Dun Laoghaire Traffic & Commuting Chat

As I said, grow up.

Burt Renaults

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117959417#Comment_117959417

Better public transport is a great idea, but where will we put it? Right now, in Dún Laoghaire, there is simply no room for more buses - unless bus priority measures (something completely absent in the town) and bus parking facilities are provided. And I'm not sure how either of those things would be possible without taking space away from private cars.

Larbre34

Theres where the bus priority should be (this was taken today).

And if bus parking is whats needed, there is acres of space in the harbour. I'm not sure a load of parked buses describes a particular efficient operation though.

Mav11

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117965982#Comment_117965982

Compared to last Saturday, it adds nothing to see the street full of traffic again. Its back to being an ugly, dreary street. I certainly won't be in a hurry to head down there this weekend.

The politicans couldnt even walk or cycle from the Dail to the convention centre, they organised a bus to take them.

We will start at the top and remove all travelling expenses from politicans and civil servsnts. They can avail of tax reliefs to buy bikes and scooters or they can walk to work.

They can take trains like everyone else if the commute is too far.

The carparks attached to Dublin City Hall and DLR should be converted into bicycle and escooter parking and or bus parking, no need for anyone working in the centre of Dublin or DL to drive,when I see this happening I might take all this talk about change seriously.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117965982#Comment_117965982

The buses will be back so that will increase custom in the shops, thats what a town is about.

What you are looking for, eg acrobats etc can be found in the local park.

That street is ugly, the buildings ciuld be painted and flower boxes etc installed on upper levels, removing cars or leaving them isnt going to make a whole lot of difference.

If Tesco closed its doors thats the end of retail in that atea, Tesco and the cinema bring shoppers and not the absence of cars.

I can cycle down the street again so Im happy, cars dont bother me.

patrickbrophy18

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117964744#Comment_117964744

That was one example of solving an issue and something that is done frequently the world over. See the following link:

Structure relocation - Wikipedia

This shows how imaginative other countries are when it comes to making space for projects like road improvements among many other things. So, ridiculous, it aint.

Unfortunately, you seem to be heavily indoctrinated into the very unimaginative Irish planning process riddled with restrictions, red tape, parish pump politics and resultant high construction costs which is a hinderance to a lot of potential economic growth, tourism and opportunities. It's also the kind of stupidity lampooned in shows like Father Ted where perpetuation of such perception is just cringeworthy.

Larbre34

You are entitled to your opinion Patrick, as I am and I'm very familar with the theories you talk about. However, I've visited cities and towns all over the World many of which have ruined their heritage in the name of progress.

I would never say the Irish planning system and its stakeholders do not have some serious issues that continue to need to be addressed, but I'm proud to be "indoctrinated" in a system that deeply values its built heritage after a century of vandalism in that regard.

Homesick Alien

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117959817#Comment_117959817

That is simply not true - the coastal mobility route is very busy every day, particularly in the mornings. Far more bikes than cars travel the coast road, adults, schoolkids, commuters, enthusiasts. I cycle the route at least twice every single day so stop saying no one uses it. You don't know what you're talking about. You're just trolling this forum with your rubbish.

Case in point: "I was driving around today and I didn't see a single cyclist" . Following post: "today I was driving and I saw a cyclist break the lights" . The usual contradictory nonsense.

I cycle it regularly and it isnt very busy, it was when we were all stuck in 5km of our houses and there was nothing to do.

Are you denying that there isnt an issue with cyclists not obeying the rules of the road, are you one of these people.

There is no big increase in cyclist numbers and traffic is back to pre covid levels.

Again, cycling is not the answer to traffic congestion, better public transport is,its as simple as that.

Larbre34

That argument can be had ad nauseam. The reality is that without any metrics, who is to say whats busy and whats not.

However, whats not debatable, is the the Coastal Mobility Route is in place without any planning process, as a temporary Covid era measure, without any sign of a the retrospective Part VIII process that was promised, to either approve it, or remove it.

Everything is open, school is back to normal and workplaces are getting close and we are told traffic is at 90%+ of pre-pandemic levels again. So wheres the consultation process?

Burt Renaults

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117965982#Comment_117965982

There is a limited amount of parking spaces available to buses. There might be acres of space on Harbour Rd, but there is only room for four or (at a stretch) five parked buses. They get ticketed by DLRCC for parking anywhere other than in those spaces. Take a look at Crofton Rd any weekday morning, between 9 and 10, and you'll see that the allotted bus parking spaces are overflowing. Parked buses at quieter times of day aren't indicative of inefficiency. They'd be a whole lot more efficient if they didn't have to return to their respective depots, or if drivers didn't have to drive around in circles waiting for somewhere to legally park before going on their break (and a late break results in delays to subsequent services).

They've done some good work in Dún Laoghaire, with regard to cycling facilities. But public transport has been entirely neglected, treated with absolute contempt. Not an inch of priority is given to buses anywhere in the town.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117969484#Comment_117969484

Reported in Irish Times yesterday that traffic is fully back to pre pandemic levels, I think its worse than its ever been. This could be due to people not wanting to be jammed against others on the Dart and Luas because of covid.

All those measures that were installed in the early days of covid as temporary measures need to be reassessed now.Residents were assured they were temporary and it turns out this wasnt the intention, this type of pushing change through the back door makes people wary and suspicious of further change, ie trials etc and you cant blame them.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117969496#Comment_117969496

As I said, there is the townhall car park, it could easily be converted into parking spaces for buses.

It could incorporate safe secure indoor space for bikes too, there is no secure lock up bike storage in Dunlaoghaire.

There is no need for the vast majority of staff to drive to Dunlaoghaire, as they are pontificating its walk, cycle, public transport for the plebs, that should apply to everyone without exception.

If they want to drive they can find snd pay for parking like everyone else.

Larbre34

How the hell do you turn an underground carpark with a 2.5 metre ceiling into parking space for feckin buses??!! Single deckers is it? 🤣🤣🤣

Whats wrong with single decker buses or a fleet of mini buses.

At the moment the 114 serves the Luas but its going around empty half the time and its not very frequent, no reason mini buses running very frequently couldnt serve passengers who depend on someone to drop them to the Luas or Dart and pick them up.

In any event you cant have public servants bringing forward proposals to penalise people for having the nerve to use their cars while the same public servants continue to drive to work and park for free,this is hypocrisy.

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117960462#Comment_117960462

When has a motorist EVER had to bear responsibility for hitting a cyclist that broke the lights?

BTW, just in case you didn't know, green light means 'proceed with caution', not 'slam the boot down while finishing off that important Whatsapp message you're sending'.

Larbre34

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117971173#Comment_117971173

oh nothing at all, but you aren't going to keep them in an underground carpark!

In point of fact, Dublin Bus did have a large fleet of small single deckers and minibuses some years ago, but the cost implications of having so many types on fleet saw them discontinued. Both DB and GoAhead now limit their chassis types to one or two, with some single decker coach bodies used.

Homesick Alien

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117971173#Comment_117971173

You've got a bee in your bonnet about councillors having free parking for some reason but to say that we should shrink the fleet of Dublin buses serving dun laoghaire to mini buses just so they can fit in an underground Carpark and you can get one over on local councillors is one of the more ridiculous things you've come out with (in a long line of ridiculous things)

Where did I mention councillors only.

I am referring to a staff car park in the centre of Dunlaoghaire. This car park should be put to other usage and the staff told to walk, cycle or use public transport to work, ie the advice the plebs are being given.

What problem do you have with this, do you not agree those making decisions re car usage for others should not be provided with free car park spaces for themselves, I mean the coastal mobility route leads to the council offices, lets see all the officials cycling to work.

Think what the taxpayer will save on travelling expenses.We can turn the carpark into a bicycle lock up, most people would be happy to pay for this, we can run a rent a bike scheme there too and provide a bike repair service at low cost.We can also run cycling classes around that big empty space, it will be great.

Lets tweet the Senior Officials with my plan, I just know they will do the right thing, they just havent been thinking outside the box.

p15574

I agree about way too much public sector parking, but what's the bets that if it was removed, it would merely change to them using other car parks, like Bloomfields, and the taxpayer paying for that instead.

Cyrus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117973432#Comment_117973432

why, very few private companies in urban locations provide parking any more, why would civil servants be any differently treated?

p15574

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117973465#Comment_117973465

Unions.

Mav11

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117973465#Comment_117973465

BIK.

Cyrus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117974005#Comment_117974005

What has BIK got to do with it?

Mav11

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117974048#Comment_117974048

Private company employees are charged Benefit in Kind (BIK) if car spaces are provided. Public servants are not, even though a flat charge of €200 was supposed to be imposed a few years ago, it never was. Hence one of the reasons private companies in urban locations no longer provide car spaces.

Cyrus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117974208#Comment_117974208

Never heard of that before,

nor have the revenue it seems

https://www.revenue.ie/en/employing-people/benefit-in-kind-for-employers/other-benefits/use-of-facilities-sports-recreational-childcare-and-carparks/car-parking.aspx

Mav11

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117974224#Comment_117974224

It was brought in during the financial crisis (2009 /10), but must have been dropped due to complexities and anomalies.

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/public-servants-to-park-free-others-pay-tax-on-space-26236538.html

Cyrus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117974338#Comment_117974338

It was mooted but I don't think it ever actually made it into law.

Mav11

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117974413#Comment_117974413

You could be right but I think it went a bit further than being mooted. I was with a Govt dept. at the time and the questions were did you have your own designated space (BIK €200 applied) or were you sharing a pool space (no BIK due) and then how often did you use it? Anyway whether enacted or not, it was unimplementable and must have been quietly dropped. I thought it was still in force!!