Galway's traffic issues

what_traffic

Gwen Shallow Raccoon wrote: »

I make this left sometimes and it’s extremely annoying, if I’ve the 4x4 with me I’ve been know to use the footpath to get past the traffic blocking access to the left turning lane :eek:

Does the :eek: mean you are condoning your known own illegal manoeuvre here?

Mrs OBumble

McGiver wrote: »

I've been in Galway for 5 years and I haven't seen anything new. Oh sorry, reconstruction of the Eyre Square mall, alright :cool:

Bonham Q has just started construction. Most of what you mentioned revolves around Parkmore and/or medical devices stuff, that's too little. Go and see Limerick.

I should have been more clearer - name one development in, let's say extended, city centre....

Which Galway route runs every 6 minutes, real life scenario? How many come and reach on time? Please tell me.

Are you telling us that the developments in Limerick are in the city centre, not out at Castletroy or Dooradoyle - which are equivalents of Parkmore? Yeah, right.

Fact is, most Galway jobs are out in the estates, and medical devices is HUGE for the local economy.

However I did name MetLife which is in the city centre. And HP which is in Ballybrit.

Also Mayorality House had a big refurb, I think mainly for Smartbear who arrived in the mid 20-teens sometime.

Also under construction are the hotel on the former Shannon drycleaners site, and a large office block between the coach station and the Revenue office. And Boston are expanding into the former APC site.



And route 409 runs every six minutes. I have no idea what proportion of buses are on time but when I was working in Parkmore recently it was fine.

McGiver

McGiver wrote: »

Limerick is more compact, higher density. Always has been a city since the Middle Ages and the city center is larger.

Galway is more sprawled, tiny centre, never was a city proper (with city rights, king's charter) and is essentially an overgrown village surrounded by other villages, with rural mentality dominating significant % of the population and the Local Authority especially.

Absolute nonsense of the highest order.

Galway would be better off if you headed up the motorway and didn’t come back with an attitude like that.

McGiver

Gwen Shallow Raccoon wrote: »

Absolute nonsense of the highest order.

Galway would be better off if you headed up the motorway and didn’t come back with an attitude like that.

Cheers mate, very constructive discussion indeed, would you have something else in your arsenal then ad hominem stuff? :pac:

Galway is an overgrown little town, that is a fact. Your denial of facts and inability to take constructive criticism from a person with a non-insular outside point of view onboard, is, as I have observed, a common trait around here and is part of the problem why this "city" cannot develop properly. Keep up the good work then.

McGiver

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Are you telling us that the developments in Limerick are in the city centre, not out at Castletroy or Dooradoyle - which are equivalents of Parkmore? Yeah, right.

Fact is, most Galway jobs are out in the estates, and medical devices is HUGE for the local economy.

However I did name MetLife which is in the city centre. And HP which is in Ballybrit.

Also Mayorality House had a big refurb, I think mainly for Smartbear who arrived in the mid 20-teens sometime.

Also under construction are the hotel on the former Shannon drycleaners site, and a large office block between the coach station and the Revenue office. And Boston are expanding into the former APC site.



And route 409 runs every six minutes. I have no idea what proportion of buses are on time but when I was working in Parkmore recently it was fine.

I see loads of construction and redevelopment in Limerick city centre whenever I go there, also I see more job openings for a while (not for short period). So something is going on, it may be anecdotal evidence, I can't tell. Anyway, it's a bit OT.

Back to traffic - I can't tell about quality of their buses because I don't live there, but pavements, pedestrian zone and cyclepaths seem to be in much better shape over there than here, or am I wrong?

Ashleigh1986

Galway is been run like a village .
The people in charge of making decisions regarding our city haven't a clue .
How long has its traffic problems been going on ??? Years
What's been done about it ??? Nothing .... Talking a good game !!!
We as taxpayers pay for these muppets to do NOTHING.
There are so many examples of these clowns fxxking up on so many projects .
This city is / has been so mismanaged for so many years .
They prove weekly that they can't manage a city correctly and that's where the village mentality is .

IsosKramer

McGiver wrote: »

Limerick is more compact, higher density. Always has been a city since the Middle Ages and the city center is larger.

Galway is more sprawled, tiny centre, never was a city proper (with city rights, king's charter) and is essentially an overgrown village surrounded by other villages, with rural mentality dominating significant % of the population and the Local Authority especially.

So, quick: will somebody please get Galway a King's Charter?
It's clearly kept Beijing, etc, back too!

flazio

And nobody thought to bring this up a few months back when we had the chance to elect a council who would do something constructive.

beardybrewer

McGiver wrote: »

I see loads of construction and redevelopment in Limerick city centre whenever I go there, also I see more job openings for a while (not for short period). So something is going on, it may be anecdotal evidence, I can't tell.

Here's my observation having lived in Limerick for a little while 15 years ago. Limerick was is an easier city live in largely because it's decentralised nature with numerous business parks and shopping centres made it easier to get around and less reason to go to the city centre. The bulk of the city is on one side of the Shannon making bridges less of a bottleneck problem. The city is not as geographically constrained so there are often alternate routes to get to where you need to go. Yes, currently they may be ahead of Galway but they were talking about building the M7 for decades before it got done (longer than we have been talking about the ring road anyway and just goes to show the pace set by them Limerick city-slickers).

dave 27

On the size issue i will just leave this here..

Limerick city centre dwarfs Galway, wider streets and arguably one of the highest density in the country allowing for a higher concentration to work in the city centre

Of course thats no to say thousands do work in industrial parks on the outskirts but they are directly linked to motorways so traffic is not as much of an issue.

Population of the immediate city is 94k not including suburbs in clare metropolitan population (as some people mentioned oranmore and moycullen) for Limerick is well beyond 115k

Areas on the outskirts of Limerick such as Clarina alone are building 1000 homes, not to mention nearby dooradoyle/Raheen and also Castletroy which are towns in their own right.

I think people always naturally assume Galway is growing faster and has less crime etc etc but the reality is Limerick is seeing a resurgence and i dont think people realise that!

Now back on topic before the mods are in!

IsosKramer

dave 27 wrote: »

On the size issue i will just leave this here..

Limerick city centre dwarfs Galway, wider streets and arguably one of the highest density in the country allowing for a higher concentration to work in the city centre

Of course thats no to say thousands do work in industrial parks on the outskirts but they are directly linked to motorways so traffic is not as much of an issue.

Population of the immediate city is 94k not including suburbs in clare metropolitan population (as some people mentioned oranmore and moycullen) for Limerick is well beyond 115k

Areas on the outskirts of Limerick such as Clarina alone are building 1000 homes, not to mention nearby dooradoyle/Raheen and also Castletroy which are towns in their own right.

I think people always naturally assume Galway is growing faster and has less crime etc etc but the reality is Limerick is seeing a resurgence and i dont think people realise that!

Now back on topic before the mods are in!

Well firstly, don't be a referee here while playing in the match.
You're throwing lots of things around there without, it would seem, without going to the trouble of looking at the CSO's website. It provides a map of what areas are in the Limerick population of 94,000.
It includes eg Co Clare's Shannon Banks, Westbury etc.
It includes (the not to be mentioned ) Dooradoyle, Raheen and Castletroy too.
While Galway City's population will never appear to rise due to economics dictating that people can only afford to live in the satellite towns, Limerick is luckier in so far as houses have been so cheap, comparatively speaking, meaning people don't have to move out.
I wouldn't go near "metropolitan" figures for any location as they're just plucked from the sky!
Almost all city suburbs are effectively "towns in their own right" by most criteria: pubs, restaurants, churches, schools, etc. No doubt, Caherdavin is superior to Salthill, I suppose!
Sorry to bring up the CSO site again but both cities "accommodate" c. 44,000
Workers. It doesn't give the city centre breakdown. If you have a breakdown, give it to them!
Yes, like Moate, Castleisland etc, Limerick does have some fine wide streets.
Well done to the Barrington chap. He had grandiose ideas. He must have been planning for millions!

McGiver

IsosKramer wrote: »

So, quick: will somebody please get Galway a King's Charter?
It's clearly kept Beijing, etc, back too!

You know that that wasn't the point. Red herring. Back to the traffic. But as you seem to enjoy it...
Galway historically never was a city and still isn't one - construction of a cathedral to make it a city status 50 years ago apparently didn't help to negate the historical facts. You can't make yourself into a city by pretending you're one.

McGiver

beardybrewer wrote: »

Here's my observation having lived in Limerick for a little while 15 years ago. Limerick was is an easier city live in largely because it's decentralised nature with numerous business parks and shopping centres made it easier to get around and less reason to go to the city centre. The bulk of the city is on one side of the Shannon making bridges less of a bottleneck problem. The city is not as geographically constrained so there are often alternate routes to get to where you need to go. Yes, currently they may be ahead of Galway but they were talking about building the M7 for decades before it got done (longer than we have been talking about the ring road anyway and just goes to show the pace set by them Limerick city-slickers).

Finally someone with a balanced view who doesn't wave the county (and some cases country) flags.

Topography is a constraint but I've been to cities in Denmark and Sweden surrounded by sea on two sides not just one and they could work with that.

So what Limerick did better than Galway? If we agree that they actually did (which some here don't agree).

Perhaps an actual Transport Strategy, document, I've seen the Limerick's but I'm not aware of a Galway equivalent.

Also - are the county TDs also somehow responsible?

McGiver

IsosKramer wrote: »

Yes, like Moate, Castleisland etc, Limerick does have some fine wide streets.
Well done to the Barrington chap. He had grandiose ideas. He must have been planning for millions!

Fine wide streets and Georgian multistory buildings is exactly what makes it look, feel and actually be a city...makes sense now?

Mrs OBumble

beardybrewer wrote: »

Here's my observation having lived in Limerick for a little while 15 years ago. Limerick was is an easier city live in largely because it's decentralised nature with numerous business parks and shopping centres made it easier to get around and less reason to go to the city centre.

Indeed.

IMHO the main thing the city did wrong was allowing Knocknacarra to be built with hardly any jobs within walking or easy-bussing distance. So there's a massive shuffle east every morning, as people go to work.

That was compounded by Galway County Council allowing Parkmore to be developed just outside the edge of the city - so that the city gets all it's **** and edge-traffic, but doesn't get to influence the planning.



But TBH, I don't see it as a competition. Both cities have their charms. Galway has arts / music / Irish-language / theatre / craic. Limerick has some physical advantages as pointed out, and some fine sporting traditions. They also have a university campus built so that the students don't annoy everyone else. It's a bit ironic that they've got the decent concert hall - but ya know, it's only 1:20 down the road, people from here can and do go down and use it.

IsosKramer

McGiver wrote: »

Fine wide streets and Georgian multistory buildings is exactly what makes it look, feel and actually be a city...makes sense now?

No.
From an Anglocentric point of view, King's charters and Georgian architecture are important.
From a rational point of view, population is the only criterion that counts and Galway and Limerick sink or swim together on that one.

what_traffic

McGiver wrote: »

Perhaps an actual Transport Strategy, document, I've seen the Limerick's but I'm not aware of a Galway equivalent.

Here ya go.
https://www.galwaycity.ie/galway-transport-strategy

connemara man

Right as interesting as a lot of the above is

Let's keep the thread on topic please

dave 27

Is there any update on the proposed ring road? I think the last i remember seeing is it was to be reviewed by ABP?

Do we know how long it will take before an answer is given?

McGiver

IsosKramer wrote: »

McGiver wrote: »

Fine wide streets and Georgian multistory buildings is exactly what makes it look, feel and actually be a city...makes sense now?

No.
From an Anglocentric point of view, King's charters and Georgian architecture are important.
From a rational point of view, population is the only criterion that counts and Galway and Limerick sink or swim together on that one.

That's not exactly my point. Also, I'm not English just to make thing clear
Also 80k population definitely isn't a population threshold for a city. Usually 100k is the mark. Galway doesn't pass this test, Limerick does.

The point is that I don't care if Irish Gov granted a city status to Galway, that's an arbitrary decision. It's not a city de facto but only de iure.

The reason why it is a city is simple - there wouldn't be any city in whole West / Connacht otherwise! Presence of a Cathedral and University are city traits for sure, even though historically speaking the cathedral trait doesn't apply.

My point was this - if it looks like a city, it sounds like a city and it behaves like a city, then it is a city. You know the duck test. Limerick pass, Galway not so sure.

biko

Drop the city stuff, this thread is about traffic.

McGiver

what_traffic wrote: »

McGiver wrote: »

Perhaps an actual Transport Strategy, document, I've seen the Limerick's but I'm not aware of a Galway equivalent.

Here ya go.
https://www.galwaycity.ie/galway-transport-strategy

Do you know:
A) what period it is for
who oversees the implementation
C) how often it is amended
D) any public consultations or it's fully in GCC's discretion to implement

what_traffic

dave 27 wrote: »

Is there any update on the proposed ring road? I think the last i remember seeing is it was to be reviewed by ABP?

Do we know how long it will take before an answer is given?

Returned by ABP to Galway County Council. Stuff submitted was Out of Date.
Would imagine they would have UPDATE about this here

http://www.n6galwaycity.ie

but last update is this

http://www.n6galwaycity.ie/phase-4/bulletin-20-update-24042019/

what_traffic

McGiver wrote: »

Do you know:
A) what period it is for
who oversees the implementation
C) how often it is amended
D) any public consultations or it's fully in GCC's discretion to implement

Good questions
A) - Whenever the Council are bothered to implement
- Who ever pays for it Dept of Transport - but essentially very little oversight from them
C)
D) Very little, a few "token" public sessions were held and submissions were made at the time to the GTS study and City Dev Plan.
Based on City Council past performance - would not expect to see 100% implementation. If we got 50% would be doing well

Ashleigh1986

True story
Approximately 18 months ago had a couple in my taxi .
They were heading to the crop ball .
We were talking about the galway city traffic and the chaos it's causing.
I was giving my 30 plus years of driving experience in galway city .
I was giving out about the city council and its inability to do anything about the galway traffic .
Lady started to laugh ans said " your talking to the right lad here ".
I was 100% sure he worked with galway city council .
He said he worked with Limerick city council .
He said " Limerick has a great traffic light contro system in place , but also the manager in charge if it is brilliant "
He said " galway was invited down to see it in operation , which they did ".
There was a meeting after they witnessed what was been done in Limerick , and as he said " how can I be kind " ???
He said " I put my head in my hands and thought the poor people of galway haven't a clue what's representing them ".

barry181091

what_traffic wrote: »

Returned by ABP to Galway County Council. Stuff submitted was Out of Date.
Would imagine they would have UPDATE about this here

http://www.n6galwaycity.ie

but last update is this

http://www.n6galwaycity.ie/phase-4/bulletin-20-update-24042019/

Where did you get this information? Is there a database we can view on the ABP website?

what_traffic

barry181091 wrote: »

Where did you get this information? Is there a database we can view on the ABP website?

Well covered in the local press....
https://connachttribune.ie/an-bord-pleanala-put-ring-road-plan-under-microscope-300/

what_traffic

barry181091 wrote: »

Is there a database we can view on the ABP website?

There is yes.

dave 27

what_traffic wrote: »

Well covered in the local press....
https://connachttribune.ie/an-bord-pleanala-put-ring-road-plan-under-microscope-300/

It said council had to the end of may to respond, i assume they responded?!

what_traffic

dave 27 wrote: »

It said council had to the end of may to respond, i assume they responded?!

Who knows - why no update here.
http://www.n6galwaycity.ie/updates/

no Bulletin # 21,22,23?