Galway's traffic issues

Mrs OBumble

Or bicycles

what_traffic

A walk through the streets of Dublin in 2030
https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2019/0902/1073326-a-walk-through-the-streets-of-dublin-in-2030/
"
Other Irish cities quickly followed suit. Galway installed a tram system that ran from the populous suburbs of Knocknacarra in the west of the city, along the seafront, through Salthill, and all the way to the major centres of employment in the east of the city. Galway quickly became the most walkable small city in Ireland; its urban planners finally stopped pouring cars into its medieval streets and spent their transport budget on cycling, walking and reliable public transport.
"

What urban planners is this? The GTU (Galway Transportation Unit)...:rolleyes:

DuckSlice

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Or bicycles

:mad::(:eek:

Pinch Flat

etxp wrote: »

:mad::(:eek:

Imagine if they were all single occupant cars instead of bikes. A bike is a much more efficient use of limited road space compared to a 20% full car.

DuckSlice

Pinch Flat wrote: »

Imagine if they were all single occupant cars instead of bikes. A bike is a much more efficient use of limited road space compared to a 20% full car.

Like the wise man George Hook used to say, "cyclists caused the recession"

Pinch Flat

etxp wrote: »

Like the wise man George Hook used to say, "cyclists caused the recession"

Good ole Hooky. Miss his cyclist rants.

gordongekko

Since Limerick is brought up . Here is an article around demand and it sound like the reason we like we business to Limerick is down to supply rather than traffic

https://www.irishtimes.com/business/commercial-property/limerick-has-3-5-times-more-vacant-office-space-than-galway-1.4007594?mode=amp

There was 3.5 times more office space vacant in Limerick at the end of June than in Galway, two separate reports from commercial real estate agency Cushman and Wakefield show.

Some 14,950sq m of space was available in Galway at the end of June, a 17 per cent fall to the same period in 2018, compared to 52,550sq m of available space in Limerick, which reflects a 3 per cent rise on the same period in 2018.

While prime rents per square metre are the same for new builds across the two counties, Galway commands higher rents for standing stock, at €323 per sq m, compared to €215 in Limerick.

Limerick appears to have had a slow start to the year, with takeup volumes in the second quarter bolstered by one large deal, namely the movement of Jaguar into newly completed space totalling 5,100sq m in the Shannon Free Zone.

Galway, meanwhile, had an “exceptionally strong start to the year” leading to a reduction in available office stock. The city posted the strongest opening half to the year since 2015, Cushman and Wakefield said, with activity in the suburbs dominating. The city had a vacancy rate of 4.8 per cent compared to 13.3 per cent in Limerick.

Some 9,850sq m of office space in Limerick is under construction compared to 32,500sq m in Galway.

Industrial
For industrial space, Galway saw a subdued start to the year with just three deals signed, totalling 2,300 sq m. Limerick was considerably more buoyant with seven deals signed totalling 8,525sq m. This was however the lowest level of take up in over a decade.

“While demand for prime industrial space remains strong, a lack of supply however has hampered growth in the sector,” said John Murray, a senior negotiator with Cushman and Wakefield in Limerick.


Limerick’s industrial vacancy rate stood at 10.5 per cent compared to 6.3 per cent in Galway.

“There is some renewed demand for modern industrial facilities in the Galway market, but it is unlikely that any speculative development will take place until such time as rental levels improve,” said SeCoyne, divisional director of Cushman and Wakefield Galway.

what_traffic

https://connachttribune.ie/city-council-warned-ring-road-would-increase-carbon-emissions-099/
"
TII stated that approximately 26,000 tonnes of CO2 would be generated by the proposed road in the opening year, and 35,800 tonnes by 2039 “with the main contributory factor being an increase in vehicle kilometres travelled”.
"

what_traffic

what_traffic wrote: »

https://connachttribune.ie/city-council-warned-ring-road-would-increase-carbon-emissions-099/
"
TII stated that approximately 26,000 tonnes of CO2 would be generated by the proposed road in the opening year, and 35,800 tonnes by 2039 “with the main contributory factor being an increase in vehicle kilometres travelled”.
"

More interesting for me was a reminder of the following stat:
"
The document also projected that modal share for peak hour car commuting would increase to 67.3% by 2039, while just 5% of all commutes would be by bus. The modal share for cycle commuting would reduce, decreasing to 2.8% in 2039.
"

Mrs OBumble

what_traffic wrote: »

More interesting for me was a reminder of the following stat:
"
The document also projected that modal share for peak hour car commuting would increase to 67.3% by 2039, while just 5% of all commutes would be by bus. The modal share for cycle commuting would reduce, decreasing to 2.8% in 2039.
"

Presumably this is because the real effect of the proposed road would be to make even more places that are unservicable-by-shared-transport within a viable car-commuting distance. Just what we need ....

Isn't Cosain one dude trying to make it appear like there's a whole load

I recall the name from somewhere in the past

JohnCleary

Think Galway is bad? Try Bangkok!

I've had no choice but to drive at peak times lately.... fcuk me.

Put a cover over the city and I'll gladly walk

xckjoo

what_traffic wrote: »

More interesting for me was a reminder of the following stat:
"
The document also projected that modal share for peak hour car commuting would increase to 67.3% by 2039, while just 5% of all commutes would be by bus. The modal share for cycle commuting would reduce, decreasing to 2.8% in 2039.
"

Won't that directly contravene the environmental policies they're required to now have? Think they have to be in place within the next couple of months.

what_traffic

xckjoo wrote: »

Won't that directly contravene the environmental policies they're required to now have? Think they have to be in place within the next couple of months.

No idea - not aware of that aspect.
Maybe they will do away with heating City Hall to offset the proposed NEW Ring Road. Woolly jumpers and pants will be standard staff issue.

Mrs OBumble

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Presumably this is because the real effect of the proposed road would be to make even more places that are unservicable-by-shared-transport within a viable car-commuting distance. Just what we need ....

Enabling people to live where they want (often in their home area around family) and comfortably commute to work is a very good thing
and another big positive of the ring road not a negative.

Look at how the motorways have opened up jobs for people, I know a number of people working in Shannon and living in co. Galway and its an easy all motorway commute, it would have been more or less no doable even a few years ago. They can live where they want but still have a much more options for work with good road infrastructure.

xckjoo

Gwen Shallow Raccoon wrote: »

Enabling people to live where they want (often in their home area around family) and comfortably commute to work is a very good thing
and another big positive of the ring road not a negative.

Look at how the motorways have opened up jobs for people, I know a number of people working in Shannon and living in co. Galway and its an easy all motorway commute, it would have been more or less no doable even a few years ago. They can live where they want but still have a much more options for work with good road infrastructure.

And now we have a city choked in single occupant car traffic. Can't have it every way and there's no evidence to suggest a new road will do anything other than worsen this kind of traffic.

Ashleigh1986

I drive all over the country .
There's no place as bad for traffic as galway city at the wrong times for the population it has .
It's all down to poor planning .
The clowns in city hall couldn't run a village nevermind a city .
Having a mixture of roundabouts and traffic ( sequenced) lights is a recipe ( proven ) for disaster .
8 sets of lights from huntsman lights to galway clinic.
One set sequence not changed in over 20 years .
3 of the 8 sets hocked up ( not even half ) to a so called traffic light system in city hall .
a bus station / train station that's nearly impossible to pick up people to continue their journey onto .
This city goes from one fxxk up to the next regarding infrastructure / organising events .
How these clowns are in the jobs they are in is a disgrace !!!

Space Dog

Ashleigh1986 wrote: »

I drive all over the country .
There's no place as bad for traffic as galway city at the wrong times for the population it has .
It's all down to poor planning .
The clowns in city hall couldn't run a village nevermind a city .
Having a mixture of roundabouts and traffic ( sequenced) lights is a recipe ( proven ) for disaster .
8 sets of lights from huntsman lights to galway clinic.
One set sequence not changed in over 20 years .
3 of the 8 sets hocked up ( not even half ) to a so called traffic light system in city hall .
a bus station / train station that's nearly impossible to pick up people to continue their journey onto .
This city goes from one fxxk up to the next regarding infrastructure / organising events .
How these clowns are in the jobs they are in is a disgrace !!!

There are many places in the West that are just as bad as Galway. It took us 45 min to get from Castlebar to the quays in Westport on a Friday evening recently, 20 min to get past the traffic lights in Moycullen on a Sunday afternoon and let's not mention Claregalway during peak traffic times.
Tuam used to be a disaster, now that the motorway is open and people can bypass it it's a breeze.

Mrs OBumble

Gwen Shallow Raccoon wrote: »

Enabling people to live where they want (often in their home area around family) and comfortably commute to work is a very good thing
and another big positive of the ring road not a negative.

Look at how the motorways have opened up jobs for people, I know a number of people working in Shannon and living in co. Galway and its an easy all motorway commute, it would have been more or less no doable even a few years ago. They can live where they want but still have a much more options for work with good road infrastructure.

Do you really not understand how that is a bad thing for the planet?

I'm all for people living where they want. But really they need to be making their living close enough to where they're living, not miles away. Anything else is simply a waste of thier time, and fuel.

Ashleigh1986

Space Dog wrote: »

There are many places in the West that are just as bad as Galway. It took us 45 min to get from Castlebar to the quays in Westport on a Friday evening recently, 20 min to get past the traffic lights in Moycullen on a Sunday afternoon and let's not mention Claregalway during peak traffic times.
Tuam used to be a disaster, now that the motorway is open and people can bypass it it's a breeze.

Castlebar to Westport is nearly 20km .
45 mins to do 20km .
In galway it can take over an hour to go 5km .
There's nowhere in Ireland that does traffic like galway .

beardybrewer

Ashleigh1986 wrote: »

a bus station / train station that's nearly impossible to pick up people to continue their journey onto .

the new coach station which only allowed barely enough room for 3 taxis and no place for drop-offs / pick-ups.

People elsewhere in this thread have been militant about people following rules but when there is such poor planning any means necessary prevails so you have people double-parking as they weren't given any other option.

I can forgive past mistakes but it really irks me to see stupidity reign in every forward project this city has tried to implement.

Ashleigh1986

beardybrewer wrote: »

the new coach station which only allowed barely enough room for 3 taxis and no place for drop-offs / pick-ups.

People elsewhere in this thread have been militant about people following rules but when there is such poor planning any means necessary prevails so you have people double-parking as they weren't given any other option.

I can forgive past mistakes but it really irks me to see stupidity reign in every forward project this city has tried to implement.

Exactly .... Last year over 50 oaps arrived at train station wanting to go to salthill hotel .
Each had to pull their luggage over 100 yards on a wet galway day down to eyre square to get taxis .
They couldn't beleive it .
What a welcome to our city and we try to say we're a tourist city .
Get me a break the idiots in city hall haven't a clue how to welcome people to our city .

Mrs OBumble

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Do you really not understand how that is a bad thing for the planet?

I'm all for people living where they want. But really they need to be making their living close enough to where they're living, not miles away. Anything else is simply a waste of thier time, and fuel.

Within reason people should not have where they live dictated by their job, talk about living to work. Obviously you can’t live in Galway and work in Dublin but if you can live where you want and get to large numbers of employers within an hours drive (and an hours easy drive too if it’s a trafficless motorway commute) that’s a very good thing. With many people working from home a day or multiple days per week it make all even more sense to live where you want not where you have to for work.

I would very much disagree with it being a waste of time and fuel if it means living where you want.

Gwen Shallow Raccoon

Gwen Shallow Raccoon wrote: »

Within reason people should not have where they live dictated by their job, talk about living to work. Obviously you can’t live in Galway and work in Dublin but if you can live where you want and get to large numbers of employers within an hours drive (and an hours easy drive too if it’s a trafficless motorway commute) that’s a very good thing. With many people working from home a day or multiple days per week it make all even more sense to live where you want not where you have to for work.

I would very much disagree with it being a waste of time and fuel if it means living where you want.

I lived 40 min drive to my work for nearly 10 years, working a shift that meant I never saw any noticeable traffic.

That drive was soul destroying, wasting a significant chunk of my free time in a pointless drive because I was stupid enough to buy a McMansion. I finally saw sense and sold.

Now I'm living 10 - 15 min drive from work and I dream of living within a 25 min cycle so I can ditch the car completely.

Why do I mention this. Simply as a counterpoint to illustrate sustainability. The city roads are at capacity so to only focus on the car as the main mode of transport will result in the traffic being wors3, for longer periods.

You may enjoy driving a large portion of your day, but trust, there's few that do.

InTheShadows

Went through the city recently on a trip for work (from Dublin) and was genuinely taken back at the traffic issues. Over an hour to move a maximum of 3 klms is insane for a city that size. I've driven all around the world mostly on my motorbike and the only traffic I've come across that's worse than Galway is in Moscow at rush hour.

cdgalwegian

InTheShadows wrote: »

Went through the city recently on a trip for work (from Dublin) and was genuinely taken back at the traffic issues. Over an hour to move a maximum of 3 klms is insane for a city that size. I've driven all around the world mostly on my motorbike and the only traffic I've come across that's worse than Galway is in Moscow at rush hour.

Following on the heels of extreme frustration with Galway traffic comes embarrassment. It's embarrassing that in 2019 there's a problem which has blighted the city for some time now, and is only getting worse, and which still has not been resolved yet. It's embarrassing that the inertia of the peak-time traffic is a symptom of the inertia of the council charged with resolving it.:mad::(:o.
Nothing is ever as easy at it seems from the outside, and there are obviously a plethora of laws and restrictions, and vested interests, hampering solutions. I have only a vague idea how city and county councils really work, so I want to ask those that do: Is this a political problem, rather than simply a management one? Is the city council too weak to make decisions, where there should be more devolvement of economic decision-making (as well as democratic decision-making on how money is spent)? Without trying to make this one for the politics forum, is trying to solve a management problem futile, if the political environment in which it operates gives it very little wriggle-room?

zell12

cdgalwegian wrote: »

..., so I want to ask those that do: Is this a political problem, rather than simply a management one? Is the city council too weak to make decisions, where there should be more devolvement of economic decision-making (as well as democratic decision-making on how money is spent)? Without trying to make this one for the politics forum, is trying to solve a management problem futile, if the political environment in which it operates gives it very little wriggle-room?

Councillors have very little power. Politics plays a huge part though, it is we who elect them to serve us.
It is the unelected unaccountable Council management team that possess power and decide. They are hampered by existing planning, environmental, transport laws and policies. Plus vested interests - ie. Taoiseach Varadkar stated that Galway needs the bypass to open up land for development ergo making landowners richer.
Planning process is most democratic in Ireland which also restricts development.

Mrs OBumble

Gwen Shallow Raccoon wrote: »

Within reason people should not have where they live dictated by their job, talk about living to work. Obviously you can’t live in Galway and work in Dublin but if you can live where you want and get to large numbers of employers within an hours drive (and an hours easy drive too if it’s a trafficless motorway commute) that’s a very good thing. With many people working from home a day or multiple days per week it make all even more sense to live where you want not where you have to for work.

I would very much disagree with it being a waste of time and fuel if it means living where you want.

Live wherever you want.

But you need to tailor your work expectations to what is reasonable where you live.

You say that "obviously" living in Galway and working in Dublin isn't possible. Why not? Shouldn't we be building a high-speed auto-ban (however they're spelt!) across the country, to maximise the possibilities for everyone? Under your line of thinking, why not?

Many people don't think that commuting an hour each way is reasonable. I'm certainly one of them: a hour each way is ten hours a week, that I have better things to be doing with.

This is a fascinating piece of reading, which suggests that for most people, a 30 minute commute using the technology of the day is reasonable: https://www.citylab.com/transportation/2019/08/commute-time-city-size-transportation-urban-planning-history/597055/


I'm not sold on the "work from home a few days each week" idea either. Lots of jobs cannot be done that way - and most homes aren't built with the workplace-standard lockable office which is a must-have for it to be viable. (I've occasionally taken calls from home using the living room - but really it's not fair to have to chuch Mr OBumble out so that I can work.)

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

I lived 40 min drive to my work for nearly 10 years, working a shift that meant I never saw any noticeable traffic.

That drive was soul destroying, wasting a significant chunk of my free time in a pointless drive because I was stupid enough to buy a McMansion. I finally saw sense and sold.

Now I'm living 10 - 15 min drive from work and I dream of living within a 25 min cycle so I can ditch the car completely.

Why do I mention this. Simply as a counterpoint to illustrate sustainability. The city roads are at capacity so to only focus on the car as the main mode of transport will result in the traffic being wors3, for longer periods.

You may enjoy driving a large portion of your day, but trust, there's few that do.

To me 40 mins is nothing cant see how you would find such a short spin soul destroying especially as it was traffic free, barely a chance to catch up on the news on the radio and I wouldn't even turn on an audio book for such a short time. I do multiple 2-3 hour drives per week most weeks and I don't mind them at all, great opportunity to catch up on podcasts, audiobooks et .

I would be totally opposite on my outlook, I lived within 10 mins walk of work when I was working else where in Ireland for a few years but I couldn't wait to get back living in my home area co. Galway and dont mind my 30 min or so drive into the city for work in the slightest. Im building my own house to the specs I want not living in a shoe box in an estate, right next door to my parents and other family houses, close to many of friends who all live in the area etc etc. The commute even if it was twice as long would be well well worth it. Also as I have very little traffic issues as I like many nowadays don't have strict working hours so I don't leave home until around 9 and generally travel the 25km from the country right across the city in 30 mins, leaving work generally no earlier than 6pm and usually later means I get home in under 30 mins usually.

Also I'd rather an hours drive than even 15 mins on a bike :pac:

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Live wherever you want.

You say that "obviously" living in Galway and working in Dublin isn't possible. Why not? Shouldn't we be building a high-speed auto-ban (however they're spelt!) across the country, to maximise the possibilities for everyone? Under your line of thinking, why not?

I would certainly support such a move however going by the cost of high speed trains abroad which I regularly use on work trips the cost would not be viable on a daily basis.

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

I'm not sold on the "work from home a few days each week" idea either. Lots of jobs cannot be done that way - and most homes aren't built with the workplace-standard lockable office which is a must-have for it to be viable. (I've occasionally taken calls from home using the living room - but really it's not fair to have to chuch Mr OBumble out so that I can work.)

A lot of people can work from home, an awful lot more than currently do so. I also don't see any reason for a workplace standard "lockable" office, a box room with a decent desk and chair will do and many work from home on their kitchen table though I personally do agree that a seperate room is much better. You live in a small city apartment so of course you dont have the space for proper working facilities, I on the other hand am building a proper dedicated office into my house that will be ideal for remote working as I'm not limited by small city house sizes.

All of what you said is perfectly fine for you nox, honestly nothing against it.

My point is that it's not sustainable to keep transport going that way. There has to be a sizable shift to other modes, with or without the bypass as the internal roads of the city are at capacity. That capacity is only going down too with streets being pedestrianised, bus & cycle lanes etc.