Galway's traffic issues

If you are just renting an office space for yourself you are better off not in the city anyway. Is setting up a home office an option or trying to find an office space in town close to you?

Wompa1

Gwen Shallow Raccoon wrote: »

If you are just renting an office space for yourself you are better off not in the city anyway. Is setting up a home office an option or trying to find an office space in town close to you?

I already have a home office.

I require connectivity at all times to meet my contractual obligations and have to maintain a certain download speed. Having an office at home and in the city gave me the best chance of meeting my obligations. Power outage out near Headford, 25 minute drive into the office where the power is likely to be on when Headford is out or in the worst case, getting the power back on is a higher priority in the city than out in the villages so wouldn't be without for too long. Ditto internet. Cable options in the city that aren't available in the Headford area. Less dependent on Eir and even so, again when the city drops that is a higher priority than the villages.

I know the power grid was improved about 10 years ago and stability has been much better so hopefully it's a moot point but we'll see.

cena

I would have been faster driving to Dublin this morning than try to get the university hospital this morning.

I really hate driving in Galway city.

jk23

cena wrote: »

I would have been faster driving to Dublin this morning than try to get the university hospital this morning.

I really hate driving in Galway city.

It's an absolute joke... Can't see it improving any time soon and coming in to Christmas as well. I avoid Galway like the plague during that period if I can at all...

youngrun

jk23 wrote: »

It's an absolute joke... Can't see it improving any time soon and coming in to Christmas as well. I avoid Galway like the plague during that period if I can at all...

The one quick way to solve is to limit car traffic into city and put in place multiple Park and Rides and heavily incentivise people to use them eg Free , Employer subsidy, Compulsory order, or a combination of

Bobeagleburger

Was on the bridge at the about 5 this evening. Traffic crawling. About 80% of cars passing meetings had one person. Mine had too so not preaching.

The city council are beyond poor imo. Give me and others an alternative and I'll happily ditch the car.

Traffic will be a huge local election issue going forward so plague your local TDs.

Wompa1

Wompa1 wrote: »

I already have a home office.

I require connectivity at all times to meet my contractual obligations and have to maintain a certain download speed. Having an office at home and in the city gave me the best chance of meeting my obligations. Power outage out near Headford, 25 minute drive into the office where the power is likely to be on when Headford is out or in the worst case, getting the power back on is a higher priority in the city than out in the villages so wouldn't be without for too long. Ditto internet. Cable options in the city that aren't available in the Headford area. Less dependent on Eir and even so, again when the city drops that is a higher priority than the villages.

I know the power grid was improved about 10 years ago and stability has been much better so hopefully it's a moot point but we'll see.

You would probably buy a generator for the price of two months rent to cover you in the very very rare event of a power cut.

Ashleigh1986

Have they changed the traffic light sequence again at the traffic lights at front of Boston sientific ???
Traffic nuts all along ballybane road as far as traffic lights at duggans this morning.
I got to lights at Boston,
Eventually they went green for straight on .
3 cars got tru before they went red.

xckjoo

Ashleigh1986 wrote: »

Have they changed the traffic light sequence again at the traffic lights at front of Boston sientific ???
Traffic nuts all along ballybane road as far as traffic lights at duggans this morning.
I got to lights at Boston,
Eventually they went green for straight on .
3 cars got tru before they went red.

Passed that way yesterday evening and they were the same as ever.

Ashleigh1986

Ashleigh1986 wrote: »

Have they changed the traffic light sequence again at the traffic lights at front of Boston sientific ???
Traffic nuts all along ballybane road as far as traffic lights at duggans this morning.
I got to lights at Boston,
Eventually they went green for straight on .
3 cars got tru before they went red.

How many cars (or taxis) got through after they went red?

Ashleigh1986

Deleted User wrote: »

How many cars (or taxis) got through after they went red?

I lost count after me / artic Lorry / 3 buses / 5 cyclists / and 8 pedestrians

Storm 10

I know it's way wrong but the timing of the lights in Galway is definitely causing more people to break Red lights , they are not allowing enough cars to get through from any direction and it's frustrating drivers into carrying on after they go Red, cyclists are just as bad also the time from Amber to Red is too short so you drive on Amber to find it's Red as you go through the lights.

spurscormac

Drivers in Ireland in general are way to slow to react to a green.
We should really implement the sequencing they have in the UK with amber ahead of green to allow people prepare to move.
Can easily get an extra 2 cars through per lane rather than have people day dreaming at the top of the lane not ready to go on green.

topcat77

This sounds promising.

https://galwaydaily.com/news/galway-councils-pushing-for-athenry-to-city-commuter-train/

topcat77

topcat77 wrote: »

This sounds promising.

https://galwaydaily.com/news/galway-councils-pushing-for-athenry-to-city-commuter-train/

Five stops over five kilometres or so would be more of a tram system than a train.
It would be very slow as the trains would never be up to any speed just trundling along.
Bus lanes along the same route with say an express bus that only stopped at one in every three stops would be much more flexible.

what_traffic

Storm 10 wrote: »

I know it's way wrong but the timing of the lights in Galway is definitely causing more people to break Red lights

No its not.

what_traffic

Deleted User wrote: »

Five stops over five kilometres or so would be more of a tram system than a train.
It would be very slow as the trains would never be up to any speed just trundling along.

Would be heavy rail though? Right about it been slow if its Diesel rather than electric line, but will still be faster than car driving from Athenry.

what_traffic

what_traffic wrote: »

Would be heavy rail though? Right about it been slow if its Diesel rather than electric line, but will still be faster than car driving from Athenry.

There is no mention in the article so I would presume not.
A quick bit of googling suggests it could cost 300,000 per km to electrify a railway in the uk so maybe 7,000,000 to electrify Galway to Athenry, not including the train.

I would like to see the whole network electrified but I think the money could be much better spent in the short term.

Replacing the Kirwan roundabout will be 5,000,000 so I imagine electrifying the railway will be more expensive.

How much did the Seamus Quirke Road cost in the end? 16,000,000?
How much would an equivalent upgrade of the Dublin Road be?

Maybe the train might be good value afterall...

Fitz*

IMO it would have to be a service where people are allowed to pay a set fee for a return journey, including both rail and bus prices in it, and a cheaper one at that too. Maybe 5e to 7e return daily.

Otherwise, is it really beneficial to pass out Parkmore travelling West into the City and then hope you make a bus in time (to be fair, the 409 is very frequent (the only bus service that is actually resembles a reliable service)) to travel back out East again towards Parkmore, and that that bus is on time? And then the return journey which will be worse as you will be trying to make a set-time train on time while on a bus through peak traffic. I don't know how frequent these trains would be, but if you are relying on a BE city bus to get you to your train on time, you are already late.

It's a lot of extra work. BE buses need Bus Lanes to ensure they actually run on schedule and that people who would take the Athenry -> Parkmore train & bus journey would actually be able to have a reliable service to convince them to leave the car behind.

DuckSlice

FitzShane wrote: »

IMO it would have to be a service where people are allowed to pay a set fee for a return journey, including both rail and bus prices in it, and a cheaper one at that too. Maybe 5e to 7e return daily.

Otherwise, is it really beneficial to pass out Parkmore travelling West into the City and then hope you make a bus in time (to be fair, the 409 is very frequent (the only bus service that is actually resembles a reliable service)) to travel back out East again towards Parkmore, and that that bus is on time? And then the return journey which will be worse as you will be trying to make a set-time train on time while on a bus through peak traffic. I don't know how frequent these trains would be, but if you are relying on a BE city bus to get you to your train on time, you are already late.

It's a lot of extra work. BE buses need Bus Lanes to ensure they actually run on schedule and that people who would take the Athenry -> Parkmore train & bus journey would actually be able to have a reliable service to convince them to leave the car behind.

You would get off at Oranmore station for Parkmore I would imagine, they could change the route of one of the Parkmore buses to go past there if there isn't one already passing by that station.

Fitz*

etxp wrote: »

You would get off at Oranmore station for Parkmore I would imagine, they could change the route of one of the Parkmore buses to go past there if there isn't one already passing by that station.

The 401 goes from Salthill -> Eyre Square -> Mervue -> Ballybane -> Parkmore.
The 409 goes from Eyre Square -> Dublin Road -> Doughishka -> Briarhill -> Parkmore.

How feasible it would be having them also go to Oranmore train station?

Geuze

topcat77 wrote: »

This sounds promising.

https://galwaydaily.com/news/galway-councils-pushing-for-athenry-to-city-commuter-train/

I have been thinking about this for a while.

Roscam is an obvious place for a station.

I was thinking about one station between Roscam and Ceannt.

This plan suggests two.

In the long-run, we need to double the track, eliminate level crossings, electrify and increase speeds.

Here's another thought: run a single track spur into Oranmore village, with a service pattern as follows:

Athenry - Oranmore village - Oranmore West - Roscam - Ceannt.

I am a bit of a dreamer, but the single track spur could terminate either near Tesco, or else maybe better in the fields behind Bella Baby.

Geuze

Deleted User wrote: »

Five stops over five kilometres or so would be more of a tram system than a train.
It would be very slow as the trains would never be up to any speed just trundling along.
Bus lanes along the same route with say an express bus that only stopped at one in every three stops would be much more flexible.

Yes, I have been thinking about the Karlsruhe tram-train solution, although I don't know much about it.

Geuze

FitzShane wrote: »

IMO it would have to be a service where people are allowed to pay a set fee for a return journey, including both rail and bus prices in it, and a cheaper one at that too. Maybe 5e to 7e return daily.

Currently the bus is 7.50 pw net for a higher rate taxpayer.

Ceannt to Oranmore is 12.80 pw.

grbear

Storm 10 wrote: »

I know it's way wrong but the timing of the lights in Galway is definitely causing more people to break Red lights , they are not allowing enough cars to get through from any direction and it's frustrating drivers into carrying on after they go Red, cyclists are just as bad also the time from Amber to Red is too short so you drive on Amber to find it's Red as you go through the lights.

Timing or lack of punishment for breaking the red? I'd lean towards the latter.

xckjoo

Storm 10 wrote: »

I know it's way wrong but the timing of the lights in Galway is definitely causing more people to break Red lights , they are not allowing enough cars to get through from any direction and it's frustrating drivers into carrying on after they go Red, cyclists are just as bad also the time from Amber to Red is too short so you drive on Amber to find it's Red as you go through the lights.

They allow plenty through if people weren't staring at their phones when their light goes green. Amber means you stop unless it's "unsafe to do so" (i.e. you're too close to the light and would have to break hard to stop in front of the line), not "hurry up and get through before the red comes". If the light has turned from amber to red before you get to it and you still feel like it was unsafe to stop before the line then you're almost definitely speeding. They do time these things, they just can't account for all the terrible driving. Drivers should be retested every couple of years and put off the road if they fail. Nobody has any clue of how they're supposed to drive anymore.

I've a feeling the council have increased the delay between lights changing from red on one side to green on the other because there's so many people running red lights. Just a feeling though. Never had it confirmed.

what_traffic

FitzShane wrote: »

The 401 goes from Salthill -> Eyre Square -> Mervue -> Ballybane -> Parkmore.
The 409 goes from Eyre Square -> Dublin Road -> Doughishka -> Briarhill -> Parkmore.

How feasible it would be having them also go to Oranmore train station?

Does the 404 to Oranmore stop at the train station? Thats a service I would start with for Oranmore train station. (interchange at Roscam for the 409)

Mrs OBumble

FitzShane wrote: »

.... BE buses need Bus Lanes to ensure they actually run on schedule and that people who would take the Athenry -> Parkmore train & bus journey would actually be able to have a reliable service to convince them to leave the car behind.

Stick in a few more bus lanes, and expand the current BusLink service which already has a couple of services that travel via Parkmore. Far simpler.

Mrs OBumble

what_traffic wrote: »

Does the 404 to Oranmore stop at the train station? Thats a service I would start with for Oranmore train station. (interchange at Roscam for the 409)

No, it goes via Galway Clinic, which is a lot more sensible in terms of where people actually travel.

There won't be a sensible bus interlink point there until Ardaun South gets built.

yer man!

what_traffic wrote: »

Does the 404 to Oranmore stop at the train station? Thats a service I would start with for Oranmore train station. (interchange at Roscam for the 409)

No, the route goes on the dual carriageway to the hospital.