Athlone's new one way system

Now that the new one way system has been introduced, how well is it working, I've not been in town since it's introduction.

Does anyone know of any online maps showing the new system?

whyulittle

Crawled through it yesterday, seems utterly pointless. It's one way from Dunnes Stores to the top of Northgate Street, heading west.

The street in front of O'Neill's pub has been reversed again taking traffic west. However there is a stop sign for that traffic across from the Ulster Bank, so you could have that backed up all the way past O'Neill's to the Sheraton. You have to try and turn right there on the hill in front of Neill's with no proper turning lane.

If you are coming from St. Mary's Place and want to head to Church Street, you have to cross both lanes of traffic with nothing there to help you.

And that's not even taking into account how far the tailbacks are down Irishtown and in the other direction on the westside.

When I was in there yesterday, traffic was down as far as Supermacs, past the Dunnes roundabout, and down as far as the bend/hill on Station Road. The westside is supposed to be terrible. Traffic heading down Northgate Street from the bridge now has to wait for the traffic coming from Church Street, the old filter light is gone.

BoB_BoT

another joke of a traffic system. it's taking 3 times longer to get across the town. Went to the AIB bank at the end of the bridge, was in their parking lot, getting out of that parking lot, your directly flowing into the stream of trafficing coming across the bridge to get into town. Also you're right at the traffic light, luckly enough somebody let me out, but at the same time, this delayed the traffic which was backed up well past the church.

Coming back over town at the dunnes stores traffic lights, they changed 8 times between the pedestrian lights at the grocery enterance to dunnes, and for me to get to the top of the hill. Why? well the assholes coming from the dublin road side decided that they'd all block the middle of the junction despite being able to see the town ahead was backed up. (I was heading straight on, towards the train station). It's a pathetic system, and the lights don't seem to be timed any better either.

I can safely say that I won't be going into town, unless it's absolutely necessary.

demanufactured

the duel carriageway is great for getting across town.

120_Minutes

demanufactured wrote: »

the duel carriageway is great for getting across town.

which is the point of the new system i think....its to force people who dont need to be in the town centre onto the bypass.

tubos

As a pedestrian I think it's great. Before, the wing mirrors of cars would be nearly hitting you as you walked along the path. Happy days.

challengemaster

I think the twat that came up with the idea should be shot

Pointless idea, and just makes it harder to get around town now.

Onikage

A bad idea, done badly. Why not pedestrianise and be done with it?

Occidental

Because they need a new bridge across the river before they can pedestrianise it. There were plans for a road around the back of Kilnartins to the back of Golden Island and a new bridge south of the weir, but I'd safely say that's dead now.

BoB_BoT

they'd never have gotten the funding for it Occidental, that and the fact there's be objections up the ying yang, expensive buyouts of land etc..

after using it for a few days, it's not too bad. They still need to sort out the lights system, they're certainly not synchronized properly, if they could get that sorted it'd flow much more smoothly.

Also, what's the deal with these twats that are still parking on double lines outside NIB, that church, the Credit Union and outside the Raddision, it completely obstructs the traffic and is slowing things down even further. A heavy handed clamping / toeing enforcement should be in place there. It's a friggen joke, if I'm forced to slow down or stop just after the lights, it ****s up the whole flow.

One last thing, they need to move back the stop line at the AIB light, it's hard enough to see the light when you're stopped there. Yes, I'm one of those feckers sitting 3 cars back going mental because it takes 10-15 seconds for someone to move when the light turns green.

Yes, I'm an angry little ****er, but sure, it's the internet, i'm allowed to rant

dropbop

I have driven through the town twice since the one-way system.... Would have been much quicker taking the bypass.

The first time I went into town to go to the bank of Ireland but ended up having to go back out of town to go back into town... And it took me 20 minutes to get from River Village to Church Street - A journey that normally takes only 10 minutes at the most.

To be honest I would rather drive around the crazy car park under the new town centre. LOL

Saint_Mel

Possibly an flashing amber filter light from Northgate Street to go over the bridge would make the flow of rtaffic a bit easier.
Ive gone through town a few times bow and cant see any benefit.

Have any businesses made complaints yet?

On another note I heard the residents in Sarsfields Sq want to block off the road at the white gates due to the large volume of traffic cutting through the area.

Paul Hogan apparently went over there the other and counted 300 cars cutting through there in 40 minutes! Dont know how accurate that is, thems the figures I was told!

dropbop

I think its a case of the council 'doing first' then waiting for the feedback from the public before they realise they have made yet another mistake.

Maybe they should be logging on to forums like this so they can see what feedback they are getting, might get them to think twice next time before implementing another crazy plan in the town.

whyulittle

Just came out of town a few minutes ago, and the traffic heading into town was out past the Ballymahon Road bridge. Couldn't see how far past it was as I turned off there.

BoB_BoT

Saint_Mel wrote: »

On another note I heard the residents in Sarsfields Sq want to block off the road at the white gates due to the large volume of traffic cutting through the area.

Paul Hogan apparently went over there the other and counted 300 cars cutting through there in 40 minutes! Dont know how accurate that is, thems the figures I was told!

Yes the residents of Sarsfields do want it blocked off and you do have to agree with them. I've used it a few times myself to get work knowing i'd be late going through the junction. But the amount of people doing this is crazy, it used to be a sneaky car or two, then it was a sold stream of traffic as soon as people copped they could bypass the junction. I was dropping some friends down to a house in Sarsfields during the day (a few days back), the residents had decided to protest by blocking the roads with their own cars, fair ball to them, one of the few communities to do something about their complaints.
Can't really give them flak over it, it's their area, they live there, i'd be pretty pissed if large volumes of traffic drove through my street as a shortcut.

I have no love for Hogan, he's a spanner, did sweet feck all while he was Mayor and I think he's finished now, so he's getting his face in the papers, when's the next general election?

gyppo

I thought things could'nt get worse than when the cresent roundabout was replaced by the myriad of traffic lights. but boy was I wrong.

The one way system in operation has to be the most ill-concieved and poorly implemented piece of traffic management in the country.

At peak times, people are avoiding the town route in favour of the bypass, with resultant snarl-ups at the garrycastle bridge, for example.

Also last monday morning, inbound traffic was backed up as far as the coosan tavern roundabout, with most of the traffic being held up by the mess which was formerly the cresent roundabout.

Traffic plan my h*le.

dropbop

Its all good and well us all posting our thoughts here on the forum.. It shows that there are people actually pretty p**sed off with the town council.

Maybe if some posters were to put their concerns on paper and pop it in the post addressed to the town council.. maybe there might be some positive results

Anyway, i'm giving out, just pointing out the obvious. I know I am going to stick most of what I think on paper.. If I stick all of what I think on paper it might get rejected LOL

Saint_Mel

BoB_BoT wrote: »

... the residents had decided to protest by blocking the roads with their own cars, fair ball to them, one of the few communities to do something about their complaints.

Saw something similar recently but a lot more dangerous ... some of the kids from the area were putting chairs out right across the road and having a sit in/out! Potentially dangerous depending on the drivers!

gyppo wrote: »

At peak times, people are avoiding the town route in favour of the bypass, with resultant snarl-ups at the garrycastle bridge, for example.

Bridge was taking some traffic last week, I was in a queue from just past Ericsson/Brooks one evening last week with the build up of traffic trying to get over it

BoB_BoT

Yeah, mental if the kids are their, just copying the parents, but the day I saw it, everyone was out, parents kids etc... havn't seen or heard much about it since the initial protest. council ignoring stuff again, anyone surprised.

With regards the system, their efforts to ease the flow by disabling (covering) the lights at the station arn't working, it's complete bollox to get out if you're coming from the Town Center, although allowing you to use the bus/taxi lane is great for getting to the ballymahon road, though I think that's been there for a while now.

It's gotten really bad, I left for college at 8:35 this morning, skip going through the town, so I go towards coosan, then onto the dublin bypass. I arrived at the college at 9:05. Going through the town last year normally took me 10 minutes 15 sometimes depending on the traffic. Gonna have to start leaving at 8:20. Plus the massive line of traffic coming off the second round about towards kilmartins was crazy, it backed up and blocked the first and second round about before the kilmartins round about. Absolute bananas, no wonder I'm starting to lose my temper so easily on the road. The next ****er that thinks they can come all the way up on left lane and cut into the right in front of me to skip the queue, i'll get out and have a "friendly" word with them. Some people are right chancers lately. Wow, I sure do love to rant. meh

*edit* I stand corrected, they've changed the sequencing of the lights at the junction. Makes a bit more sense but will see how it pans out.

AckwelFoley

I dont think there is any benefit of the one way system to be honest. It doesnt free up traffic in the slightest,

Its bollox if you ask me.

Do i care?

No

noshankus

Seems to me, the only purpose it serves is to route more traffic past the new shopping center.

Previously, it would've been harder to find and not as many people would've noticed the main entrance into the parking lot around the back.

This way, everyone has to drive past the ridiculous thing and pay the damn price!


Don't get me started on that RIDICULOUS "junction" at the bottom of the train station!


The guy who came up with this should have his crayons taken away and be fired!

Saint_Mel

And was there any warning given before the pedestrian crossing at the centre was done away with? Last time I drove through town none of the pedestrians seemed to notice the lights gone and zebra crossing blacked out!

A few motorists were still stopping to let pedestrians cross as well, no signs warning that the crossing had been erased!

Saint_Mel

Another accident waiting to happen I fear ...

martin1

Really cant understand all the negative comments on the new one way system.West to East may be a little slow at times but East West is just fine.
The end result if people would only give it a chance will be a much nicer town certre.

The church street traders as usual with their own self selfish interests first and foremost are jumping up and down,What have these whingers ever done for the town except take every greasy penny or cent they can get and give nothing in return.Just look at their shopfronts.

The sad fact is that in the end the council will cave in ,this weeks Westmeath is the start of it with some councilor questioning the wisdom of a revamp in these" recessionary times".The project will be defered then shelved and the small minded whingers of Church St will win again.

O well such is small town life money talks.........................theres just no pride

Onikage

martin1 wrote: »

Really cant understand all the negative comments on the new one way system.West to East may be a little slow at times but East West is just fine.
The end result if people would only give it a chance will be a much nicer town certre.

I refer you back to my pedestrianisation comment.

gyppo

martin1 wrote: »

Really cant understand all the negative comments on the new one way system.West to East may be a little slow at times but East West is just fine.

Understatement of the year. Give that man a prize.:rolleyes:

tubos

Saint_Mel wrote: »

And was there any warning given before the pedestrian crossing at the centre was done away with? Last time I drove through town none of the pedestrians seemed to notice the lights gone and zebra crossing blacked out!

I realise this was done to help traffic flow but it's an absolute joke. It was removed on a phased basis i.e. they turn off the orange flashing lights so motorists wouldn't realise it was a zebra crossing, but left the markings on the road so pedestrians DID think it was a zebra crossing!!!!! Nearly caused a lot of accidents. Now the markings are gone though. I used to park in the car park across the road and wheel a buggy over the crossing, now at times it can be very busy there trying to cross the road, so have to give more mony to the new shopping centre by parking there.