Concerns about trees to be cut down in bus project

CONCERNS have been raised about the number of trees to be felled along the route of Dublin’s massive bus upgrade project.

The National Transport Authority plans to develop 16 bus routes and to expand roads to make way for more bus and cycle lanes. These routes will include Ballymun to the city centre, Finglas to Phibsborough and Blanchardstown to the city centre.

But the development has attracted a backlash over the removal or reduction of front gardens and parking spaces that will be required by the project.

Groups have now raised concerns about the trees that will be cut down along the expanded bus corridors.

Tree Council of Ireland president Joseph McConville said Ireland was already behind other European countries in terms of tree cover: ‘Our general policy would be that we would not favour any projects of any description that reduce the canopy cover. The amount of cover that we have that’s trees is much less than it should be. We have somewhere around 7% compared to European countries that have 30%.’

The NTA has committed to replanting trees along the routes. Its plan states: ‘Where trees are removed from roadsides and footpaths, we will put in place a comprehensive replanting programme and where it is feasible, plant them as close as possible to the original locations.’

However, Diarmuid McAree, director of Crann Trees for Ireland, wants this stepped up, with 10 trees replanted for each one felled, which he said would require considerable effort. ‘If you have to replant, you have to prepare the ground properly and ensure you have the right tree at the right height and the right species.’