New Cycle lanes!

jayboi

I dont care what argument anyone puts forward the new cycle lanes from town along the dunmore road are an absolute joke. There is absolutely no room for cycle lanes along large portions of the road.
Already ive seen people parking on the lanes causing traffic to go to the other side of the road as they've reduced the width on both sides in most places.
top it all off two more sets of traffic lights!

I want to know whos idea this was and why he still has a job!
Rant over thank you for listening.
Anyone else boggled by this?

KingLoser

you should use the cycle lanes. we have loads of space there. :pac:

Yes Boss

I would suggest that the lights were put in place to allow all the mammy's driving Chelsea Tractors to get access onto the Dunmore Road. I have to agree with you it is absolutely ridiculous!!

The unnamed public servant who made this decision will never be reprimanded!! It will cause more traffic chaos:mad:

jayboi

KingLoser wrote: »

you should use the cycle lanes. we have loads of space there. :pac:

Unfortunitly people parking cars are already thinking the same.

dayshah

I think they are unsafe at the roundabout, if the cyclist is turning right on the way into town. He would have an unsafe road position.

I'm in favour of better cycle infrastructure, but what I would do is just have a lane on one side of the road (save some space) and have a barrier separating it from the road. That way it would be safe for cyclists to cycle in both directions.

Dum_Dum

A more sensible solution would be a riverside cycle path between the City and Ballinakill. It's:

1) flat
2) off road

It could be safely segregated with a footpath which allows it to be well lit and an 'attraction' because of the scenery.

C_Dawg

The new cycle lanes have made part of the Dunmore Road really narrow: from the Newtown Road roundabout out to about the Topaz garage.

Cabaal

Dum_Dum wrote: »

A more sensible solution would be a riverside cycle path between the City and Ballinakill. It's:

1) flat
2) off road

It could be safely segregated with a footpath which allows it to be well lit and an 'attraction' because of the scenery.

Lovely however surely it could be
1. easily flooded in winter
2. attract scumbags and ditch drinkers to the route as it would likely have low traffic and is nicely lit for them to do their night time drinking

Can you honestly see anyone using it at 11pm at night, if people are able to drive their car correctly then there is room enough for a cycle path and a roadway...the problems exists when idiots f*ck up the system by parking on the cycle path and the likes.

Sully

Would be safer if the footpath was extended and made a proper cycle lane.

The current lanes are amateur at best and do not clearly state they are cycle lanes (even if its obvious) with many lanes narrowing and stopping short.

Not the best tbh.

TwistsAndTurns

Just passed from Passage rd roundabout to Newtown school at about 5pm and it look like they are marking out a bus lane aswell

old gregg

TwistsAndTurns wrote: »

Just passed from Passage rd roundabout to Newtown school at about 5pm and it look like they are marking out a bus lane aswell

that's right. the bus lane is on the way and stretches of the road just wide enough for a car will now also have a bus and cycle lane. The logic defies me.

rayc

C_Dawg wrote: »

The new cycle lanes have made part of the Dunmore Road really narrow: from the Newtown Road roundabout out to about the Topaz garage.

Yeah I was just looking at that this evening, they're actually so narrow T some points I don't think the car actually fits in the lane.

wmpdd3

I have a swift and I was on both white lines on the way home form work. At the church there was a car parked outside the 1st house on the right going into town and 2 cars parked in the new bus lane. Traffic came to a standstill, one car had to menouver 3 times to get past. Can just imagine to state of the place on Sunday morning.

Last time I'll travel that road, next time it's past Kill St lawerence for me.

Yes Boss

The Council is trying to shoehorn cycle lanes onto a narrow road - for whom? Why are they not on the roads leading out to Lisduggan, Kilcohan or John's park?

You can be guaranteed that they do not comply with minimum standards and in my opinion they pose a safety risk. I would suggest that if there is an accident i will be challenged and the Council will end up paying for the damage. Absolute clowns!!!

jayboi

This is it lads stupidity ats its best.
Did they even consult anyone on would this work.

as for the cycle lane coming to the roundabouts, I saw the one at the cove today it just stops a few metres short presumably they were watching E.T at the time and expected cyclists to fly over the roundabout, but id imagine they will turn it into a single lane roundabout like the one a Newtown further adding to the traffic woes.

So hold on there’s now going to be:
2 lanes for traffic and in some spots a cycle lane on one side and a bus lane on the other for a few meters?

jayboi

I have to say I would like the idea of a lane a long the river but I do agree that it would attract an anti-social element.

Did i read somewhere before that there were plans for a new riverwalk along similar lines?this could of been years ago.

Cabaal

Sully wrote: »

Would be safer if the footpath was extended and made a proper cycle lane. .

Anyone who cycles however will tell you that footpath/cyclelanes are even worse then road cyclelanes, you end up in a situation where the cyclist ends up using the road anyway.

dayshah

Cabaal wrote: »

Anyone who cycles however will tell you that footpath/cyclelanes are even worse then road cyclelanes, you end up in a situation where the cyclist ends up using the road anyway.

I cycle 10km to work every day and I disagree.

I use the bell on my bike if someone is in the way. The only real danger is people walking dogs. If you don't see the dog lead it could cause an accident. I'd rather crash into a dog lead though than an articulated lorry.

honeybadger

TwistsAndTurns wrote: »

Just passed from Passage rd roundabout to Newtown school at about 5pm and it look like they are marking out a bus lane aswell

so thats wot that was,,actualy didnt know wot lane to be in when i was passing thru that area earlier:),,its well dodgey

Stokolan

dayshah wrote: »

I cycle 10km to work every day and I disagree.

I use the bell on my bike if someone is in the way. The only real danger is people walking dogs. If you don't see the dog lead it could cause an accident. I'd rather crash into a dog lead though than an articulated lorry.

I think Cabaal may be referring to cyclists on road bikes that move at more then a commute speed.

dayshah

Stokolan wrote: »

I think Cabaal may be referring to cyclists on road bikes that move at more then a commute speed.

Surely these lanes are for commuters and people going to school, rather than people who cycle as a sport.

Cabaal

dayshah wrote: »

I cycle 10km to work every day and I disagree.

I use the bell on my bike if someone is in the way. The only real danger is people walking dogs. If you don't see the dog lead it could cause an accident. I'd rather crash into a dog lead though than an articulated lorry.

Fair enough but the vast majority of the users on the cycle forum will agree with my point,

dayshah wrote: »

Surely these lanes are for commuters and people going to school, rather than people who cycle as a sport.

Problem is at present if the lanes are installed then all cyclist MUST use them by law , whilst this is due to change in the law I don't believe it has changed yet.

I've used footpath/cycle lanes before and they just don't work, you affectively end up yielding to driveways and other such items its idiotic...the vast mojority of people out walking don't know their proper position on the path.

I'm not saying that they are just useless for people who you refer to as cycle for sport, they are also extremely frustrating for a commuting cyclist looking to keep a good decent pace.

19.5V

It will be interesting to see how drivers beside the bus lane react when the ambulance siren is audible

Cabaal

19.5V wrote: »

It will be interesting to see how drivers beside the bus lane react when the ambulance siren is audible

I drove up the Newtown road this morning before I went to work and I saw the bus lane for the first time.

They def have too much in the one small bit of space, however it "might" actually work if nobody parked at either side of the road....this of course is not going to happen.

Ideally they should just have the normal lanes and then a cycle lane at each side of the road, def not enough room for a bus lane as well...not without a wider road

dayshah

Cabaal wrote: »

I drove up the Newtown road this morning before I went to work and I saw the bus lane for the first time.

They def have too much in the one small bit of space, however it "might" actually work if nobody parked at either side of the road....this of course is not going to happen.

Ideally they should just have the normal lanes and then a cycle lane at each side of the road, def not enough room for a bus lane as well...not without a wider road

I don't understand. They put 3 lanes there? 2 for cars and 1 for a bus?

2 alternatives to road widening are removing the car parking (as you said), or making it a one way road. You could possibly do this for portions of the Dunmore road too.

Cabaal

dayshah wrote: »

I don't understand. They put 3 lanes there? 2 for cars and 1 for a bus?

2 alternatives to road widening are removing the car parking (as you said), or making it a one way road. You could possibly do this for portions of the Dunmore road too.

Around newtown area there appears to be two car lanes, a cycle lane and a bus lane, removing car parking would likely solve alot of problems but then there's a lot of older "georgeon type" houses that have no driveways in that area.

So where do these people park? Pay parking perhaps then like Dublin...if you live in the town centre expect to pay for parking all the time...encourage people not to have cars and to use public transport...could be abit unworkable though

dayshah

Cabaal wrote: »

Around newtown area there appears to be two car lanes, a cycle lane and a bus lane, removing car parking would likely solve alot of problems but then there's a lot of older "georgeon type" houses that have no driveways in that area.

So where do these people park? Pay parking perhaps then like Dublin...if you live in the town centre expect to pay for parking all the time...encourage people not to have cars and to use public transport...could be abit unworkable though

I think a lot of the Georgian houses are accounting firms rather than residential. I think its a good idea to discourage people from owning cars, in the medium/long term, and at least reduce it to one car per family.

If you live near the centre you should need a car less. One thing they could do is more underground parking. They do this in other countries. For example you could dig up Ballybricken and install a car park, and then cover the top with grass again. You'd never know there was a car park underneath.

As for the Newtown area, maybe put a car park under the De La Salle pitches or Newtown school's pitches. Do the work over the summer, and the school could make a fortune.

Joey leBlanc

jayboi wrote: »

I saw the one at the cove today it just stops a few metres short presumably they were watching E.T at the time and expected cyclists to fly over the roundabout,

LOL! Must keep an eye on the skies around the town from now on for extra terrestial cyclists .
The new road arrangements are ridiculous.It's gonna cause traffic jams & tailbacks. I've seen more than a few people drive straight thru a red light going round the corner at the top of Newtown over the past 2 days. Its not a question of if an accident will happen but when.

I dont live out the dunmore road but travel it quite a bit each day & I have had not encountered many problems other than the chaos at school times. Maybe the city council should have concentrated their attention on the entrances/exits to each of them & come up with a one way system. Better still employ a few lollipop ladies. There are if Im not mistaken 4/5 schools in such a small area. By far the worst offenders are parents dropping off kids at waterpark. They will park anywhere & pull out in front of you just to make sure little Tarquin just has to walk a few steps to the door. In my day, (I used to go to De la Salle, I left in the early 90s) about 80% of people either walked or cycled.

The whole new system is idiotic in the extreme. Its being constructed for the best part of a year. Footpaths being ripped up, bus shelters being put in & the maze of road markings. What was wrong with the pedestrian crossings that were there?

dayshah

Joey leBlanc wrote: »

the chaos at school times.

Hopefully there will be an uptake in people cycling to De La Salle and Waterpark, so it might help the traffic in the morning.

Deisetrek

Cabaal wrote: »

Anyone who cycles however will tell you that footpath/cyclelanes are even worse then road cyclelanes, you end up in a situation where the cyclist ends up using the road anyway.

Agree Cabaal , maybe off the topic of the new lanes in the Newtown area , but I use the Outer Ring both for commuting to work and for leisure cycling . I use the road all the time now rather than the foothpath provided for cycling use , because of the obvious dislike of cyclists by certain people ( not slow to let you know either) .
I have been told by one motorist to" f*** in onto the path , we paid millions for" ???? , but that was only d***head , most drivers are very patient and give me plenty room . So the road it is for me , lesser of two evils and less irritating for the majority .

dayshah

Deisetrek wrote: »

Agree Cabaal , maybe off the topic of the new lanes in the Newtown area , but I use the Outer Ring both for commuting to work and for leisure cycling . I use the road all the time now rather than the foothpath provided for cycling use , because of the obvious dislike of cyclists by certain people ( not slow to let you know either) .
I have been told by one motorist to" f*** in onto the path , we paid millions for" ???? , but that was only d***head , most drivers are very patient and give me plenty room . So the road it is for me , lesser of two evils and less irritating for the majority .

I've often been tempted to smash up a car with my D-Lock after the driver acts as a D-Head.