Luas Cross City (Line BX/D) [now open]

wakka12

Middle Man wrote: »

I notice from a very recent video of Dublin that the bike is really starting to ruin the city. Many street corners are starting to clog up with bikes chained to poles and such must be a clear hazard to people with visual impairment as well as a nuisance to those using wheelchairs. Naturally, it doesn't add to the city's aesthetics either. In short, planning policy remains wide of the mark - Dublin needs a comprehensive rail based transport solution and needs it now.

Id rather see bikes clogging up city streets than cars. Ill take anything but cars, and I don't think the bikes look that bad. Many european cities have huge amount s of bikes chained up on every road

Middle Man

wakka12 wrote: »

Id rather see bikes clogging up city streets than cars. Ill take anything but cars, and I don't think the bikes look that bad. Many european cities have huge amount s of bikes chained up on every road

I've seen pictures of Copenhagen and the bikes look horrible IMO.

plodder

I suspect the kind of city that some people want, doesn't exist anywhere. I just took a look at Amsterdam and it has a ring road similar to one I mentioned close to the city centre, in Munich. I wouldn't advocate bull dozing streets to make way for the above, but something more than the "virtual" orbital route that DCC designed should be done.

On bikes, if you don't provide parking areas for them, then what do you expect people to do, other than chain them to whatever they can find.

namloc1980

Middle Man wrote: »

I notice from a very recent video of Dublin that the bike is really starting to ruin the city. Many street corners are starting to clog up with bikes chained to poles and such must be a clear hazard to people with visual impairment as well as a nuisance to those using wheelchairs. Naturally, it doesn't add to the city's aesthetics either. In short, planning policy remains wide of the mark - Dublin needs a comprehensive rail based transport solution and needs it now.

You can't force everyone into a train. Everything needs to be complementary. Policy makers haven't bothered making provision for bike parking so you'll get people chaining them up wherever they can.

wakka12

plodder wrote: »

I suspect the kind of city that some people want, doesn't exist anywhere. I just took a look at Amsterdam and it has a ring road similar to one I mentioned close to the city centre, in Munich. I wouldn't advocate bull dozing streets to make way for the above, but something more than the "virtual" orbital route that DCC designed should be done.

On bikes, if you don't provide parking areas for them, then what do you expect people to do, other than chain them to whatever they can find.

Multi-storey bike car parks are a good idea.Loads in amsterdam. We could probably replace some of the current car multi storys with bike ones as it'll hold tens of thousands of bikes instead of a few hundreds cars

Dyr

Middle Man wrote: »

I notice from a very recent video of Dublin that the bike is really starting to ruin the city. Many street corners are starting to clog up with bikes chained to poles and such must be a clear hazard to people with visual impairment as well as a nuisance to those using wheelchairs. Naturally, it doesn't add to the city's aesthetics either. In short, planning policy remains wide of the mark - Dublin needs a comprehensive rail based transport solution and needs it now.

TBH it's not just bikes, the pavement has become some kind of no mans land where anyone can stake a claim.

99 Bortles of Beer

Ive moved abroad for a few months so have missed the introduction of this new cross city Luas. Can someone give a brief (and preferably "dummies guide") summary of why it's been such a mess, or why people are unhappy with it so far?

jobbridge4life

plodder wrote: »

I suspect the kind of city that some people want, doesn't exist anywhere. I just took a look at Amsterdam and it has a ring road similar to one I mentioned close to the city centre, in Munich. I wouldn't advocate bull dozing streets to make way for the above, but something more than the "virtual" orbital route that DCC designed should be done.

On bikes, if you don't provide parking areas for them, then what do you expect people to do, other than chain them to whatever they can find.

I don't think anyone really opposes the concept of appropriate and sensible ring roads. What we do need to do is protect what is left of our historic city core, and return the city centre to a livable and enjoyable space for it's residents, workers and visitors.

MJohnston

Ironically the North/south circular road would probably be a significantly better orbital route if there weren't a lot of major roads heading into the city centre off of it!

Chivito550

Frequency is a mess. Saturday at 2pm and going southbound we’ve got “Due, 14 mins, 15 mins”. The LUAS is no longer reliable with 7-8 min frequencies. The fact the LUAS starts from Broombridge and Parnell is throwing the even gap between trams out the window. There’s obviously no coordination between the 2 starting points. It’s better they were branded blue line and green line to be honest.

Timing on the screens is a mess. It says due in 2 mins yet the tram is arriving at the platform.

And the speed is very poor. 15 mins from Dominick to Stephen’s Green.

Jamie2k9

99 Bortles of Beer wrote: »

Ive moved abroad for a few months so have missed the introduction of this new cross city Luas. Can someone give a brief (and preferably "dummies guide") summary of why it's been such a mess, or why people are unhappy with it so far?

DCC failed to impose a proper traffic management plan around college green until the new year. Taxi's are a big big problem at peak times blocking buses/trams. I'm sure the case could also be made for a reduction in bus services as well. Other issues are more light/signal timings which have been adjusted this week but that will take longer. Trams been blocked is the big problem.

trellheim

Ive moved abroad for a few months so have missed the introduction of this new cross city Luas. Can someone give a brief (and preferably "dummies guide") summary of why it's been such a mess, or why people are unhappy with it so far?

Basically it was the wrong project to build from the very start , Metro North should have gone first as a successful BXD can really only work in the context of the Dame St Plaza, Cycleway , and the city centre car parks all being tackled as part of a single integrated project including addressing all modes of getting in and around town

As we have it its piecemeal pain by many cuts, BXD got done on its own. This will only exacerbate as things go on, especially when more trams come online in a couple of months.

IngazZagni

I took the luas from Broombridge to Stephens Green early this morning. Fantastic. Took about 22 minutes and college green was a breeze. Admittedly this was before the shopping rush.
Few points I noted. Frequency is not adequate enough. I understand this will be increased in the spring.

Frequency on the maynooth line needs to be drastically increased for Broombridge to be an efficient connection point. Would an off peak service to docklands station to compliment the existing Service be a runner?

Dominick Street is in shocking order. It's an absolute kip. Are there any plans to redevelop the council flats beside the Dominick stop or the wasteland on the other side?

I'm very happy overall though. Roll on Metro North!

Chivito550

The time of next trams online do not match those on the platform screens. Another thing that was never an issue until recently.

wakka12

IngazZagni wrote: »

I took the luas from Broombridge to Stephens Green early this morning. Fantastic. Took about 22 minutes and college green was a breeze. Admittedly this was before the shopping rush.
Few points I noted. Frequency is not adequate enough. I understand this will be increased in the spring.

Frequency on the maynooth line needs to be drastically increased for Broombridge to be an efficient connection point. Would an off peak service to docklands station to compliment the existing Service be a runner?

Dominick Street is in shocking order. It's an absolute kip. Are there any plans to redevelop the council flats beside the Dominick stop or the wasteland on the other side?

I'm very happy overall though. Roll on Metro North!

There are, the blank plot will be filled with a mix of council and private apartments I think, and once they're built the people on the other side of the street will move in and those blocks will be demolished.
Theres also plans for student accommodation on the other end of the street

It does look shocking though and is sad that thats what a large street of one of our most important thoroughfare and georgian squares looks like that

Middle Man

It's official - cyclists declare war on the Luas!

https://www.herald.ie/news/grisly-images-show-cyclists-horrific-luas-line-injuries-36412875.html

Well, a tram track is essentially a railway in the street and modern trams are essentially trains - like everything else, the laws of physics apply! As a long time heavy rail user, Irish Rail keep telling us passengers not to trespass on the railway and to keep behind the yellow line as the train approaches - there's actually a reason for that - it's dangerous to mess around with trains. Likewise, cyclists need to realise that it is dangerous to mess with trams and the tracks upon which they travel!

In short, stop cycling on the tramway!

MJohnston

Stop linking to a trash tabloid like the Herald!

Middle Man

Well I do agree that the story is thrash and that much of our media is a rag collection. However, the Luas is yet another thing that cyclists are moaning about - what if we pedestrians started whinging about everything?

MJohnston

Middle Man wrote: »

Well I do agree that the story is thrash and that much of our media is a rag collection. However, the Luas is yet another thing that cyclists are moaning about - what if we pedestrians started whinging about everything?

What exactly is it you think you're doing right now?

donvito99

Middle Man wrote: »

Well I do agree that the story is thrash and that much of our media is a rag collection. However, the Luas is yet another thing that cyclists are moaning about - what if we pedestrians started whinging about everything?

The point they're making is that promises were made in relation to College Green in particular being safely navigable for cyclists East-West and South North, and now they're being told to dismount, which is a farcical situation in light of the promise.

Middle Man

donvito99 wrote: »

The point they're making is that promises were made in relation to College Green in particular being safely navigable for cyclists East-West and South North, and now they're being told to dismount, which is a farcical situation in light of the promise.

There are only three modes of transport that have any business in College Green IMO:

1. Pedestrians
2. Trams
3. Buses

In that order and nothing else!

Middle Man

MJohnston wrote: »

What exactly is it you think you're doing right now?

Oh yeah, it's OK for cyclists to whinge, but no one else! As a pedestrian, I'm the vulnerable one and cyclists need to watch out for me just as motorists are expected to look out for pedestrians! BTW, don't get me started about those pesky cyclist left turning slips (like the hideous one outside the Bank of Ireland building in College Green) - I nearly got knocked by a speeding cyclist on one (Talbot Memorial Bridge)!

MJohnston

Middle Man wrote: »

Oh yeah, it's OK for cyclists to whinge, but no one else! As a pedestrian, I'm the vulnerable one and cyclists need to watch out for me as do motorists etc! Don't get me started about those pesky cyclists left turning slips - I nearly got knock by a speeding cyclist on one!

What does this have to do with the Luas?

Middle Man

MJohnston wrote: »

What does this have to do with the Luas?

Well my conversation started off with cyclists whinging about the Luas! In any case, pedestrian facilities go hand in hand with on-street tram infrastructure.

MJohnston

Middle Man wrote: »

Well it started off with cyclists whinging about the Luas!

On this thread?

Middle Man

MJohnston wrote: »

On this thread?

I've edited my post to clarify what I was saying.

James 007

Middle Man wrote: »

Oh yeah, it's OK for cyclists to whinge, but no one else! As a pedestrian, I'm the vulnerable one and cyclists need to watch out for me just as motorists are expected to look out for pedestrians! BTW, don't get me started about those pesky cyclist left turning slips - I nearly got knocked by a speeding cyclist on one!

I am a pedestrian, a cyclist and a motorist and I don't know when I am the vulnerable one.

Middle Man

James 007 wrote: »

I am a pedestrian, a cyclist and a motorist and I don't know when I am the vulnerable one.

When I say I'm a pedestrian, my regular walks are at least 3km in length. In saying I'm vulnerable as a pedestrian, I sometimes feel that I'm taking my life in my hands crossing a road for fear of being hit at night by a red light crashing cyclist - most motorists in my experience will obey the pedestrian signals, but many cyclists don't. In fact as a motorist, a speeding cyclist glanced off my front number plate as I was very slowly making my way out through a blind carpark exit - he was going downhill on the footpath - yes, the footpath!!! I got quite a shock and of course if he came off the bike, it would be all my fault despite his immoral behaviour. I wonder if there were any shell shocked pedestrians that night!

spacetweek

That's quite enough about pedestrians interacting with cyclists and vice versa.
Back to the Luas please.

donvito99

Middle Man wrote: »

it would be all my fault despite his immoral behaviour.

It would not be your fault. Your talking in tongues at this point.