Dundalk Town Square

callmekenneth

i've never seen such an absolute clusterfook of unplanning madness. chapel street and stapleton place are fooked. also, why have they been going around widening the footpaths on corners of junctions, i dont see that it benefits cyclists and it makes it more difficulat to get on/off busy roads, you need to make a wider arc nearly necessitating you veer into oncoming lanes.

catherine duff is the town planner responsible for all this.

Waitsian

Something's going on right now it seems, 5 men in yellow or orange jackets walking up and down Stapleton Place pointing, and one has a piece of paper in his hands. They have a line painting lorry too. I'll keep abreast of the situation and report back.

callmekenneth

also, these contractors who are wrecking the town's main arteries are from the north. think it's important to not the considerable money being spent here is flowing north of the border.

ShiverinEskimo

callmekenneth wrote: »

also, these contractors who are wrecking the town's main arteries are from the north. think it's important to not the considerable money being spent here is flowing north of the border.

Under EU laws you can't restrict infrastructure spending to your own country. Tenders are EU-wide so if the North's engineers/trades/construction workers turn out to be the most economically advantageous tender then so be it.

It's a drop in the ocean compared to the retail trade flowing across the border from Dundalk.

callmekenneth

ShiverinEskimo wrote: »

Under EU laws you can't restrict infrastructure spending to your own country. Tenders are EU-wide so if the North's engineers/trades/construction workers turn out to be the most economically advantageous tender then so be it.

It's a drop in the ocean compared to the retail trade flowing across the border from Dundalk.

i dont understand why council workers arent doing it though, when did road maintenance get privatised?

ShiverinEskimo

Doesn't make sense for the coucil to buy, maintain, store and operate the heavy plant required for the odd major job.

Costs far less to outsource that kind of work. Council workers are far more expensive to employ than contractors. Contractors don't need expensive benefits and pensions and can be gotten rid of after shoddy work without a Union breathing down your neck.

callmekenneth

ShiverinEskimo wrote: »

Doesn't make sense for the coucil to buy, maintain, store and operate the heavy plant required for the odd major job.

Costs far less to outsource that kind of work. Council workers are far more expensive to employ than contractors. Contractors don't need expensive benefits and pensions and can be gotten rid of after shoddy work without a Union breathing down your neck.

fair points all.

doesnt make the whole operation any less of a massive massive mistake.

ShiverinEskimo

On that we can agree.

Nesta99

ShiverinEskimo wrote: »

Doesn't make sense for the coucil to buy, maintain, store and operate the heavy plant required for the odd major job.

Costs far less to outsource that kind of work. Council workers are far more expensive to employ than contractors. Contractors don't need expensive benefits and pensions and can be gotten rid of after shoddy work without a Union breathing down your neck.

To do with efficiency or lack there of (along with some shoddiness)! Job demarcation, pilfering, absenteeism etc. The old jibe of the council worker leaning on his shovel wasnt far off the mark. Add in the extortionate cost of have having people work anti-social hours to get a job done with minimal disruption. Many a nixer was done off the 'broad back'! Those that that were not on the take were excluded. Easiest solution wind down the road crews/woodwork shop/stores and use private contractors. If ever looking for some council 'yard worker' on a Thursday pop in to Benny Bradys.

CMK the M1 was built in partnership with a Spanish firm; its up to local firms to be competitive in a tender process.

I haven't a notion how they are going to get out of this mess though except that they are in that that deep they will plough on stating that it is a work in progress and it will be worth it in the end and to some extent that may be true.

hellboy99

callmekenneth wrote: »

i dont understand why council workers arent doing it though, when did road maintenance get privatised?

Probably because the crowd from the north are cheaper and do a better job!

Waitsian

So, progress report on Stapleton Place - they've painted more yellow lines on the two corners near Wilton House, and they're now marking individual parking bays.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

They have painted a hatched area in white on the outside of the left hand side parking bays. It allows those parking there a couple of feet more clearance before the roadway but it also narrows the road. Quite a pathetic attempt at an improvement.

tayto lover

Gideon Purple Nation wrote: »

They have painted a hatched area in white on the outside of the left hand side parking bays. It allows those parking there a couple of feet more clearance before the roadway but it also narrows the road. Quite a pathetic attempt at an improvement.

Obviously the visit of the Junior Minister to have a look at the circus that our streets have become was just a chance for him to claim more mileage and expenses. The circus is continuing unabated.

Waitsian

The first thing they should do is lift those stupid, long concrete bollards (?) that divide the bike lanes from the rest of the road and take away one of the said bike lanes, leaving one only, the one that flows in the same direction as the traffic. That would be a vast improvement with the minimum of fuss, in my opinion. But sure what do I know, I'm just a resident and a cyclist to boot, no point in asking me. :rolleyes:

10green bottles

mod9maple wrote: »

The first thing they should do is lift those stupid, long concrete bollards (?) that divide the bike lanes from the rest of the road and take away one of the said bike lanes, leaving one only, the one that flows in the same direction as the traffic. That would be a vast improvement with the minimum of fuss, in my opinion. But sure what do I know, I'm just a resident and a cyclist to boot, no point in asking me. :rolleyes:

NIMBY

Waitsian

10green bottles wrote: »

NIMBY

I understand the acronym but not your use of it - please explain. And if the 'wink' is indicative of humour, I don't get it.

ShiverinEskimo

Think they meant it in jest.

SDTimeout

Saw a near accident the other day while driving! seems like drivers are no educated on the new square. If you're coming from clanbrassil st you are allowed continue on in the left lane without stopping. It's up to the driver in the right lane to indicate further up to go into the left lane than cut across and have the right of way.

At least that's what I've been told.

tayto lover

SDTimeout wrote: »

Saw a near accident the other day while driving! seems like drivers are no educated on the new square. If you're coming from clanbrassil st you are allowed continue on in the left lane without stopping. It's up to the driver in the right lane to indicate further up to go into the left lane than cut across and have the right of way.

At least that's what I've been told.

Don't think so. You are supposed to yield to traffic from your right.