So Patrick street is bus only from Thursday 9th August

namloc1980

AugustusMinimus wrote: »

In the medium term, Patrick Street will have to be pedestrianised especially in order to promote either BRT or even light rail. However, in this case, City Council did not do this right. I doubt if traffic light sequences were even changed to adapt to different movements of traffic. Funnelling traffic down the Coal Quay was crazy and having 3 Gardai police this was a shocking waste of Garda resources.

What makes you think the traders won't kill this as well? They lost the plot over a small partial measure.

cgcsb

cgcsb wrote: »

Why complain about gridlock? The only way to tackle grid lock in City Centres is to improve public transport and reduce the utility of the private car which is exactly what this measure does. If you want to tackle grid lock you should be advocating a 07:00-19:00 car ban across the city centre.

Most traffic at peak time is passing through the city because there are no real alternatives north-south other than tunnel (and dunkettle nightmare), or driving to Ballincollig and facing Kerry Pike, or the fun of Sunday's Well.
Public transport into the city will do feck all here

Roger Hassenforder

TheChizler wrote: »

I think the council should take this opportunity to have surveyors on the streets counting people (if they haven't already) to compare footfall during the suspension to after. There's nothing like hard evidence to counter anecdotal.

I was planning on making an extra trip to town this weekend to do some shopping which I'd normally go to Mahon Point for, hoping to show my support for the ban. Maybe that would be a way of artificially raising the numbers but it would be countering the artificial drop in numbers caused by all the negativity. No point now.

If i was going into town now, i wouldn't think of bringing the car. Absolute pain in the hole trying to park the fcuking thing, watching the time etc.

I think people still need to voice their support to City Coincil for it

the beer revolu

I think the water charges fiasco has made people believe that they can now overrule any policy decisions that they, personally, don't like if they make enough noise and fuss about it.

It's the new democracy. Those who shout loudest are capitulated to in the short term regardless of any medium or long term plans for the greater good of society.

grogi

The traders in the city center must understand their customer base: centre residents and workers. People will not drive to the city centre to get a coffee or takeaway during the day. Working people living in the suburbs will avoid the centre as much as possible, except for the evening/night life.

The only way to have a centre alive during daytime is to have huge resident base and workers there. Residents will generate traffic from 5pm onwards, when they get from work. Workers will get their shopping, lunches etc. during business hours. That cannot happen when everyone driving a car there - and that's why highly efficient public transport is absolutely essential. Not to bring shoppers at 3pm really. People that have money to spend are in work then, they don't really care about the ban.

To the Idaho whiner - keep your place opened until 10 pm. Why the only place to get coffee after 6 pm is a pub?

j8wk2feszrnpao

Roger Hassenforder wrote: »

Theres more to the rate base than Idaho et al.

"And it is understood that some of the city’s largest employers, including Apple, have also stressed to City Hall the urgent need for a public transport service their employees can rely on."

Been a while since I worked there, but getting that bus was awful. Sardines-like squeezed into the bus. I was jealous of anyone in a car at that time!

Schorpio

I'm hoping electro will be along at some point to let us know how footfall/business was yesterday? As someone who was seeing first hand the drop off (which was being attributed to the car ban) - I'm genuinely wondering as to whether yesterday was better?

Roger Hassenforder

munstermagic11 wrote: »

Been a while since I worked there, but getting that bus was awful. Sardines-like squeezed into the bus. I was jealous of anyone in a car at that time!

It makes no sense though having me sitting in my car banging out my Celine Dion* at a confortable temperature, comfy seat, while 50 poor souls sitting crammed against each other behind me going nowhere at the same speed.
With steamed up windows. Woukd i fcuk get the bus!

But if that same bus whizzed past me in his bus lane, with onboard wifi, i might revist my view if the bus wank3rs!

*this may not be true

the beer revolu

I would say that I'll never darken the door of Idaho again but I made that decision years ago when a close friend was treated appalling when she gave her notice to leave her (pre minimum wage) waiting job. Thankfully, she was the sort to stand up for herself against such bullys.

Roger Hassenforder

Roger Hassenforder wrote: »

It makes no sense though having me sitting in my car banging out my Celine Dion* at a confortable temperature, comfy seat, while 50 poor souls sitting crammed against each other behind me going nowhere at the same speed.
With steamed up windows. Woukd i fcuk get the bus!

But if that same bus whizzed past me in his bus lane, with onboard wifi, i might revist my view if the bus wank3rs!

*this may not be true

Cork's issue is that all (but 2?) bus routes go into the city centre. So you work in Apple and live in Ballincollig it's a bus to city then bus out. Work in Airport and live in Bishopstown? Similar doubling up of bus journey

Roger Hassenforder

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Cork's issue is that all (but 2?) bus routes go into the city centre. So you work in Apple and live in Ballincollig it's a bus to city then bus out. Work in Airport and live in Bishopstown? Similar doubling up of bus journey

True, but usnt that the modern way if travelling via connection. Look at the metro. To get from A to B, might involve going from A to C and back to B, but quickly, and fastrr than A to B directly. Well never habe everything connected to everything else directly.
But if the buses ran faster and more reliable, more people would use them, more routes might be offered, a positive feedback loop.

AugustusMinimus

Roger Hassenforder wrote: »

True, but usnt that the modern way if travelling via connection. Look at the metro. To get from A to B, might involve going from A to C and back to B, but quickly, and fastrr than A to B directly. Well never habe everything connected to everything else directly.
But if the buses ran faster and more reliable, more people would use them, more routes might be offered, a positive feedback loop.

Most metro system have an orbital route in order to avoid having to go all the way into the centre to make a connecting bus.

However, with the current setup you have to pay for 2 tickets. 3 if you add in usage of an orbital route.

Point to point journeys within Cork City should all be priced as one trip, irrespective of the number of connections. I presume this will be implemented with Bus Connects?

j8wk2feszrnpao

Roger Hassenforder wrote: »

It makes no sense though having me sitting in my car banging out my Celine Dion* at a confortable temperature, comfy seat, while 50 poor souls sitting crammed against each other behind me going nowhere at the same speed.
With steamed up windows. Woukd i fcuk get the bus!

But if that same bus whizzed past me in his bus lane, with onboard wifi, i might revist my view if the bus wank3rs!

*this may not be true

I bet you're a big Celine Dion fan
Back then the speed of the bus wasn't really an issue; just the lack of comfort, people coughing next to your face, the smell (from some people), the steamed up windows you mentioned (and not in the Titanic way); it was very unpleasant (being generous).

Roger Hassenforder

AugustusMinimus wrote: »

Most metro system have an orbital route in order to avoid having to go all the way into the centre to make a connecting bus.

However, with the current setup you have to pay for 2 tickets. 3 if you add in usage of an orbital route.

Point to point journeys within Cork City should all be priced as one trip, irrespective of the number of connections. I presume this will be implemented with Bus Connects?

Dude we dont even have one decent linear route, not to mind orbital!
Agree with tickets though, that makes no sense.

City? My arse, forget it.
We're going for the Castleisland look

gunnerfitzy

AugustusMinimus wrote: »

Most metro system have an orbital route in order to avoid having to go all the way into the centre to make a connecting bus.

However, with the current setup you have to pay for 2 tickets. 3 if you add in usage of an orbital route.

Point to point journeys within Cork City should all be priced as one trip, irrespective of the number of connections. I presume this will be implemented with Bus Connects?

Many European cities have time-limited tickets for public transport rather than route tickets as we have in Cork. One can make all the connections necessary within, for example, 60 minutes from the time of first use. Much better system.

Dublin has fare capping and fare discounts for those taking multiple public transport journeys. I asked Transport for Ireland why this has not been implemented in other areas of the country but I was fobbed off with remarks about it being considered in the future.

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5

Schorpio wrote: »

I'm hoping electro will be along at some point to let us know how footfall/business was yesterday? As someone who was seeing first hand the drop off (which was being attributed to the car ban) - I'm genuinely wondering as to whether yesterday was better?

Busier than the rest of the week, still not what I'd expect, more of a Tuesday in January kind of day. I've a figure in mind for today, we'll see how it goes.

I really do hope they try this again, properly. For me the priorities would be direct management of the city bus services, focus on the cycle lanes (joined up, not glorified emergency parking lanes) and generally enforcing traffic and parking laws. Some data on who is driving into the city, when, why, and what could get them to leave the car and still come in.

If it's introduced again, as I said before a better communication strategy (input from traders, highlight parking and transport alternatives in local media for a few weeks before the fact) and some plan to get small traders through the initial hit they'll take while people adjust. Timing too, I'd prefer to see it introduced in summer. Tourists around, better weather, schools off.

nostro

Gatlin Delightful Gearshift wrote: »

I really do hope they try this again, properly. For me the priorities would be direct management of the city bus services, focus on the cycle lanes (joined up, not glorified emergency parking lanes) and generally enforcing traffic and parking laws. Some data on who is driving into the city, when, why, and what could get them to leave the car and still come in.

If it's introduced again, as I said before a better communication strategy (input from traders, highlight parking and transport alternatives in local media for a few weeks before the fact) and some plan to get small traders through the initial hit they'll take while people adjust. Timing too, I'd prefer to see it introduced in summer. Tourists around, better weather, schools off.

You are delusional. If it is abandoned it is gone for good along with the whole strategy and most of the funding.

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5

nostro wrote: »

You are delusional. If it is abandoned it is gone for good along with the whole strategy and most of the funding.

Probably yeah, be a long time before they can try it again, sadly.

Shambolically conceived and implemented.

namloc1980

Gatlin Delightful Gearshift wrote: »

Busier than the rest of the week, still not what I'd expect, more of a Tuesday in January kind of day. I've a figure in mind for today, we'll see how it goes.

I really do hope they try this again, properly. For me the priorities would be direct management of the city bus services, focus on the cycle lanes (joined up, not glorified emergency parking lanes) and generally enforcing traffic and parking laws. Some data on who is driving into the city, when, why, and what could get them to leave the car and still come in.

If it's introduced again, as I said before a better communication strategy (input from traders, highlight parking and transport alternatives in local media for a few weeks before the fact) and some plan to get small traders through the initial hit they'll take while people adjust. Timing too, I'd prefer to see it introduced in summer. Tourists around, better weather, schools off.

It shouldn't be just abandoned. Change it yes, but scrapping it is not good. People ringing in to Neil this morning saying Patrick Street was buzzing yesterday and saying how great the atmosphere was without cars clogging the street. The last 3 weeks were cold, wet and windy and if I were a betting man I'd wager that had a lot more to do with business being down than the car restriction. Incessant moaning from the traders didn't help either. The interests of a tiny number of people have been prioritised over commuters and healthy city living.

If Cork loses its €200m BusConnects investment because of failure to implement the movement strategy will the traders be satisfied..... they probably will sadly.

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5

Two hundred traders at that meeting, all of whom are employers. There are 400+ people employed in the market alone.

I know. About. The fcuking. Weather. These things are taken into account when looking at takings, it was still quieter than it should have been. I'm not surprised beer gardens and outdoor terraces were busy yesterday, it's Ireland and it was the first nice day. That would have happened regardless of the ban, or does that only go one way?

namloc1980

Gatlin Delightful Gearshift wrote: »

Two hundred traders at that meeting, all of whom are employers. There are 400+ people employed in the market alone.

I know. About. The fcuking. Weather. These things are taken into account when looking at takings, it was still quieter than it should have been. I'm not surprised beer gardens and outdoor terraces were busy yesterday, it's Ireland and it was the first nice day. That would have happened regardless of the ban, or does that only go one way?

12.6million journeys on Cork city buses annually, a huge number of which go through Patrick Street, and many of whom are customers of city businesses. No priority for them though.

whisky_galore

grogi wrote: »

The only way to have a centre alive during daytime is to have huge resident base and workers there.

Most upper levels of commercial premises are devoid of living space, just storerooms for crap gathering dust.

Gatlin Delightful Gearshift

Gatlin Delightful Gearshift wrote: »

Busier than the rest of the week, still not what I'd expect, more of a Tuesday in January kind of day. I've a figure in mind for today, we'll see how it goes. ........

Is this figure footfall into your shop/cafe/whatever or outside footfall?
Do you have a figure for this time last year too?

Gatlin Delightful Gearshift wrote: »

Two hundred traders at that meeting, all of whom are employers. There are 400+ people employed in the market alone.

I know. About. The fcuking. Weather. These things are taken into account when looking at takings, it was still quieter than it should have been. I'm not surprised beer gardens and outdoor terraces were busy yesterday, it's Ireland and it was the first nice day. That would have happened regardless of the ban, or does that only go one way?

What's best for the city might not be best for the 200 traders'........ the traders only care about what's in the till. An opportunity to p1ss and moan came along and they did.

namloc1980

Augeo wrote: »

What's best for the city might not be best for the 200 traders'........ the traders only care about what's in the till. An opportunity to p1ss and moan came along and they did.

And this measure was agreed in 2016 by the very same councillors who are now jumping on the populist bandwagon following a public consultation period. The CBA and traders had 2 years to prepare for this - develop a positive vibe around it etc. But no, moaning and whinging is the way forward for them.

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5

Augeo wrote: »

Is this figure footfall into your shop/cafe/whatever or outside footfall?
Do you have a figure for this time last year too?

Sorry, when I said busier, I meant in terms of sales. I have figures going back several years. (Edit I should also clarify I'm not the owner of the business)

Footfall is obviously related to the sales but I don't have hard figures, I'm just eyeballing it. I'm at a stall in the English Market, very quiet l. Wet weather would actually mean more footfall here a lot of the time, but not this last while.

What's best for the city might not be best for the 200 traders'........ the traders only care about what's in the till. An opportunity to p1ss and moan came along and they did.

They do have a weird insistence on covering overheads and turning a profit, yes. Personally one of the things I like about Cork are the small, local, long-established businesses, they employ a lot of people and they're a big part of the city's brand. "Come and get the bus to Starbucks and Dunnes in Cork, it's a really quick bus!" isn't a great pitch to attract tourists or residents. Nobody I've talked to is dead against pedestrianisation, there's an assumption today that the ban will be brought back in. The problem was the timing and the complete lack of consideration for traders and staff and their input and concerns. Had it been done differently, there would have been less anger, and the council would have had a stronger position in responding.

namloc1980

Gatlin Delightful Gearshift wrote: »

They do have a weird insistence on covering overheads and turning a profit, yes. Personally one of the things I like about Cork are the small, local, long-established businesses, they employ a lot of people and they're a big part of the city's brand. "Come and get the bus to Starbucks and Dunnes in Cork, it's a really quick bus!" isn't a great pitch to attract tourists or residents. Nobody I've talked to is dead against pedestrianisation, there's an assumption today that the ban will be brought back in. The problem was the timing and the complete lack of consideration for traders and staff and their input and concerns. Had it been done differently, there would have been less anger, and the council would have had a stronger position in responding.

This was agreed 2 years ago following a consultation process so to say there was no consideration is not correct. Since then there has been 2 years to prepare but it's quite clear the traders did nothing to prepare for this.

grogi

Gatlin Delightful Gearshift wrote: »

"Come and get the bus to Starbucks and Dunnes in Cork, it's a really quick bus!" isn't a great pitch to attract tourists or residents.

I never understood that: how come a crappy Starbucks would be profitable when a "local owned shop" that servers top-class-super-duper stuff cannot?! If Starbucks can generate profit with its additional overheads (for branding and licensing for instance), why a non-branded cafe cannot!?

macraignil

namloc1980 wrote: »

This was agreed 2 years ago following a consultation process so to say there was no consideration is not correct. Since then there has been 2 years to prepare but it's quite clear the traders did nothing to prepare for this.

Looks to me like the council also did very little to prepare for the change except buy some road paint and some temporary signs warning of the details of the ban. Where were the alternatives for people to get about ie. extra buses, more frequent shuttle buses, extra park and ride facilities, arangments to buy bus tickets that could last for a set time to allow commuters complete a city journey without multiple ticket purchases, etc?

Aside from all the Patrick street trader takeover of the city council talk, does anybody agree that bus reliability could be improved if routes were changed to moistly go in and out of the city centre rather than nearly all routes going from one side to the opposite side. The current system seems to inevitably lead to buses getting stuck somewhere along their route and not turning up when they should.

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5

namloc1980 wrote: »

This was agreed 2 years ago following a consultation process so to say there was no consideration is not correct. Since then there has been 2 years to prepare but it's quite clear the traders did nothing to prepare for this.

Afaik they've been arguing for a delay or rethink for the last while, seeing as the exceptional winter couldn't have been foreseen. A two week trial was acceptable to most people too, things kicked off when the council were clearly pushing ahead despite the negative feedback from that trial period.

Gatlin Delightful Gearshift

Gatlin Delightful Gearshift wrote: »

............ A two week trial was acceptable to most people too, things kicked off when the council were clearly pushing ahead despite the negative feedback from that trial period.

What two week trial?

Gatlin Delightful Gearshift wrote: »

...........

Footfall is obviously related to the sales but I don't have hard figures, I'm just eyeballing it. I'm at a stall in the English Market, very quiet l. Wet weather would actually mean more footfall here a lot of the time, but not this last while.
............

Ah, you're in the English Market thing, hard to gauge the situation on Patrick Street from in there really.

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5

grogi wrote: »

I never understood that: how come a crappy Starbucks would be profitable when a "local owned shop" that servers top-class-super-duper stuff cannot?! If Starbucks can generate profit with its additional overheads (for branding and licensing for instance), why a non-branded cafe cannot!?

Lower prices and more streamlined systems from suppliers, design and building costs generally lower, they can afford loss leading products etc, arguably certain employment practices, and they can carry a hit that smaller businesses can't.

namloc1980

macraignil wrote: »

Looks to me like the council also did very little to prepare for the change except buy some road paint and some temporary signs warning of the details of the ban. Where were the alternatives for people to get about ie. extra buses, more frequent shuttle buses, extra park and ride facilities, arangments to buy bus tickets that could last for a set time to allow commuters complete a city journey without multiple ticket purchases, etc?

Aside from all the Patrick street trader takeover of the city council talk, does anybody agree that bus reliability could be improved if routes were changed to moistly go in and out of the city centre rather than nearly all routes going from one side to the opposite side. The current system seems to inevitably lead to buses getting stuck somewhere along their route and not turning up when they should.

Unfortunately the council don't have any say or budgetary/operational control over most of that stuff - more buses, ticketing, routing etc. Transport policy and implementation in Cork is the job of the NTA and CIE. BusConnects should go a long way to resolving some or all of those items you brought up but one of the prerequisites of the BusConnects investment of €200m is implementation of the movement strategy. Failure to do so could jeopardise the whole thing.

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5

Augeo wrote: »

What two week trial?



Ah, you're in the English Market thing, hard to gauge the situation on Patrick Street from in there really.

I was under the impression it was supposed to be a trial for two weeks, could be wrong.

Yeah, I work in the English Market, as I said pages ago. I'm guaging the situation in here. Do you think this only affects businesses on Patrick St.?

Gatlin Delightful Gearshift

Gatlin Delightful Gearshift wrote: »

I was under the impression it was supposed to be a trial for two weeks, could be wrong..............

First I heard of it.

macraignil

namloc1980 wrote: »

Unfortunately the council don't have any say or budgetary/operational control over most of that stuff - more buses, ticketing, routing etc. Transport policy and implementation in Cork is the job of the NTA and CIE. BusConnects should go a long way to resolving some or all of those items you brought up but one of the prerequisites of the BusConnects investment of €200m is implementation of the movement strategy. Failure to do so could jeopardise the whole thing.

I would have thought that over the two years since the scheme was agreed they would have had some meetings with the NTA and CIE and been able to agree some type of coordinated action or is that expecting too much?

I still think getting bus routes in and out of the city rather than so many across the city centre should be examined as an option (obviously in combination with a time allowance ticket rather than single route single fare). Who in their right mind would invest 200 million euro in Cork public transport if the city council, the NTA and CIE can not communicate with each other?

Oafley Jones

grogi wrote: »

I never understood that: how come a crappy Starbucks would be profitable when a "local owned shop" that servers top-class-super-duper stuff cannot?! If Starbucks can generate profit with its additional overheads (for branding and licensing for instance), why a non-branded cafe cannot!?

There are over 27,000 starbucks worldwide. Not only do you have massive economies of scale, but those overheads are part of the reason it's so successful e.g. tax deductible licensing cost to the parent company even though they're essentially one giant company and not franchises.

Roger Hassenforder

I wouldnt take a McSh1t in Starbucks.
Fcukers.
Not in protest at their fare though which is reason enough, as is their attitude to our laws.
Naomi Klien covered their business practise in 'No Logo", worth googling.

Oafley Jones

Roger Hassenforder wrote: »

I wouldnt take a McSh1t in Starbucks.
Fcukers.
Not in protest at their fare though which is reason enough, as is their attitude to our laws.
Naomi Klien covered their business practise in 'No Logo", worth googling.

And yet I'd still go in there before I'd set foot in Idaho:eek:

EdgeCase

macraignil wrote: »

I would have thought that over the two years since the scheme was agreed they would have had some meetings with the NTA and CIE and been able to agree some type of coordinated action or is that expecting too much?

I still think getting bus routes in and out of the city rather than so many across the city centre should be examined as an option (obviously in combination with a time allowance ticket rather than single route single fare). Who in their right mind would invest 200 million euro in Cork public transport if the city council, the NTA and CIE can not communicate with each other?

In my opinion they should not be investing money in the network as is. It should be devolved to a City Council controlled Cork Transit Authority to manage and plan everything in Cork, with real accountability and responsiveness.

What we have at present is a ridiculous, centralised, remote mess that I've never seen anywhere other than Ireland.

Mardyke

That Idaho prick is getting slated! And righly so.
I've never been in there and don't ever plan on going there. What a clown.

Le Chateau can take a hike too.

And Gentleman's Quarters. All rip off merchants anyway. Devoid of customer service.

That old fella who runs GQ is a despicable person. Witnessed him tear a young employee apart on the shop floor one day.

And it seems these people are running OUR city.

grogi

Oafley Jones wrote: »

There are over 27,000 starbucks worldwide. Not only do you have massive economies of scale, but those overheads are part of the reason it's so successful e.g. tax deductible licensing cost to the parent company even though they're essentially one giant company and not franchises.

How come more cost make you more profitable? License fee is profit, but to brand owners, not the local shop. To them it is cost. Fine, they can deduct it for tax purposes - but that leaves 87.5% to be paid... The parent company makes loads of money out of it, but local shops don't.

Secondlt, If shop can afford to stock something not profitable, they must be making heaps of money on soothing else, right? One only needs to figure out what that is and don't bother with the nonprofitable stuf.

Economies of scale are available to local traders as well. Why instead of complaining about that, form a co-op with other traders and share supply contract?

The only advantage they might have is that they could afford dumping prices and keeping them. But last time I checked, they are not really doing it.

Show what are you better at. Show superior quality and service. Give me that atmosphere and Corkonian spirit...

namloc1980

Mardyke wrote: »

That Idaho prick is getting slated! And righly so.
I've never been in there and don't ever plan on going there. What a clown.

Le Chateau can take a hike too.

And Gentleman's Quarters. All rip off merchants anyway. Devoid of customer service.

That old fella who runs GQ is a despicable person. Witnessed him tear a young employee apart on the shop floor one day.

And it seems these people are running OUR city.

Got the occasional coffee here, but won't darken the door again.

deRanged

It’s fantastic this evening. Great buzz, people everywhere.

Not all Starbucks stores are profitable....they often saturate the market with stores in areas.

An independent coffee shop owner would have expectations of making enough to pay themselves a decent salary to keep a house, car & family going etc.

To be fair....is that a reasonable expectation?
Idaho have an allegedly very decent chef too...breakfast, brunch & lunch being served. They're far more than a coffee shop but the proprietor likes to play the poor ole coffee shop tune too often .

namloc1980

I thought town was supposed to be dead? Some crowd around Pana. No fumes is great. Healthy city living

Mardyke

namloc1980 wrote: »

I thought town was supposed to be dead? Some crowd around Pana. No fumes is great. Healthy city living

Just got the bus in. No gridlock. Sailed into town. Brilliant.

Oafley Jones

grogi wrote: »

How come more cost make you more profitable? License fee is profit, but to brand owners, not the local shop. To them it is cost. Fine, they can deduct it for tax purposes - but that leaves 87.5% to be paid... The parent company makes loads of money out of it, but local shops don't

You understand that Starbucks isn’t a franchise? You need think of it as a single entity. Think of it on the macro scale, whether a single store in an area is profitable doesn’t really matter. Clustering and driving out competition is as big a part of their strategy.

WoolyJumper

I noticed the City has been really busy the last few evenings after work. Even better the line of traffic going by Old Queen's castle seems to have died down a lot. I was worried in the beginning but have to say that it seems to be working well. I get back into the City on the 208 coming from the CUH a lot faster now. Normally I'd get off by the Maradyke and leg it to the bus station but now I can get the bus right down to Patricks Street and (usually) make the next bus home.

TheChizler

Oafley Jones wrote: »

You understand that Starbucks isn’t a franchise?

In Ireland it is. The Butler brothers run most if not all if it.

namloc1980

WoolyJumper wrote: »

I noticed the City has been really busy the last few evenings after work. Even better the line of traffic going by Old Queen's castle seems to have died down a lot. I was worried in the beginning but have to say that it seems to be working well. I get back into the City on the 208 coming from the CUH a lot faster now. Normally I'd get off by the Maradyke and leg it to the bus station but now I can get the bus right down to Patricks Street and (usually) make the next bus home.

Thanks to the CBA and a weak council it is about to be shelved. Better get ready to leg it from the Mardyke again.