Park and Ride Comes to Town - Seasonal Service Returns November 30

what_traffic

http://www.galwaycity.ie/GeneralNews/191113_01.html

kickstarts again on Saturday November 30 at 7:00am from Ballybrit Racecourse shuttling passengers to the Coach Station terminus in Eyre Square every 15 minutes.

It's only €3 - so must be heavily subsidised by the City Council

what_traffic

Further update from Galwaycity.ie website.
http://www.galwaycity.ie/GeneralNews/251113_01.html
"
It will operate every 15 minutes Monday to Saturday from 7:00am to 9:30pm and on Sundays between 11:00am and 7:00pm until Tuesday December 24th
"

Mrs OBumble

I wonder which bus company got the tender to run it this year ...

Notice the bland white bus in their poster!

what_traffic

I thought this the best line from the PR:
"the Park and Ride proves to be a big hit with young children."

jenno86

Did I read they are having free on street parking in the city also?

zarquon

jenno86 wrote: »

Did I read they are having free on street parking in the city also?

No, the ran that for 3 weeks in November for 2 hours between 10a.m and noon. It's finished now. There's no way they would run a P&R and give free street parking at the same time as that would defeat the purpose

I don't think P&R is really that suitable for people doing Christmas shopping so I wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't get much use.

People tend to be doing big food shops, buying big items for presents etc etc and have bags and bags of shopping that they want to be able to drop back to the car between shops so they aren't dragging them around and or they may have too much stuff to even carry.

Iwannahurl

Alvaro Thankful Treadmill wrote: »

I don't think P&R is really that suitable for people doing Christmas shopping so I wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't get much use.

People tend to be doing big food shops, buying big items for presents etc etc and have bags and bags of shopping that they want to be able to drop back to the car between shops so they aren't dragging them around and or they may have too much stuff to even carry.

Incorrect.

MORE THAN 21,000 people used the Galway City Council’s Christmas park and ride service in December [2012], the largest number yet to use the service.

According to City Hall, a total of 21,101 used the service, an increase of 35 per cent from the 15,650 who used the service in 2011. Numbers have nearly doubled since 2009 when 10,132 availed of the service. There was also an increase of more than 20 per cent in the number of cars parking up at the Racecourse over the period.

Source: Galway Advertiser, 10th January 2013.

pleasant Co.

Iwannahurl, there is absolutely no need to be snide when addressing a fellow boardsie who is only giving their opinion. Next time you correct somebody, do it nicely or I will card you.

jamesdiver

Do they rent the carpark from the racecourse? Would it not be cheaper to use the carpark at the airport which the council now owns.

jamesdiver

although i admit the racecourse is that bit handier for the n17

Mrs OBumble

Alvaro Thankful Treadmill wrote: »

I don't think P&R is really that suitable for people doing Christmas shopping so I wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't get much use.

People tend to be doing big food shops, buying big items for presents etc etc and have bags and bags of shopping that they want to be able to drop back to the car between shops so they aren't dragging them around and or they may have too much stuff to even carry.

Past performance of the service suggests otherwise.

And very few people drive to Galway city centre to do big food shops. Plenty of supermarkets round the edges for that.

Mrs OBumble

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Past performance of the service suggests otherwise.

And very few people drive to Galway city centre to do big food shops. Plenty of supermarkets round the edges for that.

A lot of people from outside the city (including ourselves) would shop in dunnes terryland and tesco in the Galway shopping centre I'd count both of these places as city centre.

I'm not running down the park and ride idea as such (though I wouldn't be a fan either), more from my own personal experience of doing Christmas shopping it usually involves moving around to different parts of the city to go to different shops, large items, lots of stuff etc. Have to drag it around all day and then have to load it on a bus would be massive hassle.

Iwannahurl

City Centre was heaving on Saturday afternoon. I'm not often there at that hour, but I guess maybe the Christmas Market is a big draw. It's a different type of shopping that's being served by the Christmas P&R, presumably.

what_traffic

Alvaro Thankful Treadmill wrote: »

I'm not running down the park and ride idea as such (though I wouldn't be a fan either), more from my own personal experience of doing Christmas shopping it usually involves moving around to different parts of the city to go to different shops, large items, lots of stuff etc. Have to drag it around all day and then have to load it on a bus would be massive hassle.

This is a good point. Some cities in the UK that have Park and Ride have such facilities. Nottaingham is one that I know.
http://www.nottinghampost.com/shopping-park-ride/story-19609123-detail/story.html
If you did a big food shop say in Tesco's it would be sent to the P&R site via Delivery Truck - much the same as a home delivery. Were you could pick it up later when you leave the P&R SITE. They have refirgeration units etc. Same also applies for bulky items. As Galways P&R is only temporary doubt it would be cost effective to have such facilites, unlike a permanent P&R site. Could also use these facilities as just pickup points for online/phone shopping from local stores.

Mrs OBumble

Alvaro Thankful Treadmill wrote: »

A lot of people from outside the city (including ourselves) would shop in dunnes terryland and tesco in the Galway shopping centre I'd count both of these places as city centre.

I certainly wouldn't call them city cente: inner suburbs at best.

Also - with there being Tesco Oranmore and Dunnes Briarhill, Knocknacarra and Westside, I just cannot understand why anyone would drive from outside the city to go to Dunnes Terryland. Granted there are some specialist shops in Terryland - but not that many.

antoobrien

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

I certainly wouldn't call them city cente: inner suburbs at best.

Also - with there being Tesco Oranmore and Dunnes Briarhill, Knocknacarra and Westside, I just cannot understand why anyone would drive from outside the city to go to Dunnes Terryland. Granted there are some specialist shops in Terryland - but not that many.

In a word choice - the stores mentioned have a limited level of choice compared to Terryland & GSC. A case in point, over the summer my parents were looking at getting a new TV. They went to Tesco in Oranmore to see what they had, 3 TVs vs (reportedly, I wasn't there) more than a dozen in GSC.

Mrs OBumble

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

I certainly wouldn't call them city cente: inner suburbs at best.

Also - with there being Tesco Oranmore and Dunnes Briarhill, Knocknacarra and Westside, I just cannot understand why anyone would drive from outside the city to go to Dunnes Terryland. Granted there are some specialist shops in Terryland - but not that many.

For people coming to the city via the Headford road terryland and the GSC are as handy as anywhere else to get to. Also if you want to go to both tesco, dunnes and aldi say then you have all three close by. Also you have Tormeys butchers right beside tesco.

That's without even considering the close proximity to other non-food related shops.

thesandeman

Alvaro Thankful Treadmill wrote: »

Also if you want to go to both tesco, dunnes and aldi say then you have all three close by.

That's without even considering the close proximity to other non-food related shops.

What did poor auld LIDL to to you?

thesandeman

thesandeman wrote: »

What did poor auld LIDL to to you?

Well yes Lidl is close by also. To be honest we shop in neither except if there is something interesting on the thursday specials like tools, running gear etc.

what_traffic

http://www.connachttribune.ie/galway-news/item/1863-park-ride-from-gmit-to-ease-stadium-traffic-crux

Iwannahurl

what_traffic wrote: »

http://www.connachttribune.ie/galway-news/item/1863-park-ride-from-gmit-to-ease-stadium-traffic-crux

I'm a bit sceptical. If people attending matches are not willing to use a free 'Park & Stride' five minutes' walk from Pearse Stadium, what might motivate them to use a GMIT-based Park & Ride?

what_traffic

jamesdiver wrote: »

Do they rent the carpark from the racecourse? Would it not be cheaper to use the carpark at the airport which the council now owns.

Has Galway Airport actually been handed over to the Councils yet?

snubbleste

what_traffic wrote: »

I thought this the best line from the PR:
"the Park and Ride proves to be a big hit with young children."

Just heard the GCC Transport Unit spokesperson on gbfm
"the kids love it, some kids have never been on a bus and really want to go on the bus"

Tranceypoo

Is it still going, I was hoping to park at Galway (ex) Airport and get a bus into the city but google searches seem to bring up it's been cancelled, I do drive past it sometimes going into the city but never took much notice, just fancied avoiding the search for a parking space on Thurs morning when I have to head in.

irisheddie85

Tranceypoo wrote: »

Is it still going, I was hoping to park at Galway (ex) Airport and get a bus into the city but google searches seem to bring up it's been cancelled, I do drive past it sometimes going into the city but never took much notice, just fancied avoiding the search for a parking space on Thurs morning when I have to head in.

There is Park and ride running from the race course for the Christmas period. The one from the airport never really took off

biko

In operation until Christmas Eve, see top posts.

Tranceypoo

That is good news thanks guys. Now here's a really dumb question, where's the entrance to Galway Racecourse as I've never been in there only driven past on the dual carriageway and taken absolutely no notice. I'm coming in from Carnmore Cross side, would I turn right at the lights down towards Parkmore?

what_traffic

Tranceypoo wrote: »

That is good news thanks guys. Now here's a really dumb question, where's the entrance to Galway Racecourse as I've never been in there only driven past on the dual carriageway and taken absolutely no notice. I'm coming in from Carnmore Cross side, would I turn right at the lights down towards Parkmore?

Yes the P&R is accessed at the Racecourse from Ballybrit Crescent. From Carnmore you would turn right at the set of lights just after Briarhill National School.
https://maps.google.com/?ll=53.292425,-8.983362&spn=0.000026,0.024784&t=m&z=16&layer=c&cbll=53.292509,-8.983117&panoid=dMdKRvlLRFzLX0aZ9nRabA&cbp=12,232.48,,0,0

ben.schlomo

irisheddie85 wrote: »

There is Park and ride running from the race course for the Christmas period. The one from the airport never really took off

I see what you did there :cool:.

irisheddie85

ben.schlomo wrote: »

I see what you did there :cool:.

I was very proud of that one