O'Connell street protest rally

bobcar61

Your right Darealtulip, I said that earlier as well that it need to be opened just for a couple of hours each morning!

LadyDotty

ryanch09 wrote: »

you obviously haven't seen the town at rush hour each morning. It takes me almost 45 minutes to get to school each morning. This street needs re-opening

No the street does not need to be re-opened, we just need a decent traffic management system(and co-ordinated traffic lights!)... and perhaps some qualified people in power. A possible alternative put forward has been the reopening of Bridge Street to two-way traffic. This would offer east ward residents easy access to the hospital/IT Sligo etc.

If you take a look at our borough councillors who are in power at the moment you may notice that none of them are experts in town planning.

They have also ignored advice from their own consultants and experts in the field of town planning i.e. engineers and planners. And have also shot down any attempt at a traffic plan(suggested by Cllr Jude Devins and the Borough Meeting on Nov 2nd).

O'Connell Street is the centre of our town. As we near Christmas the foot fall on the street is going to be increasing. The Borough Councillors wish to open this street on Dec 9th, not only will this affect pedestrians, but also the O'Connell Street traders, and the traffic system around town already.

And hey we're on facebook, it started on Tuesday Nov 10th and we have 1391 fans and growing. There are people on there that are also East Ward residents on the page too. Our councillors have tried to divide us, but they have united us far beyond what they could ever imagine.

We all want to keep our feet on our street. Tomorrow November 15th is World Remembrance Day for Road Traffic Victims. Hopefully our councillors will do the right thing and remove traffic from a heavily populated street.

Dot

dardevle

LadyDotty wrote: »

We all want to keep our feet on our street. Tomorrow November 15th is World Remembrance Day for Road Traffic Victims. Hopefully our councillors will do the right thing and remove traffic from a heavily populated street.

Dot

in order to keep your feet on the street it may be necessary to take your head out of the clouds....i stood on the top of O'connell street yesterday at 2;30 pm (saturday afternoon ) and counted an average of 28 people from one end of the street to the other - hardly the teeming mass of humanity that some would have you believe use the street form dawn to dusk!.... notwithstanding that i too will be remembering all the O'Connell street road traffic victims today:rolleyes:


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mickeyfitzray

dardevle wrote: »

in order to keep your feet on the street it may be necessary to take your head out of the clouds....
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It's this kind of attitude that gets me. All this talk of "head in the clouds," "rose tinted glasses" and "we're not Copenhagen you know!" Well what's wrong with being optimistic and wanting more for Sligo? Of course a thriving city isn't going to spring up overnight after pedestrianisation, that's something that with a bit of effort will happen in time. Opening up the street to traffic means were going to remain stagnant.

I've come across a lot of points from people who want the street opened to traffic and some of them are very valid points which need addressing. But enough of this defeatist attitude please. If you don't think Sligo has a realistic chance of becoming a thriving city over time then, with all due respect, maybe it's time to take your head out of the sand. Sligo has an extremely rich cultural history and is full of creative and hard working people.

I understand the concerns of East Ward residents, my mothers family were brought up there and I lived in Doorly Park myself for a year. I still have relatives and friends there. However, the idea that opening up O'Connell Street to cars will alleviate the traffic situation is misguided and short sighted. Personally, I believe opening up Bridge Street to two way traffic would be more convenient and provide quicker access to the hospital and IT for East Ward residents.

BUT... I'm not an expert and so can't say if this will definitely work. That's the whole point of this argument. Nobody knows for sure if opening up the street will do any good because the Councillors haven't even had a traffic plan drawn up! Now, does this not strike anyone else as ridiculous? I work in South Dublin County Council and when explaining the situation to work mates they were dumbfounded. We need to take the advice of our planners and engineers (which from what I hear have already been ignored) and move on from there.

Radharc na Sleibhte

mickeyfitzray wrote: »

Personally, I believe opening up Bridge Street to two way traffic would be more convenient and provide quicker access to the hospital and IT for East Ward residents.

Huh, not a bad idea.
I've never heard anyone mention that idea before.

lubie76

mickeyfitzray wrote: »

Personally, I believe opening up Bridge Street to two way traffic would be more convenient and provide quicker access to the hospital and IT for East Ward residents.

Not sure this would work as too many junctions at both end. Sounds like a huge risk of bottleneck traffic. Similar to the problem at John Street, Adelaide Street junction. Plus, if an ambulance did have to get through at peak traffic times, it would be bedlam.

I think Shop Street in Galway is great. Open til 11am every morning for traffic. Seems to work for them. Something has to be done as it is an absolute embarrasment how bad the peak time traffic is in Sligo for a town with a relatively low population.

mickeyfitzray

MikeySligo wrote: »

Huh, not a bad idea.
I've never heard anyone mention that idea before.

Which is why we need debate on the issue and ideas from the experts. I didn't think of Bridge Street either until it was pointed out to me. Yes there is a possibility of a bottleneck but that's what's going to happen at the bottom of O'Connell Street as well.

The whole point I'm trying to make is that we have to talk about the issue openly & listen to the planners & engineers who have so far been ignored. It's one thing hypothesizing about what will happen if we open up this or that street but we're not going to know for sure until a proper traffic management plan is drawn up.

At the last meeting after the Councillors decided to remove pedestrianisation from the development plan, Councillor Jude Devins suggested that the decision be deffered for two months for a plan to be drawn up and to investigate the possibility of opening Bridge Street to two way traffic. Not one single other Councillor seconded it. Make of that what you will.

Radharc na Sleibhte

When is O'Connell Street due to open back up?
Is it this side of Christmas or are they putting the public toilets in first?

I don't think Jude Devins is particularly liked by the sounds of things. That's not the first time I've heard him being shot down. Hmmmm a councillor not liked by his colleagues? Sounds like one to vote for. Pity he's not an independent as they're all as bad as each other.

mickeyfitzray

December 9th I think is the date. Ridiculous given the busy season approaching.

Don't even start on the toilets!

redarmyblues

the engineers and experts gave us the mid block route in preference to a western by pass, to the
amazement of the engineers working on the colloney by pass.
The mbr was insisted on by our friends in the chamber of commerce and failed to make the desired impact on traffic. You would think those parties would be ashamed.
T

magnumlady

http://www.sligotoday.ie/details.php?id=6653

Tillotson

redarmyblues wrote: »

the engineers and experts gave us the mid block route in preference to a western by pass, to the
amazement of the engineers working on the colloney by pass.
The mbr was insisted on by our friends in the chamber of commerce and failed to make the desired impact on traffic. You would think those parties would be ashamed.
T

The mid block route was not supposed to be an alternative to the western
bypass. We were supposed to get both, the western bypass was always the
long term solution. I'm no fan of what the chamber of commerce but it seems
they get blamed for everything that goes wrong in Sligo.

Declan Bree was the one who voted against the fly-over for traffic passing
through on the mbr making it next to useless. If you want to be angry at someone maybe you can start with him.

dardevle

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let's see if i have this right then.... "dude" devins has somehow become the paragon for local politics, the chamber of commerce are not such a bad lot and the inner relief road is all that and a bag of chips:eek:




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mickeyfitzray

dardevle wrote: »

.



let's see if i have this right then.... "dude" devins has somehow become the paragon for local politics, the chamber of commerce are not such a bad lot and the inner relief road is all that and a bag of chips:eek:




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I'm only stating facts. Jude Devins was the only Councillor who seemed to display any serious thought and foresight in the matter. Maybe you could state why you dislike him by providing us with facts instead of vaguely reffering to him as "dude." I'm not being smart, I just think this issue deserves proper discussion. To be honest I'm not aware of his record in other matters but since this one I've been keeping tabs and he seems to be quite forward thinking. I'm open to being proved wrong as everyone should be.

As for the Chamber Of Commerce, they may not be a "bag of chips" but in this matter they have got it right as far as I'm concerned.

dardevle

mickeyfitzray wrote: »

I'm not aware of his record in other matters but since this one I've been keeping tabs and he seems to be quite forward thinking. I'm open to being proved wrong as everyone should be.

suffice to say that my 'opinion' of the councillor does not tally with yours....this is just my opinion as one who is aware of his record in "other matters"- glad to know that you will be keeping tabs on him from now on.



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mickeyfitzray

dardevle wrote: »

suffice to say that my 'opinion' of the councillor does not tally with yours....this is just my opinion as one who is aware of his record in "other matters"- glad to know that you will be keeping tabs on him from now on.

.

Again, your claim is extremely vague and unsupported. Unless you are prepared to elaborate your comments will have to be ignored.

redarmyblues

Tillotson wrote: »

The mid block route was not supposed to be an alternative to the western
bypass. We were supposed to get both, the western bypass was always the
long term solution. I'm no fan of what the chamber of commerce but it seems
they get blamed for everything that goes wrong in Sligo.

The Western bypass was offered as the alternative to the MBR. The MBR was heavily supported by the executive of the local authorities, the Chamber of commerce and its in house magazine, aka the Sligo Champion. The Corpo voted for the MBR by one vote, the then Coaltion govenment minister rejected the proposal as foolish. The current shower were then elected, the MBR had new life and a public inquiry rubberstamped I mean decided in favour of the MBR instead of a Western Bypass. Thus Sligo became the only urban area in Ireland, nay in Europe, to drive a road through its centre in order to relieve congestion in its centre.

Tillotson wrote: »

Bree was the one who voted against the fly-over for traffic passing
through on the mbr making it next to useless. If you want to be angry at someone maybe you can start with him.

The was never such a pie in the sky scheme as a flyover, such a scheme was at least impractical, probably not possible and certainly not desirable. Imagine having four lanes of traffic hurtling through our little town thirty feet in the air. My God the mind boggles, how was local traffic to enter onto and leave such a road.
Furthermore Declan Bree has never had a veto on the Borough Council any proposal put in front of that august body is decided by a majority vote.

Mint Sauce

so any ideas if they are reopening to traffic or not, seen they are widening the kerbs at the john st end with bricked pathing, and also at the tobergall lane enterance, shame they wouldn't tidy up the rest of it whilst their at it

Mint Sauce

irish-stew wrote: »

so any ideas if they are reopening to traffic or not, seen they are widening the kerbs at the john st end with bricked pathing, and also at the tobergall lane enterance, shame they wouldn't tidy up the rest of it whilst their at it

oppps, just seen this on the sligo coco website

Roadworks and civil works ongoing on O’Connell Street. Works are expected to last 3 weeks. Disruption will be kept to a minimum. These works are essential to accommodate the reopening of O’Connell St to vehicular traffic.

sligono1

its a street that has not got any TLC for a very long time its in bad need of it,its a very drab street compared to many main streets of our towns nationwide

Mint Sauce

whole thing needs to be tidied up regardless if its re opened or not, the path and the road looks something like a patch work quilt from all the digging up and re surfacing thats been done on it

sligono1

it has to be one of the most drab main streets in the country,what new footpaths and a new road surface would do the apperance of the street

mickeyfitzray

sligono1 wrote: »

it has to be one of the most drab main streets in the country,what new footpaths and a new road surface would do the apperance of the street

Instead their using our money to open it up to traffic again and make it even more drab. Stupid!

Son Of A Vidic

Open it up again please! I miss having to avoid stupid pedestrians who just decide to step out in front of you - no looking of course.

Mint Sauce

road kinda looks a mess now, new paving at the top, middle and bottom, rest is still patchy concrete, railings in front of johnson court and about a car doors lenght into the road in front of tescos, and can any one tell me what the gray panels are for dotted down half the road from tescos towards wine street, their about the size of two or three barmats, finally the patchy road markings at various points.

if their serious about returning it to traffic at least make it look like a decent road, at the moment its still nothing

mickeyfitzray

Looks like it's gonna be a half assed job like everything else in this town. Still can't understand why they couldn't wait until after the busiest season of the year. Idiotic is the only word.

tedshredsonfire

One of the main reasons for opening cited by councillors was the lack of funds to pave the street.
Most people using it don't want it paved as one lady I overheard telling George Hook that the paviing was a pain when pushing a buggy over it. I'd say renew and extend the footpaths and a new road surface wouldn't cost that much and we'd be there but seeing as we have already spent E100,000 on tender documents I'm sure the bill will be a hell of a lot more.

Mint Sauce

mmm, i see a few random poles have apearred there over the weekend, about a metre into the road from the pavement, now had they been on the pavement i might have seen their point, ie, parking/stopping restrictions signs, but a metre into the road



is the coco trying to get rid of its budget or allocatted funds before the years end doing a half hearted job on re opening this street

:rolleyes:

loc5

but will it just cause a back up to the top of high street again there doesn't seem to be a coordinated approach to this
if your not serious about saving the ship why move around the deck chairs??
the best thing to do is have a localized referendum and let those who will use and pay for it make the decision and if its the wrong one then no one can blame the local admin
sligo badly needs a bridge across the garavogue and a wide one for all not just for one mode of transport

Mint Sauce

loc5 wrote: »

but will it just cause a back up to the top of high street again there doesn't seem to be a coordinated approach to this
if your not serious about saving the ship why move around the deck chairs??
the best thing to do is have a localized referendum and let those who will use and pay for it make the decision and if its the wrong one then no one can blame the local admin
sligo badly needs a bridge across the garavogue and a wide one for all not just for one mode of transport

even though i'm personally against its reopening i would have thought it would have relived traffic a bit on high street, considering traffic now have the opiton of turning off a currently conjested castle/john street

hopefully it would also stop traffic turning into wine street car park from john street, i would say there is about half a dozen signs saying no entry into this lane and yet cars still go against the flow, am amazed there has been no accidents there