City just crazy

what_traffic

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

They don't need to tackle it.

They have to - if they want the City Centre to actually function into the future.

Mrs OBumble

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

They don't need to tackle it.

Provided the NTA licenses enough bus services, nature will just encourage people to abandon their cars.

The bus is a viable option under 3 factors. 1, cost, 2, reliability and 3, frequency

1 is variable for each individual.

2 can only be achieved by providing bus priority measures

3 increases with the provision of #2

Bobeagleburger

Traffic very bad yesterday. Tailbacks on the Q bridge at 19.00.

It's amazing that Galways traffic problem is getting worse year on year and very little being done about it. Incredible really.

McGiver

Deleted User wrote:

The bus is a viable option under 3 factors. 1, cost, 2, reliability and 3, frequency

You forgot coverage. The network in Galway is quite good but very bad in terms of connectivity. Try going from Knocknacarra to Ballybrit.

McGiver

RoboKlopp wrote:

Traffic very bad yesterday. Tailbacks on the Q bridge at 19.00.

Been there. Incredible. Such a tiny place in terms of population, it's not a transit place (like Cashel with major routes to Limerick and Cork) a so huge queues...

McGiver

Mrs OBumble wrote:

Provided the NTA licenses enough bus services, nature will just encourage people to abandon their cars.

When will that happen? Just bought a car and joined the majority, had no other choice. Was cycling and using bus for 5 years but had enough really. BE and local council can't run this place properly.

McGiver

I thought it would be objected to death. That's a very good news and I'll tell you why.

Galway needs to build high to increase population /office space density and transform from town to city. The population is there but density, amenities and mindset not. Increased density will create a greater push for public transport and amenities.
Galway needs to use all available spaces in the city centre. Yes they are there. Galway needs to start building really, this one is probably first major development in 10 years, so hopefully it will break through the inactivity, objection and regressive mindset. Go to Limerick and see how they are constructing in city centre like crazy. If they were objecting to everything half of the city centre wouldn't be there.

zell12

Ridiculous level of motor traffic this morning.
The majority of vehicles witnessed contained 1 or possibly 2 humans, taking up so much road space.
Buses containing 30+ humans were getting stuck in all this.

Zero admittance by motorists that they are causing traffic and plonking their massive two ton contraptions everywhere

Mostly Harmless

Galway ranked as 70th worst traffic in world on Inrix rankings here: http://inrix.com/scorecard/

They don't have data for a lot of places that have terrible traffic so not a totally fair reflection but pretty incredible given size of city - Galway would still be around the top 10 in Europe if the Russian cities are removed.

Discodog

zell12 wrote: »

Ridiculous level of motor traffic this morning.
The majority of vehicles witnessed contained 1 or possibly 2 humans, taking up so much road space.
Buses containing 30+ humans were getting stuck in all this.

Zero admittance by motorists that they are causing traffic and plonking their massive two ton contraptions everywhere

Or just ordinary people trying to get on with their lives.

McGiver

McGiver wrote: »

You forgot coverage. The network in Galway is quite good but very bad in terms of connectivity. Try going from Knocknacarra to Ballybrit.

Note I said viable, obviously if it doesn't go where you are going, it's not a viable option. Can't believe I had to state that, but there you go

That being said, getting off 1 and getting another is not a big deal. The more Galway's population grows and the bigger it gets, the less likely you'll be able to travel on the same bus route from one side of the city to the other.

Changing buses is the norm for most places in the world once its population and size goes beyond a point. Galway will be adding another 40-50k people over the next 20-25 years. Some will be lucky and their route will cover their work and home but for many changing buses will be a normal activity. This has been the case for decades in Galway.

Fitz*

Changing buses is only viable if the buses are frequent and actually run on time.

For example there hasn't been a single 405 bus show up at the terminus stop at HP at 5.25 for 2 weeks now, at least. The route says that it takes 20 minutes to get to Eyre Square (where switching buses would take place). The average length of time it is taking lately is 30 minutes. A person currently expecting to get to Eyre Square 5.45 from Ballybrit is getting there around 6.15 instead.No ideal for bus-switching when you are arriving 30 minutes after the scheduled time, at best.


The 403 from Eyre Square -> Parkmore through Mervue stops running between the hours of 6.15 and 8.15 now. There are no buses serving this route anymore. Again, not an option for bus-switching.

If buses run every 5-10 minutes on all routes, then there would not be an issue with missing a bus or 'having' to make a certain time and hope the 1) the bus shows up & 2) it runs on time, so that you make the scheduled time for your connecting bus.

Is there currently any route in Galway currently active where a 'bus-switch' works?

what_traffic

RoboKlopp wrote: »

Traffic very bad yesterday. Tailbacks on the Q bridge at 19.00.

It's amazing that Galways traffic problem is getting worse year on year and very little being done about it. Incredible really.

Its not amazing at all, Galway City Council in the 2015 Transportation Study have basically said they will not do anything until the Galway City Outer Ring Road (4 years on since that started, the planning application still has not been sent to planning)
They have put all eggs in the one basket and they know that it will not do anything re the car traffic in the City Centre even if it is built.

McGiver

Deleted User wrote: »

That being said, getting off 1 and getting another is not a big deal. The more Galway's population grows and the bigger it gets, the less likely you'll be able to travel on the same bus route from one side of the city to the other.
.

It is a big deal, because it's absolutely unncessary to always get buses through town. There should be routes avoiding town completely. Knocknacarra to business parks in the east for example, direct from park & ride place, like in England. And a circular route would also help. Just check networks in 20 European cities of similar size and copy their system, there's a lot of inspiration out there.

Lastly and importantly, abolish cash payments on the bus, make it emergency mode only (double the price) but not the default - default would be text, app and leap fare only. Buses with 2 doors (or 3), no delays at stops, no talking drivers. Getting people in and out of the bus needs to take no more than 30 seconds at a non-terminus stop. Again, this is normal in Europe.

McGiver

what_traffic wrote: »

Its not amazing at all, Galway City Council in the 2015 Transportation Study have basically said they will not do anything until the Galway City Outer Ring Road (4 years on since that started, the planning application still has not been sent to planning)
They have put all eggs in the one basket and they know that it will not do anything re the car traffic in the City Centre even if it is built.

That's why I'm happy about Bonham Quay. It will add about 1500 cars to town (conservative estimate) and that will bring the traffic to a complete halt. The council lunatics will be forced to actually do something because otherwise they will be faced with an angry mob threatening to throw their fat arses form their council seats. And businesses will also tell them to bugger off. Especially the big ones

Bobeagleburger

what_traffic wrote: »

Its not amazing at all, Galway City Council in the 2015 Transportation Study have basically said they will not do anything until the Galway City Outer Ring Road (4 years on since that started, the planning application still has not been sent to planning)
They have put all eggs in the one basket and they know that it will not do anything re the car traffic in the City Centre even if it is built.

Ridiculous.

Ring road will be 2025 at least imo, probably closer to 2030. In the interim they need to get the finger out and make changes.

People are willing to sit in traffic as there's no alternative for a lot of people especially those travelling through the city from commuter towns.

Increase buses from industrial estates to various hubs. Incentivise people to get out of their cars. Government needs to do this. The council are a waste of time imo.

Bobeagleburger

what_traffic wrote: »

Its not amazing at all, Galway City Council in the 2015 Transportation Study have basically said they will not do anything until the Galway City Outer Ring Road (4 years on since that started, the planning application still has not been sent to planning)
They have put all eggs in the one basket and they know that it will not do anything re the car traffic in the City Centre even if it is built.

Ridiculous.

Ring road will be 2025 at least imo, probably closer to 2030. In the interim they need to get the finger out and make changes.

People are willing to sit in traffic as there's no alternative for a lot of people especially those travelling through the city from commuter towns.

Increase buses from industrial estates to various hubs. Incentivise people to get out of their cars. Government needs to do this. The council are a waste of time imo.

marklazarcovic

Galway is a moped sized city,with electric mopeds now available with plenty of city range to go for a few days on one charge its a ideal
location to maybe entice commuters to opt into the idea ..far cheaper than a car to commute in,not much more expensive than a good bike.

Whizz past the tailbacks .. u mgt get wet but if you can live with it, save hours of frustration every week . And save money long term.

Bobeagleburger

marklazarcovic wrote: »

Galway is a moped sized city,with electric mopeds now available with plenty of city range to go for a few days on one charge its a ideal
location to maybe entice commuters to opt into the idea ..far cheaper than a car to commute in,not much more expensive than a good bike.

Whizz past the tailbacks .. u mgt get wet but if you can live with it, save hours of frustration every week . And save money long term.

Was just talking to someone about this last week and I agree. Could be a viable option option for some.

jjpep

marklazarcovic wrote: »

Galway is a moped sized city,with electric mopeds now available with plenty of city range to go for a few days on one charge its a ideal
location to maybe entice commuters to opt into the idea ..far cheaper than a car to commute in,not much more expensive than a good bike.

Whizz past the tailbacks .. u mgt get wet but if you can live with it, save hours of frustration every week . And save money long term.

Yep, electric bikes too are ideal. Although I find my normal bike does me just fine (10kms each way) for my commute.

what_traffic

Deleted User wrote: »

Changing buses is the norm for most places in the world once its population and size goes beyond a point. Galway will be adding another 40-50k people over the next 20-25 years. Some will be lucky and their route will cover their work and home but for many changing buses will be a normal activity. This has been the case for decades in Galway.

True and also could have that amount in the hinterland as well(which will probably be a bigger problem). Between 2011 and 2016 population in the City roughly went from 75 -> 80k from the CSO no's, density increased during an economic slow period as very little new house building was occurring during this period

Bobeagleburger

Housing estates getting rubber stamped for fun at the moment.

There'll be a massive amount of houses built over the next 5 years

Fitz*

And where are the houses being built? Out along a main road 4km or 5km outside the city where the only way of getting there is via car. Adding more traffic.

zulutango

It's total madness. Galway has been tightening a rope around it's own neck for the last two decades. Now it's struggling to breath and its response is to tighten the rope even more.

zell12

FitzShane wrote: »

Changing buses is only viable if the buses are frequent and actually run on time.
For example there hasn't been a single 405 bus show up at the terminus stop at HP at 5.25 for 2 weeks now, at least. The route says that it takes 20 minutes to get to Eyre Square (where switching buses would take place). The average length of time it is taking lately is 30 minutes. ...............

The buses are delayed by the volume of private motor traffic. Even something like an illegally parked car (EglintonStreet) can delay a bus by five minutes+ as it essentially blocks a lane and there is a traffic jam in the opposite lane. That has a knock on effect on the scheduled times

Mr_A

zulutango wrote: »

It's total madness. Galway has been tightening a rope around it's own neck for the last two decades. Now it's struggling to breath and its response is to tighten the rope even more.

Would you say it's a case of....






...wait for it ...








...auto asphyxiation?


:cool:

Fitz*

zell12 wrote: »

The buses are delayed by the volume of private motor traffic. Even something like an illegally parked car (EglintonStreet) can delay a bus by five minutes+ as it essentially blocks a lane and there is a traffic jam in the opposite lane. That has a knock on effect on the scheduled times

BE and Galway City just keep putting more 409 buses on the road trying to reduce the traffic. They are increasing it again in 2 weeks time. They are often backed up in Eyre Square with 2 arriving at the same time. They haven't a clue where the real problems lie.

If there was a reliable, frequent bus service it would be used by more people - just look at Dublin and how people can rely on the Luas and/or Dublin Bus as there is continual services. People can rely on public transport so don't need to add cars to the road. Single person vehicles driving the same route as a public transport bus is killing the traffic. I know that a lot of this is down to public perception and the whole 'I'm too good for the bus' attitude, especially after paying for tax, insurance etc but if people could actually rely on bus services to bring you to your destination it would take a lot of traffic off the road IMO.



There are only 2 scenarios and only one is in operation and only one will continue to happen in Galway.

a) I can take the bus to work and home again in the evening. it's ok if I miss a bus or it is late cos there will be another in 5/10 minutes

b) I am never getting public transport and will continue to drive as I am not guaranteed a time and route and could be stuck in traffic is a random part of the city that is the opposite direction to where I want to go to. If I miss a bus, I have to hope that one shows up eventually.

benjamin d

When I last lived in Galway, in order to get the bus I first had to look up the timetable, then head to the stop and hope it came on time, if at all, and then almost without fail just walk into town anyway.

I used to often see the 405 from across the westside pitches coming out the Seamus Quirke road and know that it might be an hour before it manages to loop back round to my stop on the Siobhan McKenna road. It would be inching along at a snail's pace (granted this was almost 10 years ago).

Now I'm along the 46a/145 in Dublin and to get a bus I just head out of the house to the stop and there'll be one along in a few minutes every time.

In order to really see mass adoption the buses in Galway need to get to that critical frequency where it doesn't matter when you turn up at the stop. The only way to do that is to turn over huge sections of road to bus lanes.

McGiver

Not entirely true. Delay happens also by - drivers handing over tickets, drivers handling slow leap cards, drivers generally playing a cashier, buses lacking second door for exit. There is a LOT of time wasted with all this.

McGiver

Yes, but you absolutely cannot compare Dublin with Galway. Several times higher population density, many times higher population, capital city in the most developed region of Ireland (historically also). Galway is a provincial town in a peripheral region and historically underdeveloped, also generally very rural.

You can't even compare Galway with Cork. If you compare apples with apples then you can see the gaps. So let's take Limerick for example, that's a realistic benchmark - anyone seen their bus lanes, and cycle path network (yes, it's actually a network).