The footpath extension at millstreet

Mrs OBumble

Moving the taxi spaces across the road, so that they don't have to cross contra-flowing traffic to get into or out of the rank will make the area safer.

(I totally cannot understand how parking on the wrong side of the road is legal for anyone: you have to drive on the wrong side to get into and out of the park - but that is a discussion for another forum.)

Fey!

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Moving the taxi spaces across the road, so that they don't have to cross contra-flowing traffic to get into or out of the rank will make the area safer.

(I totally cannot understand how parking on the wrong side of the road is legal for anyone: you have to drive on the wrong side to get into and out of the park - but that is a discussion for another forum.)

This I agree with absolutely, and is one of the comments I had been making myself. Pulling out blind into oncoming traffic can only end badly eventually.

galwaycyclist

Fey! wrote: »

This I agree with absolutely, and is one of the comments I had been making myself. Pulling out blind into oncoming traffic can only end badly eventually.

It depends on the local conditions and the nature of the traffic you are pulling out into. There is an argument that it is safer for cyclists to have the parked cars facing towards you.

If anyone opens a car door in the cyclists face, the natural tendency is for the door to get pushed back in. When the cars are facing the same direction as the cyclist is going the tendency is to throw the cyclist out to the right.

Its a question that arises more when one-way streets are being made two-way for bikes.

galwaycyclist

Iwannahurl wrote: »

City centre parking, and parking management generally, is a major issue that needs to be addressed in Galway. Anyone know the total number of spaces in the city centre?

In 2012, Conor Steen, a Masters Student from DIT did his thesis on a comparison of Galway with Groningen it does a comparison of parking policies. Its a monster file so pm me if you want a copy.

Source: Galway Transport Problems: A Groningen Solution, Conor Steen, School of Real Estate and Construction Economics, Dublin Institute of Technology, 2012

Groningen

4.2 Bike Parking
Parking availability is one of the city’s major concerns, according to local city cycling planner Jaap Valkema. There are in excess of 10,000 parked bicycles around the railway station each weekend, causing disruption and resulting in a shortage of available cycle parking spaces.

Groningen’s first guarded parking facility was opened in 1982. A daily charge of €0.90 was introduced to cover the cost of staff for surveillance. Due to its success, the number of guarded parking facilities began to rise and other cities across the Netherlands began to take note of this successful implantation within Groningen. Currently there are 36 bike parks across the city, 7 of which are guarded to prevent bike theft. At present there is a guarded bike park with 1,700 parking spaces, an underground parking facility for 4,150 and a deck for 900 bikes adjacent to the railway station. Currently there are plans to expand in order to keep up with demand around the railway station at a cost of €10 million.

<snip>

4.4 Car Parking
In order to encourage people to cycle within Groningen, car parking within the city was reduced. From the 1980s onwards the parking policy became an important directive policy. Between 1980 and 2000 parking fees were introduced within the city centre area. Parking fees areas increased from 1.2 km2 to 5 km2 to discourage car drivers from driving into the city.

There are 11 car parking garages in Groningen; however, seven of these are located around the edges of the city. From here people can reach the city centre by the city bus service. This has helped to reduce cars within the city and encouraged people to cycle instead of drive.

Galway

5.4 Bicycle Parking
The availability of bicycle parking spaces is a major concern for cyclists in Galway. Currently there is no guarded parking for cyclists, resulting in cyclists having to park bikes in very limited locations across the city with the potential for bikes to be stolen when parked at unguarded, unsecured locations.

Galway City Council have introduced a number of parking facilities to try and increase the levels of cycling within the city, including parking introduced at Eyre Square and Main Guard Street. According to the Development Plan 2005-2011, additional bicycle parking will become available at Woodquay, Dyke Road, Buttermilk Walk, Bowling Green, O’Briens Bridge, Iarnród Éireann and the Railway Station. The most recent figures available show that there are 169 parking spaces available across the city, resulting in very limited parking. This corresponds to one bicycle parking space within the city centre for every 464 people living in Galway City.

5.5 Car Parking
Galway City commuters have become more and more reliant on the private car on a daily basis, resulting in the continued increase in demands for available car parking. As a result, multi-storey car parks have become increasingly popular within the city boundaries. Currently seven multi-storey parking units operate in the city with a total of 2502 car spaces in total and a further 839 on-street pay and display parking spaces in operation. This corresponds to one car parking space within the city centre for every 23.47 people living in Galway City.

As of January 14th 2012 Galway City Council has reduced the price of parking in both on-street and off-street car parks. Short-term parking has been reduced from €2.60 per hour to €2 and all-day parking in long-term car parks has been reduced from €5 to €4, resulting in an increase in the levels of cars within the city.

Cleahaigh

I assume that hasn't been peer reviewed, yet.

galwaycyclist

Cleahaigh wrote: »

I assume that hasn't been peer reviewed, yet.

I don't know what the procedures are for DIT masters theses - I am not aware that a masters thesis would generally go for peer review in the same sense as journal articles.

If you want to query the facts feel free to do so I can pass your questions on to Conor.

If I recall correctly he had trouble getting hard numbers for parking spaces out of the Galway Transportation Unit. This suggests we have a Transportation Unit that does not keep track of a key component of transport policy. But that is probably a matter for a different thread.

what_traffic

That is a pretty amazing statistic in that paper

Source: Galway Transport Problems: A Groningen Solution, Conor Steen, School of Real Estate and Construction Economics, Dublin Institute of Technology, 2012

but not surprising when you experience it on the ground.

Bicycle parking stands within the city centre :1 for every 464 people living in Galway City.
Car Parking spaces within the city centre: 1 for every 23.47 people living in Galway City.

Will any additional bike parking stands be installed at the Bridge Mills I wonder? Always full anytime I pass by the bike rack there.

pleasant Co.

Why has the topic moved away from this extension and on to bikes?

jkforde

it's ok, it's a good sign of irrational human behaviour leading to once clearly defined conversations to drift off-topic... but then everyday conversations aren't moderated by diligent mods!

galwaycyclist

pleasant Co. wrote: »

Why has the topic moved away from this extension and on to bikes?

Arguably it was off topic from the time car parking got mentioned

Robbo

pleasant Co. wrote: »

Why has the topic moved away from this extension and on to bikes?

Because they always do.

Talkin' about a footpath, that's a peddlin'.
Talkin' about public transport, that's a peddlin'.
Talkin' about traffic, oh you better believe that's a peddlin'.

Iwannahurl

mr.correct wrote: »

The genius' at city council have done it again ! they have extended the width of the footpath on the end of the bridge before you turn right down nuns island now when you are coming up beside garda station or turning left after nuns island there's only enough room for one car at front of the junction this is crazy and causing so many problems already I was 15 mins trying to get from back of nuns island to Dominick street* THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED IN MY LIFE TIME DRIVING GALWAY CITY

Fey! wrote: »

Unfortunately they are planning to make this a 24 hour taxi rank and are removing the public parking. In order to make it a 24 hour rank it needs a council vote to change the bylaws. I am personally against this, and would ask everyone to email the members of the city council and ask them to vote against this, as it further reduces parking in the city.

The corpo feel that the the public parking is not needed as their revenue shows that Mill Street and Ravens Terrace carparks are empty, despite it being nearly impossible to get a space in either.

what_traffic wrote: »

Bicycle parking stands within the city centre :1 for every 464 people living in Galway City.
Car Parking spaces within the city centre: 1 for every 23.47 people living in Galway City.

pleasant Co. wrote: »

Why has the topic moved away from this extension and on to bikes? *

Robbo wrote: »

Because they always do.

Talkin' about a footpath, that's a peddlin'.
Talkin' about public transport, that's a peddlin'.
Talkin' about traffic, oh you better believe that's a peddlin'.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_Qo9j5k-No

*Self-explanatory really.

Fey!

Iwannahurl wrote: »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_Qo9j5k-No

*Self-explanatory really.

Strange that you didn't quote anything from yourself in there.

You really should be a comedian on the telly; at least then we could turn you off. :P

Iwannahurl

The Simpsons reference (paddlin', Matlock etc) was intended as a bit of light relief.

The more general point, in response to the suggestion that the topic has somehow moved, is that certain issues raised (parking etc) are indeed relevant.

Fey!

Iwannahurl wrote: »

The Simpsons reference (paddlin', Matlock etc) was intended as a bit of light relief.

The more general point, in response to the suggestion that the topic has somehow moved, is that certain issues raised (parking etc) are indeed relevant.

Sorry; my sense of humour seems to be missing today!

Iwannahurl

Fey! wrote: »

The corpo feel that the the public parking is not needed as their revenue shows that Mill Street and Ravens Terrace carparks are empty, despite it being nearly impossible to get a space in either.

Any official source for that suggestion re Mill Street car-park occupancy and revenue?

Fey!

Iwannahurl wrote: »

Any official source for that suggestion re Mill Street car-park occupancy and revenue?

They are basing this on the lack of revenue from the carpark. They told us this when we met them. We pointed out the lack of availability of spaces in the carpark despite them thinking it was empty; I didn't think to mention the reason for it (overflow for the Garda station as there is no space for even official vehicles on the station grounds).

Zzippy

Fey! wrote: »

They are basing this on the lack of revenue from the carpark. They told us this when we met them. We pointed out the lack of availability of spaces in the carpark despite them thinking it was empty; I didn't think to mention the reason for it (overflow for the Garda station as there is no space for even official vehicles on the station grounds).

Went to park in Mill St today, spent 10 minutes stuck while someone tried to reverse out, she was badly hampered by the cars parked on the roadway where people had decided to create new spaces - see photo. The car park was jammed beyond capacity. I was thinking of this thread and conducted a small survey - of 10 cars I looked at 4 had no tickets. A certain credit union was conspicuous by the prominent advertising certain drivers were giving it on their dashboards... :pac:

Cleahaigh

If there are any City Council bods reading this, here are a couple of things I've noted about the works;

1. The Mill Street/Dominic Street junction has a stop line and a stop road marking but has a yield sign.
2. The 'Motorcycle only' sign is still in place outside Kelly's (or thereabouts).
3. The old limestone kerbs outside the Bridge Mills have been encased in concrete and the proposed flagstone paving in the area was never done.
4. The excessively low kerbs in several areas are a hazard to visually impaired pedestrians.
5. What's the point of the little bit of pedestrian guard rail left in place outside the school?

what_traffic

Cleahaigh wrote: »

If there are any City Council bods reading this, here are a couple of things I've noted about the works;

1. The Mill Street/Dominic Street junction has a stop line and a stop road marking but has a yield sign.
2. The 'Motorcycle only' sign is still in place outside Kelly's (or thereabouts).
3. The old limestone kerbs outside the Bridge Mills have been encased in concrete and the proposed flagstone paving in the area was never done.
4. The excessively low kerbs in several areas are a hazard to visually impaired pedestrians.
5. What's the point of the little bit of pedestrian guard rail left in place outside the school?

Agree - its a poor finish. Par for the course when it come's to the City Council.
They also should re-instate the bike parking stand outside the Bridge Mills

Fey!

The motorcycle parking was brought to their attention, but as far as I know they haven't come up with a new home for it yet.

The bike stand at the Bridge Mills was moved across the road, and they're supposed to be replacing the one outside the DewDrop.

There is a yield sign AND a stop sign at the mini roundabout coming off Cross Street.

The new section of taxi rank sits empty for most of the day now.

Iwannahurl

what_traffic wrote: »

They also should re-instate the bike parking stand outside the Bridge Mills

+1.

It's now the case that, unless you lock your bike awkwardly to a pole outside the Bridge Mills, you have to cross the road at an uncontrolled junction to access the bike rack. What's needed is more bike parking, not relocated bike parking.

Meanwhile you can park your car right outside the door. A small but revealing sign that Galway City Council really does not 'get' cycling.

EDIT: that said, I think changes such as the parking prohibition on the South side of O'Brien's Bridge are a welcome improvement.

what_traffic

Fey! wrote: »

The motorcycle parking was brought to their attention, but as far as I know they haven't come up with a new home for it yet.

The bike stand at the Bridge Mills was moved across the road, and they're supposed to be replacing the one outside the DewDrop.

There is a yield sign AND a stop sign at the mini roundabout coming off Cross Street.

The new section of taxi rank sits empty for most of the day now.

Could put in the motorcycle parking at the bridge mills along with re-instating the bike parking. 10 bikes per car parking space and 2/3 motorbikes per car parking space.

Fey!

My understanding is that they are going to replace, improve and expand the rack at the Dewdrop.

They've already decimated the local parking; I don't agree with iwannahurl about the removal of the parking altogether being an improvement.

what_traffic

Fey! wrote: »

My understanding is that they are going to replace, improve and expand the rack at the Dewdrop.

They've already decimated the local parking; I don't agree with iwannahurl about the removal of the parking altogether being an improvement.

Decimated? Hardly. This was not local parking that was removed; did it not become a TAXI Rank in the evenings in a previous life? However I believe we need to get away from just the Pay and Display MODEL and have streets where ONLY residents can park.

Iwannahurl

Fey! wrote: »

My understanding is that they are going to replace, improve and expand the rack at the Dewdrop.

They've already decimated the local parking; I don't agree with iwannahurl about the removal of the parking altogether being an improvement.

I think we're agreed that Mill Street municipal car park is operating below capacity? There you have a bunch of spaces close by to replace the ones along the bridge.

Taking one space out of the row in front of the Bridge Mills would not be a massive change, and putting back the bike racks would be a much more efficient use of the limited room available: 10 bikes per car parking space, as what_traffic says.

It would also be a small but encouraging sign that Galway City Council is taking the provision of cycle infrastructure seriously. If you build it they will come: car parking spaces attract drivers, and bike parking spaces attract cyclists.

Cyclists need somewhere to secure their bikes. If they don't have racks they will use poles, railings and whatever else is handy. Result: clutter on the pavement, obstacles in the way of pedestrians and trip hazards for elderly and vision-impaired people.

45mhrc7evo1d3n

Iwannahurl wrote: »

I think we're agreed that Mill Street municipal car park is operating below capacity?

Not sure what you are basing that statement on as several posts on here have said that it is impossible to find a space in the Mill Street car park as it is always full. The council said it wasn't generating sufficient revenue which has been attributed to the number of vehicles parking there without paying.

what_traffic

Mack Quick Dolt wrote: »

The council said it wasn't generating sufficient revenue which has been attributed to the number of vehicles parking there without paying.

Hi Mack Quick Dolt - Do you know would that be due to residents on Domnick St/Parkavera/Mill Street who have resident's permits to park there or is it due to Gardai who use it? or is that General Public are just getting away with not paying at all?

45mhrc7evo1d3n

I do know that residents permits only cover on-street parking,not car parks so that wouldn't be the reason. It has been mentioned on this thread that Mill Street car park is being used as an overflow car park for the Garda station. Some posters have said that strategically placed Connacht Tribunes or credit union advertising are prone to being displayed instead of a valid parking ticket.

Iwannahurl

Mack Quick Dolt wrote: »

Not sure what you are basing that statement on as several posts on here have said that it is impossible to find a space in the Mill Street car park as it is always full. The council said it wasn't generating sufficient revenue which has been attributed to the number of vehicles parking there without paying.

Perhaps I should have said 'potential capacity' or something along those lines.

If the Credit Union members were required to pay their way, same as the rest of us, there might well be a better turn-over of spaces.

The improved availability of spaces might then compensate for removing just the one car-parking space form the row in front of the Bridge Mills. The removal of that space in turn would make room for as much as ten bikes.

Win-win all round, I would suggest. However, the politics of this are readily apparent, so I suspect that the Credit Union members will continue to get their free perks, cars will continue to drive up to the door of the Bridge Mills, and cyclists (many of them foreign students paying good money to study in the language school) will just have to keep traipsing back and over at this uncontrolled junction.