elphin local area plan 2009 - 2015 - Roscommon County Council

Chapter 4: Infrastructure and Services
4. INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICES
4.1 INTRODUCTION
Infrastructural development and investment is a vital component in ensuring sustainable development. The
country has experienced unprecedented growth and change with the resultant pressure on infrastructure,
including; energy resources, water, waste-water collection and treatment, solid waste recovery and
communications infrastructure. Please see Map 2 – Infrastructure and Services in Elphin, at the end of this
LAP.
4.2 ROADS AND TRANSPORTATION
4.2.1 Policy Context
The Council shall have regard to the infrastructure and transportation objectives of, amongst others:
• The National Development Plan, 2007-2013
• Transport 21, 2005
• National Spatial Strategy, 2002-2020
• Regional Planning Guidelines for the West, 2004-2016
• Roscommon County Development Plan, 2008-2014
National Policies
The National Development Plan 2007-2013 provides for an indicative investment of €183.7 billion in the
broad areas of infrastructure, enterprise, human capital and social inclusion. High level objectives and
investment priorities, especially in relation to economic infrastructure are outlined in Chapter 7 of the
NDP. The Plan’s main objective is to deliver a better quality of life for all within a strong and vibrant
economy, which maintains Ireland’s international competitiveness and promotes regional development,
social justice and environmental sustainability. Roscommon County Council shall strive to implement
infrastructural objectives as contained within the NDP.
Transport 21 (2005) identified a number of projects for County Roscommon including the improvement
of road links from Dublin to the West and Northwest by upgrading National Primary Routes (N4, N5, and
N6), the targeted improvement of National Secondary Routes which are particularly important for regional
development including the N61 and N60 and the development of a provincial bus service.
The National Spatial Strategy 2002-2020, Section 3.7 states that roads, public transport, energy and
communications can all have a spatial impact and can influence the location, timing and extent of
development. Other economic infrastructure such as water services, and waste and social infrastructure,
(i.e. schools, hospitals, bus stations, shops) are also needed to support balanced regional development.
The Department of Transport 2020 Vision – Sustainable Travel and Transport Public Consultation
Document (February 2008) describes the issues relating to sustainable travel and transport in Ireland
with the aim of engaging participation in a public consultation process, in order to develop a Sustainable
Travel and Transport Action Plan. The follow-up document, the Sustainable Travel and Transport
Action Plan-Response to Public Consultation (May 2008), makes a number of recommendations to
improve sustainable travel and transport in Ireland.
Elphin Local Area Plan 2009-2015 Page 17