Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications and Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan TD and Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government and Planning at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Peter Burke TD have unveiled a CPD training programme focused on the Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets (DMURS). 

Prof Feely addressing attendees and special guests including transport minister Eamon Ryan and junior min ister Peter Burke on at the start of the DMURS webinar series

DMURS seeks to put well-designed streets at the heart of sustainable communities and supports broader government policies on the environment, planning and transportation. It is the principal national design standard to be used throughout all urban areas in Ireland when designing/upgrading roads and streets. 

The new eight-week programme of free online events, developed by the Department of Transport and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, with support from Engineers Ireland, the Irish Planning Institute, and the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) will focus on the implementation of DMURS and design solutions that balance meeting the needs of place and movement.

Tactile urbanism/pop-up infrastructure

A variety of in-depth topics and case studies will be presented, including place making, community engagement, materials and landscaping, tactile urbanism/pop-up infrastructure, regeneration, self-regulating streets, audits, and the multidisciplinary design process.

Each week, multidisciplinary practitioners familiar with implementing DMURS related projects will make presentations and share their experiences. Today, at the launch event, Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications and Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan was joined by Peter Burke TD, Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government and Planning at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Professor Orla Feely, president of Engineers Ireland, Dr Conor Norton, president of the Irish Planning Institute and Kathryn Meghen, CEO of the RIAI and more than 1,200 registered attendees.

Dominic Mullaney, principal advisor at the Department of Transport chaired the first session in the series which saw presentations delivered by John McCarthy of the Department of Transport and Jason Taylor of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications and Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan TD, said: “I am very pleased to have the opportunity to launch this workshop series hosted by Engineers Ireland, the Irish Planning Institute and the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI).

Important tool

"Since launching in 2013, DMURS has been an important tool in ensuring good design underpins our efforts to develop high-quality walking and cycling infrastructure in people-friendly towns and cities. This workshop along with other ongoing work on the revision of DMURS will result in an updated manual and consequently improved everyday quality of life for our people.”

Peter Burke TD, Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government and Planning at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, said: “DMURS or the Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets, seeks to put well-designed streets at the heart of sustainable communities and supports broader government policies on the environment, planning and transport.

"The principles, approaches and standards set out in this manual are intended for use by qualified and experienced designers who work within the built environment professions.

"I welcome the integrated approach between Engineers Ireland, the RIAI and the Irish Planning Institute who have come together with two government departments to provide these free, accessible learning opportunities regarding the professional application of DMURS to their respective professions, with the aim of improving their members’ knowledge and expertise on the subject. I wish the series every possible success.”

Professor Orla Feely, president of Engineers Ireland, said: “Engineers Ireland is pleased to collaborate with the Irish Planning Institute and the RIAI on this important series of free learning events which will appeal to engineers, architects, planners, local authority staff and all those with an interest in DMURS.

National design standard

"The high level of interest in this critical manual, written and updated to assist those involved in the design of our roads and streetscapes – supported by these webinars – should not only benefit the implementation of this national design standard, but will also support mobility and sustainability by placing well-designed streets at the heart of communities.

"I look forward to these events which will highlight the recent government policy context, updates to DMURS and a range of exemplary projects undertaken by practitioners. I thank the Department of Transport and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage for their dedicated work on this series.”

Dr Conor Norton, president of the Irish Planning Institute, added: “As President of the Irish Planning Institute, I welcome our collaboration with Engineers Ireland and RIAI in working together to intensify the transformational change needed in how public spaces, streets and roads in our urban environment are planned and designed.  

"Although originally published in 2013, implementation of DMURS has been patchy with old ideas and practices around road planning and design for cars and car parking prevailing in many places.  

"With the recent updates of DMURS, we have the principles and the guidelines for much improved place-making where land use, urban form, landscape and movement are planned and designed in an integrated way.

"Critically, DMURS must, without exception, inform and shape our plans and our management of infrastructure and development.  This initiative will ensure that we as professionals of the built environment move forward with a common purpose in the interest sustainable development and finally consign unsustainable ideas and practices to the past.”

Charlotte Sheridan, president of the RIAI, said: “We are delighted to collaborate with Engineers Ireland and the Irish Planning Institute to deliver this training course.

"As a profession, architects are trained to place people and communities at the heart of urban design, and we provide leadership in collaboration with community stakeholders and fellow professions in place-making and creating more sustainable places for living.

"Well-designed roads and streets that integrate and enhance existing and new urban settlements can promote active travel, support healthy lifestyles, foster community engagement, and create a strong sense of place and identity.  

"DMURS has been a key national design standard since 2013 in the development and design of our urban fabric and we would like to acknowledge and welcome the work undertaken by the Department of Transport and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in the creation and establishment of DMURS.”

For more information and to register to attend forthcoming sessions, visit: https://www.engineersireland.ie/Professionals/Communities-Groups/Urban-Roads-and-Streets-Design-Series

For more information on the Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets (DMURS), visit: https://www.dmurs.ie/