Galway's traffic issues

what_traffic

Prince Straight Stroller wrote: »

What additional rights to publicly owned roads and spaces to people living in the city have, not something I’ve ever come across...

If anything is those who find it harder to get into the city that should be prioritized, it will always be easy for city dwellers to do things like get to the shops a few mins extra to cross a road is meaningless.

Have you ever seen a bus lane in Galway City or do you just close your eyes while driving past them? That is public infrastructure that gives priority use to public transport users.

The big mistake you always make, or perhaps you willfully always make - you equate roads with car usage rather than as transport artery's. I have no problem giving people priority from Rural Galway if they are using modes like train, bus. Single user occupied cars should be given the lowest priority regardless if they are living in the City or Outside the City.

xckjoo

Gwen Shallow Raccoon wrote: »

All the suggestions such as banning cars, reducing road space, forcing park and ride etc are doing just what you suggest making my drive to work or city shops (I have a local town a few miles away I don’t rely on the city for shops) slower and far more inconvenient hence why I do complain about such proposals and can see why the bypass is the most important thing that can happen for Galway traffic.

If you choose to live in the city you put up with things like traffic but to be honest walking around the city center I never feel anyway inconvenienced by traffic, I don’t wait around for green men or any of that sort of stuff so get across roads fast always etc I just don’t see any big deal from traffic for walking.

See it's not about you or me or any individual though. It's about the majority.

You want them to spend hundreds of millions on road infrastructure and to keep systems that are inconveniencing thousands of people so that you don't feel like you're being inconvenienced. Despite the fact that you chose to live miles from the city in a place that can't possible be efficiently serviced by any infrastructure.



If you choose to live in the country you put up with things like taking a long time to get places but to be honest driving to the city from the country I never feel anyway inconvenienced by buses or pedestrians, it's all the other cars that interfere with me getting down roads fast etc I just don’t see any big deal from buses or cyclist or walking.

Jamsiek

Gwen Shallow Raccoon wrote: »

Incorrect, The city is no more for the people who live there than it is for anyone who comes into it to work or shop.

You’re wrong there. The local politicians prioritize urban dwellers as they live there and are impacted more and they elect them into office. They also contribute more.
If you want to live in the country, you should expect to live with the inconveniences of being without amenities and traffic issues. You can’t expect everyone to bend to your will.

xckjoo

Someone was asking about the extra bike racks recently. Just spotted this press release from yesterday: https://www.galwaycity.ie/news/1426/59/Cycle-Parking-Changing-Gear-160-cycle-parking-spaces-installed-in-September-and-October-in-Galway-City-/d,News%20Detail


Two things of interest in the press release:

Research indicates that per square metre, cycle parking delivers 5 times higher retail spend than the same area of a car parking space.

First time I've seen the Council link a reduction in parking spots with an actual benefit to retailers.

A consultant will shortly be appointed to design and construct five cycle routes on the east side of the City, with an additional five routes on the west of the City due to go to tender in the coming weeks. The impact of these new routes will be substantial in terms of cycling connectivity in the city”.

Should be interesting to see if this turns out to be proper, joined-up infrastructure or just some more lines on the road.

Ashleigh1986

Road race on in Galway .
Closed off roads / diverting traffic BUT.... They have left the traffic lights on their normal sequence where they have diverted the traffic to.
THATS WHY A CCTV TRAFFIC LIGHT SYTEM IS A MUST FOR GALWAY .
Anyone that doesn't see that isn't driving around galway city today .
Yet another example of galway city hosting an event but the proper traffic plan yet again isn't in place .

zell12

Runners taking over the streets, Joe, it's a disgrace

Ashleigh1986

zell12 wrote: »

Runners taking over the streets, Joe, it's a disgrace

I've no problem with people having a road race in galway city .
Is it to much to ask that the people paid to " manage " our city put a proper plan in place when an event like this takes place ?
How many years has galway been hosting events like this ?
A handful of gardai present yet they can't be at traffic light junctions ?

gally74

xckjoo wrote: »

Someone was asking about the extra bike racks recently. Just spotted this press release from yesterday: https://www.galwaycity.ie/news/1426/59/Cycle-Parking-Changing-Gear-160-cycle-parking-spaces-installed-in-September-and-October-in-Galway-City-/d,News%20Detail


Two things of interest in the press release:
First time I've seen the Council link a reduction in parking spots with an actual benefit to retailers.


Should be interesting to see if this turns out to be proper, joined-up infrastructure or just some more lines on the road.

a cycle route out to claregalway would really help, the space is there just need the initative, with e bikes now anyone can do it,

Discodog

McGiver wrote: »

You're wrong on this one. Visit Oxford, Brugges, and, and, the list is long......... Please! City centre belongs to the people, not to the cars. Then the quality of life rises significantly.

The Oxford with a full, dual carriageway, ring road.

Pinch Flat

Discodog wrote: »

The Oxford with a full, dual carriageway, ring road.

No probably the oxford that Pioneered the park and ride and kept cars from clogging its historic core. Assume you’re speaking from experience? Visited oxford when I lived in the UK, one of the best park and rides - no reason Galway couldn’t emulate

“ Parking in Oxford is limited so most day visitors take advantage of the Park and Ride service which was pioneered in Oxford. All five Park and Ride sites are clearly signposted from the Oxford Ring Road.”

More info at link:

https://www.oxford.gov.uk/info/20086/roads_and_pavements/488/how_to_get_to_oxford

Mrs OBumble

Pinch Flat wrote: »

No probably the oxford that Pioneered the park and ride and kept cars from clogging its historic core. Assume you’re speaking from experience? Visited oxford when I lived in the UK, one of the best park and rides - no reason Galway couldn’t emulate

“ Parking in Oxford is limited so most day visitors take advantage of the Park and Ride service which was pioneered in Oxford. All five Park and Ride sites are clearly signposted from the Oxford Ring Road.”

More info at link:

https://www.oxford.gov.uk/info/20086/roads_and_pavements/488/how_to_get_to_oxford

Ahh, according to this: https://parkandride.oxfordbus.co.uk/where-to-park/ - we'd need a ring road to emulate Oxford:

Oxford City has 5 Park & Ride car parks located around Oxford’s ring road, each with a bus service taking you straight to Oxford City Centre.

xckjoo

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Ahh, according to this: https://parkandride.oxfordbus.co.uk/where-to-park/ - we'd need a ring road to emulate Oxford:

Oxford is in the middle of England. Galway is on the West coast. There's no city further west and we're already bypassed north-south. No ocean or major river to deal with in Oxford either.

Discodog

I lived in the UK & used the Oxford P&R. It's excellent but the whole system depends on the ring road. I remember when they closed the City Centre.

And the Thames is a wider river than the Corrib. Plus plenty of people live West of Galway & it's a major tourist destination.

McGiver

Discodog wrote: »

I lived in the UK & used the Oxford P&R. It's excellent but the whole system depends on the ring road. I remember when they closed the City Centre.

And the Thames is a wider river than the Corrib. Plus plenty of people live West of Galway & it's a major tourist destination.

How so? I lived there too and used the one at Oxford Parkway. That one goes straight to the town on the bus lane and doesn't touch the ring road at all.
I am not familiar with the other P&Rs.

Discodog

McGiver wrote: »

How so? I lived there too and used the one at Oxford Parkway. That one goes straight to the town on the bus lane and doesn't touch the ring road at all.
I am not familiar with the other P&Rs.

The ring road takes all the through traffic. If that was going through the City there would be grid lock.

This week I have three days when I have to cross the City. I have to travel to Cregmore, Mervue & Oranmore in a vehicle full of tools. My choices are the existing ring road or going through the centre. I have to charge my clients more to cover my travelling time.

jjpep

Discodog wrote: »

The ring road takes all the through traffic. If that was going through the City there would be grid lock.

This week I have three days when I have to cross the City. I have to travel to Cregmore, Mervue & Oranmore in a vehicle full of tools. My choices are the existing ring road or going through the centre. I have to charge my clients more to cover my travelling time.

Are the traffic through levels comparable though? Oxford is between London and Birmingham/Wales etc. The other side of Galway city is south connamara. One would imagine the numbers (even on some kind of pro rata basis) would be way lower.

Discodog

jjpep wrote: »

Are the traffic through levels comparable though? Oxford is between London and Birmingham/Wales etc. The other side of Galway city is south connamara. One would imagine the numbers (even on some kind of pro rata basis) would be way lower.

Oh I am sure they are. But you have to either provide another road or offer a choice to those that drive. From my direction the decent bus service stops at Knocknacara. Park & ride is the obvious answer. Have reasonably priced City parking for a max of two hours with no all day parking.

Discodog

Discodog wrote: »

Oh I am sure they are. But you have to either provide another road or offer a choice to those that drive. From my direction the decent bus service stops at Knocknacara. Park & ride is the obvious answer. Have reasonably priced City parking for a max of two hours with no all day parking.

Reasonably priced parking is a major contributor to the problem.

Eliminate the cheap parking and you would see a lot of people moving to alternative, more sustainable forms of transport.

Discodog

Deleted User wrote: »

Reasonably priced parking is a major contributor to the problem.

Eliminate the cheap parking and you would see a lot of people moving to alternative, more sustainable forms of transport.

You missed the point. You kill passing trade if someone can't stop for an hour or two. The people that need to change are the ones parking all day for work.

Ashleigh1986

For a start there should be no parking zones .
Foster street and eglinton street for a start .
Allow delivery vecihcles up to 11am .
After that time no parking whatsoever on these streets.
All day today cars parked along eglinton street with not one parking ticket given.
Why ?
Because they know galway operates Monday to Friday and you can park anywhere you want at weekends .
Start operating as a city and not a country village .

Discodog

Ashleigh1986 wrote: »

For a start there should be no parking zones .
Foster street and eglinton street for a start .
Allow delivery vecihcles up to 11am .
After that time no parking whatsoever on these streets.
All day today cars parked along eglinton street with not one parking ticket given.
Why ?
Because they know galway operates Monday to Friday and you can park anywhere you want at weekends .
Start operating as a city and not a country village .

A lot of cities relax the rules on Sunday as they want to encourage weekend use of City restaurants, pubs etc

Ashleigh1986

Discodog wrote: »

A lot of cities relax the rules on Sunday as they want to encourage weekend use of City restaurants, pubs etc

So be it ... But do other cities allow it along 2 of the busiest streets for tru traffic?
At the weekend buses struggle to get by each other on eglinton street .
If you can afford eating out in restaurants you can afford €5 all day parking in galway .

Discodog

Discodog wrote: »

You missed the point. You kill passing trade if someone can't stop for an hour or two. The people that need to change are the ones parking all day for work.

Sorry, but that's simply not true and has been disproven multiple times over many, many studies, several of which have been referenced in this thread.

It's a lazy argument to maintain the status quo with no basis in fact.

Discodog

Deleted User wrote: »

Sorry, but that's simply not true and has been disproven multiple times over many, many studies, several of which have been referenced in this thread.

It's a lazy argument to maintain the status quo with no basis in fact.

So, when I am driving through Galway, you want me not to stop at the shops but make a separate journey ? Two journeys instead of one.

donvito99

Discodog wrote: »

So, when I am driving through Galway, you want me not to stop at the shops but make a separate journey ? Two journeys instead of one.

He's not saying that at all.

Making it easier for people to drive worsens traffic.

Johnny_BravoIII

Discodog wrote: »

You missed the point. You kill passing trade if someone can't stop for an hour or two. The people that need to change are the ones parking all day for work.

That's just plain wrong.
Less cars = more people.
More poeple = more trade

Business owners are always react against a reduction in cars only to benefit from the same reduction over time.

Discodog

Johnny_BravoIII wrote: »

That's just plain wrong.
Less cars = more people.
More poeple = more trade

Business owners are always react against a reduction in cars only to benefit from the same reduction over time.

Reminds me of Animal Farm.

Mrs OBumble

donvito99 wrote: »

He's not saying that at all.

Making it easier for people to drive worsens traffic.

Discodog is someone who sometimes NEEDS to drive thru the city. A person cannot carry a van load of tools o n the bus. And yes, you are saying thats/he should be discouraged from stopping when doing so.

donvito99

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Discodog is someone who sometimes NEEDS to drive thru the city. A person cannot carry a van load of tools o n the bus. And yes, you are saying thats/he should be discouraged from stopping when doing so.

I didn't say that, he was referring to shoppers as I understood. People who need to bring equipment with them should have significantly easier jobs if private vehicle commuters were forced to find somewhere else to park.

Discodog

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Discodog is someone who sometimes NEEDS to drive thru the city. A person cannot carry a van load of tools o n the bus. And yes, you are saying thats/he should be discouraged from stopping when doing so.

Lots of people have to cross the City. It's logical to stop, buy things & support the local community. You can drive into Oxford, park & shop. You can't just repeat the two wheels good, four wheels bad mantra & expect people take you seriously. Oxford didn't force people to use Park & Ride. It made the service so good that people chose to use it.

Whatever the "solution" people have to cross the river. If you don't build a ring road then you have to have a way to police who is allowed to drive into the city.