These submissions highlight how, at East Wall, the effects of this project will be long lasting and have devastating consequences for the community’s residents. Issues of main concern relate to air pollution, access, noise, vibrations and a constant stream of traffic carrying over a million cubic metres of spoil through a quiet and settled community with many older residents. The unfairness of this proposal and lack of consideration for East Wall has galvanised the whole community to action.
Angela Broderick, Vice Chairman of local action group; Protect East Wall, a sub committee of the East Wall Residents’ Association said that the community is not “against Dart Underground in principle but it is obvious that the badly planned proposal has not taken in to consideration the impact of Dart Underground on this residential community. Why should all tunnelling start from East Wall? Why Should East Wall experience the removal of all tunnelling spoil? And why wasn’t East Wall properly consulted?”
The Protect East Wall submission has outlined many weaknesses and omissions in the Iarnród Eireann proposal.
Initially, the proposal envisaged tunnelling to commence at both East Wall and Inchicore; however, following an intense media campaign from ‘Inchicore on Track’ before the publication of the railway order, this proposal was overturned and perversely, tunnelling will now only be carried out only at East Wall. The residents of East Wall cannot understand why this decision was made. East Wall, a vibrant and settled community should not have to bear the full impact of tunnelling and construction works which will negatively impact on a whole generation of East Wallers!
Summary of Issues:
Problems
1. Tunnelling will only be carried out at East Wall and all spoil to be removed via East Wall.
2. Mitigation measures are inadequate for vibrations, noise and air pollution
3. Full impact of construction but no benefits to East Wall
Solutions
1. East Wall will share tunnelling with Inchicore
2. Proper mitigation measures to be agreed on, in consultation with the community
3. A station for East Wall or easy access to a station.