Cycling on the Quays?

The Machine

Hi all,

I'm starting a new job soon and will have to cycle from Kilmainham to East Point Business Park (Alfie Burn Road). It looks like the obvious route is to cycle down by Heuston, and down the Quays. I'm a little worried about going up and down the Quays everyday in heavy traffic - is it as dangerous as it looks?? It seems like bike lanes suddenly appear and then disappear as quickly! Does anyone have experience of this route?

Up to know I've been spoilt with a cycle down the canal and through Ranelagh - bike lanes all the way!

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Saruman

Bus lane all the way.
Be more dangerous when you get past liberty hall.

If you are that worried, follow the luas track. (less used anyway). In fact if you can get behind a luas and follow it, you will have green all the way

Glowing

Saruman wrote: »

If you are that worried, follow the luas track. (less used anyway). In fact if you can get behind a luas and follow it, you will have green all the way

That's a good idea, but is it legal?

Bicyclegadabout

Well sure, as always you should keep your wits about you. You should be fine.
If you’re commuting in rush hour traffic no one will be moving very quickly, which will make things a little safer. Main thing is to keep an eye out for pedestrians.

Cycling on the Luas line is of course illegal, and you’ll be inviting comments like “You’re a funny lookin’ tram” from passers by. However, if you tip along behind the Luas it would be a much calmer commute. But again, watch for pedestrians, they’ll never expect you to be on the tracks.

Either way, don’t expect to break any records on your commute time. I averaged 35kph going down the canal the other night, that'll never happen on the Quays.

unionman

I cycle much of the same route, Inchicore to City Centre, I leave the quays at O'Connell Street. It's a dedicated Bus Lane all the way as far as Customs House, so fairly OK for the most part. Exercise caution at each of the junctions, and watch out for the ocassional taxi driver pulling in for a fare.

The only part I actively dislike is on the return journey. Down by Guinesses and up John's Road, the bus lane attracts speeding cars, and dust from the building work on John's Road is blinding, and the surface pock marked from heavy traffic. In winter I was going left up Watling street and through James' Hospital, just to avoid it. Having the long days now I tried John's Road again, and it has a way of making cyclists feel very small and exposed, so I think I'll switch back to my winter route.

It's hard to describe how much better the inward bound route is than a few years ago, surfacing is very good for the most part. Watch for traffic turning left for Jervis just before millenium bridge.

Enjoy! It'll be fine.

penexpers

Is it illegal to cycle on the luas tracks?

IMO, the North Quays are fine, you usually get quite a good run with the lights. The South Quays are bit hairier. Not as much bus lane on that side of the river.

The Machine

Thanks for the advice! Had never thought about the Luas trick! :cool:

I'll probably start by just sticking with the bus lanes and hope for the best!

Yea the canal is great for getting a bit of speed up on the way home, although cycling out to East point should still be a lot quicker than driving....

unionman

penexpers wrote: »

the North Quays are fine, you usually get quite a good run with the lights.

+1

Uncanny sometimes, but if I time it right some days I don't have to brake between Heuston and O'Connell bridge.

daymobrew

Two other routes come to mind:
1) North Circular Road, starting at Parkgate Street or enter Phoenix Park at Islandbridge Gate (the exit only one ), go past Wellington Monument and out NCR gate.
After you pass the Mater Hospital (and you get more space) you can go via Clonliffe Rd or continue on NCR to North Strand Road.
Downside is the narrowness of NCR, especially in Phibsborough.

2) James's St, Thomas Street, Dame Street to O'Connell Bridge. Turn right onto Eden Quay and then pass Busaras. Turn right onto Ossory Road and left, right, left onto West Road and then right onto East Wall Road.
Downside is the narrowness and traffic and pedestrian volume in the city centre. It might be useful on the way home as the south quays can be nasty.

I cycle to East Point Business Park too.
If the weather is poor, maybe you could do Luas/DART or Luas/walk.

Morgan

I ride from Kilmainham to East Point every day - here's my current route:

To Work
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1755053
(Heading down Watling St. avoids Christchurch where the lights are always red). The Quays are grand from Ormond Quay too.

Home
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1755062
I'd avoid the South Quays on the way home - too much traffic, too little room and the number of lanes varying from section to section

Riding on the Luas tracks is ridiculous. The surface is uneven and you're limited by the speed of the tram ahead of you (they're slow). You can get pulled by the Guards for it too.

doozerie

I travel on a portion of the North Quays every day. As already mentioned, keep an eye out for traffic (including other cyclists) pulling out of junctions on the left, and traffic on your right using the bus lane early (basically as an overtaking lane) before swinging a left onto one of the side roads (the turn leading to Jervis Street is a popular place for this - nearly got mashed there recently by a taxi taking that turn without looking or indicating).

Another issue is buses deciding to stop at a random point on the bus lane to allow on/off passengers. Some of the bus drivers consider indicators to be old fashioned, apparently. Just after the Ha'Penny Bridge there are several bus stops so there in particular you have to be wary of buses pulling in and out suddenly.

The stretch to Customs House after O'Connell bridge is just stupid, in terms of road layout for cyclists. Half way along there is a road to the left from which buses and cars sometimes like to turn if only something as puny as a cyclist is coming along. But the main problem is that immediately after that road, the bike lane continues into the left turning lane so if you are going straight on the safest thing is to move into the next lane over early on (just after that left road), which becomes the inner lane for going straight on past Customs House. This also helps you avoid the buses pulling in and out along that stretch.

Civilian_Target

unionman wrote: »

+1

Uncanny sometimes, but if I time it right some days I don't have to brake between Heuston and O'Connell bridge.

It's a green wave. Other green waves include Navan Road from the top of the Cabra Road to the Halfway House, Donnybrook, and Santry. If you can get up to about 30kmph, you can usually ride the wave the whole way...

lukester

penexpers wrote: »

Is it illegal to cycle on the luas tracks?

Anecdotal, I know, but I cycle on them every day for the 500 yards or so from Liffey St to Jervis St, and regularly pass Gardai in cars and on foot, who don't seem to mind

On my route it's preferable than cycling up O' Connell St with all the suicidal pedestrians and lurching buses and taxis.

milod

daymobrew wrote: »

...James's St, Thomas Street, Dame Street to O'Connell Bridge. Turn right onto Eden Quay and then pass Busaras. Turn right onto Ossory Road and left, right, left onto West Road and then right onto East Wall Road.

+1

I used this route for about 18 months when I worked there - it's about the best unless you want to add mileage to your route. Though I used to come stright up the south quays on the way home - not for the faint-hearted i can tell you. During that time I had one serious accident - I was knocked off my bike by a car - inside East point business park!!

If you don't mind adding mileage, an alternative would be to follow the canal from Suir road right down to the East link bridge...

Morgan

Going along Ossory road does add an extra hill to the route though .

bobtjustice

I've only ever had one problem.. in about 4 years of cycling on the quays and that was with a bus driver, who clipped me with his wing mirror as I was standing up at the lights from a dead start.

Other than that once your carefull you should be fine, like everyone previous has said, keep an eye out for pedestrians, it seems people in town only look out for cars, and sometimes people are in a world of their own, particularly when your on a strech of road that for some reason is clear, and they just walk out when there no cars about. Aston Quay and the lights at the Hay-Penny bridge are nortious for people just walking across (even in traffic) so be catious there.

The Machine

Hi all,

Thanks a million for the great feedback and for detailing the various routes to and from East Point! It's a great help...