Garda - N11 Detour signs

thecommander · 19-12-2008 11:40pm #1

Anyone seen the Garda signs that have been put up around Bray/Greystones with N11 detour on them? They been covered by plastic in the last few days. Are they for emergency use or is there plans to close a section of the N11 soon?

Huntthe · 20-12-2008 9:07am

Commander, they are to be used the way a lot of people use their indicator, to confuse the enemy

SickCert · 20-12-2008 9:25am

Maybe the tailbacks into Newry are getting longer!!:eek:

bmaxi · 20-12-2008 8:44pm

These are down as far as Arklow at least. I'm intrigued by them as well. What makes you say they are Garda signs? The ones I saw didn't have any insignia on them.

thecommander · 20-12-2008 9:03pm

bmaxi wrote: »

These are down as far as Arklow at least. I'm intrigued by them as well. What makes you say they are Garda signs? The ones I saw didn't have any insignia on them.

The ones around Greystones/Bray have the Garda logo, and "Garda Detour" on them.

Eoin D · 22-12-2008 10:28am

"Wicklow County Council would like to advise motorists that recent 'N11 detour' signs erected on Regional and Local roads adjacent to the N11 are for use only in the event of an emergency that would necessitate the closure of a section of the N11 by An Garda Siochana.

These are predetermined detour routes that will be activated should an emergency occur on the N11 that necessitates the complete closure of a section of the N11 in either direction. These are not diversion routes for any future planned works nor for the closure of a lane on the N11.

These detour routes have been signposted to facilitate motorists once diverted off the N11 to get back onto the N11 by the safest direct route."

bmaxi · 22-12-2008 10:38am

That explains it then. I suppose it's good to see someone in some corner of Government is capable of thinking ahead.

loobylou · 22-12-2008 10:53am

bmaxi wrote: »

That explains it then. I suppose it's good to see someone in some corner of Government is capable of thinking ahead.

I can't see any way this is "thinking ahead". In fact this is just plain daft. Ireland must be the most poorly signposted country in Western Europe. Lets get that sorted out first. Signposting "alternative" routes to be used in the event of god knows what is simply confusing and a waste of money.

bmaxi · 22-12-2008 11:06am

loobylou wrote: »

I can't see any way this is "thinking ahead". In fact this is just plain daft. Ireland must be the most poorly signposted country in Western Europe. Lets get that sorted out first. Signposting "alternative" routes to be used in the event of god knows what is simply confusing and a waste of money.

I agree as regards signposting in general but as one who has, several times, been diverted off the N11 into dark mountainous areas of Co. Wicklow, it has to be a step in the right direction.

loobylou · 22-12-2008 11:21am

Of course a detour should be signposted in the event of a road closure but I cannot see the sense of signposting everywhere, just in case. Temporary detours should have temporary signing. Just imagine what the place would look like if this were done for every N road in the country.

ironclaw · 22-12-2008 11:25am

A quantity of N11 traffic trundelled through Bray then through Greystones? Thats pure madness. On Germanys autobahns the roads are "smart" and they have the ability to move traffic no problems. Here we don't even use the hard shoulder in case of emergencys i.e. A new lane if one is blocked.

Its a nice idea but very poor in practise.

loobylou · 22-12-2008 12:39pm

I don't want to appear argumentative but a blocked lane is an inconvenience, not an emergency. If it's blocked by a crashed car with injured people trapped inside (or similar), then, it's an emergency, in which case the hard shoulder must be kept empty for emergency services!
However, I digress.

thecommander · 22-12-2008 4:14pm

ironclaw wrote: »

Its a nice idea but very poor in practise.

It hasn't been used yet so how can you say?

mikedragon32 · 22-12-2008 4:34pm

I can see where Ironclaw is coming from. Back when the work was being done to widen the N11 between Kilmac and GotD a lot of traffic diverted (by choice) over Bray head and via Blacklion and it was pretty terrible at times (particularly summer 2001) with tailbacks for Greystones as far as Windgates some evenings. And even then the vast majority of traffic taking that route would have most likely taken the Delgany exit anyway had they stayed on the N11.

If there was no option but to take that route because the N11 was shut down, it would be fairly chaotic.

SickCert · 22-12-2008 5:32pm

Should we think back to when the N11 was closed one Friday due to water works?? was it? Backed up everywhere even Killiney hill.
Once that artery is closed i dont think Bray town could help.

Capri · 26-12-2008 7:50pm

The N/M11 SHOULDN'T have to be closed at all - there SHOULD be a contraflow like in the UK /Europe, but our 'Nanny state' is afraid that us taxpayers would have an accident (and not be able to pay our taxes / might even claim off the welfare ) so they funnel us into 1mph traffic jams instead of opening the central reservation crossover points.
Back a few months ago, they were fixing the bridge at the M/N 11. ALL the traffic was funnelled into Shankill with NO Gardai to be seen anywhere to get the traffic moving ( Wicklow 'locals' know to go back over by the Silver Tassie and come out at Enniskerry / Kilmac ! )

loobylou · 27-12-2008 10:28am

Best I ever saw was a couple of years ago when they did some hedge/grass cutting for a couple of miles along the central median of the N11. They shut down the outside lane, in the Dublin inbound direction all morning, then in the outbound direction all afternoon.

ironclaw · 27-12-2008 12:36pm

That should all be done at night. Like seriously... :rolleyes:

c0c · 12-01-2009 5:33pm

Eoin D wrote: »

"Wicklow County Council would like to advise motorists that recent 'N11 detour' signs erected on Regional and Local roads adjacent to the N11 are for use only in the event of an emergency that would necessitate the closure of a section of the N11 by An Garda Siochana.

These are predetermined detour routes that will be activated should an emergency occur on the N11 that necessitates the complete closure of a section of the N11 in either direction. These are not diversion routes for any future planned works nor for the closure of a lane on the N11.

These detour routes have been signposted to facilitate motorists once diverted off the N11 to get back onto the N11 by the safest direct route."

That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Do you have a source for that?

Most of the signs are covered but many are not. I had assumed there was some rolling closure coming up, but if what you have posted is the real reason then that is a staggering waste of money. It smacks not a little of the old "use-up-all-your-budget-in-December-or-you'll-get-less-next-year-ism" we've all come to expect from local authorities.

thecommander · 12-01-2009 5:36pm

c0c wrote: »

That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Do you have a source for that?

Most of the signs are covered but many are not. I had assumed there was some rolling closure coming up, but if what you have posted is the real reason then that is a staggering waste of money. It smacks not a little of the old "use-up-all-your-budget-in-December-or-you'll-get-less-next-year-ism" we've all come to expect from local authorities.

Not sure its really that bad of an idea. If there was some need for a diversion, and there was no signs and it ended up a mess Im sure the forums would be full of people complaining that there are no signposts to direct diverted traffic. For once, its thinking ahead

Eoin D · 12-01-2009 7:21pm

c0c wrote: »

That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Do you have a source for that?

Wicklow county council

Sent to me as an E-mail so I can't link you to it but that's official

c0c · 12-01-2009 7:34pm

We'll have to agree to differ then commander. I think it is ridiculous. Some of these signs are on tiny backroads and all they can possibly do is confuse non-locals, or even locals by implyimg that the N11 is closed. Why are some of them covered and others not? It is just half-arsery at its worst. They seem to be confined to Wicklow. I wonder why DLRCC or Wexford have not seen fit to erect these?

If there is to be a planned diversion then the signs should be erected as is done for road works, which sometimes last for months. What possible emergency could arise for which the usual blank and orange diversion signs couldn't suffice? How long would sections of the N11 have to be closed to justify the expense of erecting these idiotic signs?

At least now I know what that clown Sheehy is spending the motor tax on. G0bsh1te!

Garda - N11 Detour signs

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