Galway traffic

gally74

https://galwaybayfm.ie/galway-bay-fm-news-desk/study-finds-shape-and-landscape-of-galway-suitable-for-rail-system/

both proposed systems are about 600m, however one will reduce car ownership in the longer term, the other will increase it,

infastrcture projects have to look at the long term,

https://connachttribune.ie/city-light-rail-system-could-end-the-jams-144/

timmyntc

gally74 wrote: »

https://galwaybayfm.ie/galway-bay-fm-news-desk/study-finds-shape-and-landscape-of-galway-suitable-for-rail-system/

both proposed systems are about 600m, however one will reduce car ownership in the longer term, the other will increase it,

infastrcture projects have to look at the long term,

https://connachttribune.ie/city-light-rail-system-could-end-the-jams-144/

The reason the majority of commuters in the city drive instead of take the bus is because its quicker to drive. This is due to a number of things - mainly that the city bus routes all start/end at eyre square, and the lack of bus lanes causing buses to get stuck in general traffic.

If you created a load of trams with lines such as those described in your 2nd article, it would do nothing to address the parkmore problem.
I'd say it would take even longer to get from knocknacarra to parkmore than on a bus.

The only sane solution here is buslanes and bus routes that go where people want to go - i.e. west to east and vice versa. You shouldn't have to transfer in eyre square if you want to go from west to east.

ChewyLouie

timmyntc wrote: »

The reason the majority of commuters in the city drive instead of take the bus is because its quicker to drive. This is due to a number of things - mainly that the city bus routes all start/end at eyre square, and the lack of bus lanes causing buses to get stuck in general traffic.

Agreed.

I think we need to convert 1 of the lanes on these 2-lane roads to a dedicated bus lane...



Then have an East-West bus route that flows past the other traffic. It will link the residential areas in the West to the industrial areas in the East.

Minimal infrastructure changes required - change the marking on the lanes and additional buses for the new route. It could even be trialed for a month with temporary markings.

Fitz*

I would slightly change the route of the above map, for the bus to turn left on Bothar na dTreabh and in towards Ballybrit Business Park (Boston Scientific, Medtronic, HPE & other large businesses), before continuing down the slip road and back onto Bother na dTreabh and on towards Parkmore. There is a bus stop already in place at HPE which serves the 3 largest buildings in the area.

ChewyLouie

FitzShane wrote: »

I would slightly change the route of the above map, for the bus to turn left on Bothar na dTreabh and in towards Ballybrit Business Park (Boston Scientific, Medtronic, HPE & other large businesses), before continuing down the slip road and back onto Bother na dTreabh and on towards Parkmore. There is a bus stop already in place at HPE which serves the 3 largest buildings in the area.

Yes, that would work. The dedicated bus lane is also probably not required beyond the Tuam Road.

Making any of those roads one lane would be absolute instantly, it would make the city a total no go area, a total standstill. Never going to happen thankfully either.

ChewyLouie

Jazmin Harsh Gold wrote: »

Making any of those roads one lane would be absolute instantly, it would make the city a total no go area, a total standstill. Never going to happen thankfully either.

You're working on the assumption that all the existing motor traffic would persist. The clear run across town on the bus would be a very tempting alternative.

xckjoo

Why is it that the poster who sets their work schedule around avoiding rush hour is always the first to throw a wobbler at any propositions that would help alleviate that congestion for everyone else?

machaseh

Why don't they just build a Luas in Galway from Salthill and then into the city center and beyond (at least to that business park you see when you enter the city I forgot the name, I live in Dublin so)? Make park and rides at both ends of it. People then have a choice; stay in a traffic jam in their car or just zip by all the traffic on the Luas.

It's expensive yes but probably not as expensive as trying to improve all the roads.

ChewyLouie

ChewyLouie wrote: »

You're working on the assumption that all the existing motor traffic would persist. The clear run across town on the bus would be a very tempting alternative.

It would suit far too limited numbers of people.

xckjoo wrote: »

Why is it that the poster who sets their work schedule around avoiding rush hour is always the first to throw a wobbler at any propositions that would help alleviate that congestion for everyone else?

Because it would have a big impact on me. Even travelling just outside of rush ours (rather than total off peak) there is still plenty of traffic and going down to one lane on major routes would make traffic far worse at these times too.

wassie

Johnny_BravoIII wrote: »

...Most of our future planning is predominantly around building more roads. It's now in the psyche of the nation with local campaigns for new roads nationwide. Galway, Limerick-Cork etc

The only possible potential for changing our approach to traffic is if enough greens get in to change policy at a national level. Otherwise, we will just continue to wreck the gaff.

Interestingly David McWilliams touched on the problems of building more roads, congestion issues and the election in last weeks podcast, although he doesn't subscribe to the greens policies.

http://davidmcwilliams.libsyn.com/why-traffic-is-like-gas-not-liquid

Notes that Galway is probably the worst in the country relative to its size.

One idea was to divert the billion odd in revenue generated by motor tax to fund free public transport (around €660 million). More people would be highly incentivised to use public transport, especially if a congestion charge is introduced. This would also prompt further investment in public transport, further reducing reliance on motor cars.

machaseh

Jazmin Harsh Gold wrote: »

It would suit far too limited numbers of people.



Because it would have a big impact on me. Even travelling just outside of rush ours (rather than total off peak) there is still plenty of traffic and going down to one lane on major routes would make traffic far worse at these times too.

And what if that luas was built that I described above? Wouldn't you fancy parking your tonne of steel at the P+R and just zoom into town by Luas?

Or depending on where you live maybe you can even take it all the way from home to work ! Wouldn't that save you a lot of stress sitting in that traffic jam?

Laviski

ChewyLouie wrote: »

Yes, that would work. The dedicated bus lane is also probably not required beyond the Tuam Road.

would alter route to go via the tuam road so it has better catchment of people and also service the industrial places along.

think Nox needs to take a break from this thread, not really contributing just shutting all ideas down that don't suit.

This is a good idea but needs for part of a wider plan. shuttle buses from claregalway/oranmore to parkmore, the route just mentioned so if they get to park more they get on a bus to the other side of the city or to city center. Needs o be parking somewhere on the westof the city for people to take these buses and also somthing north o fnew castle to take the catchment from Moycullen and beyond perhaps.

However all the above is a waste of time unless there are bus lanes in galway, tuam road needs a bus lane both directions the bridge needs to convert a lane to bus only, bohermore and college road - one lane needs to be converted to a bus lane in one direction (yes that means normal taffic can't come or out depending on direction taken).

this leads as to why an oribal route needs to be built to facilate these changes, to implement as i suggested would promote using public transport but city is not going to car friendly at all. Any events on west of the city such as those on in pearse stadium etc would gridlock the whole place.

Getting left and right of the corrib there needs to be another bridge..... the bypass fufills that need.

jjpep

ChewyLouie wrote: »

Agreed.

I think we need to convert 1 of the lanes on these 2-lane roads to a dedicated bus lane...

Then have an East-West bus route that flows past the other traffic. It will link the residential areas in the West to the industrial areas in the East.

Minimal infrastructure changes required - change the marking on the lanes and additional buses for the new route. It could even be trialed for a month with temporary markings.

Yep, a route like that on proper dedicated bus lanes would suit a huge amount of people. Would also need to have detection cameras along the route to fine car drivers who try to use them.

timmyntc

Laviski wrote: »

would alter route to go via the tuam road so it has better catchment of people and also service the industrial places along.

think Nox needs to take a break from this thread, not really contributing just shutting all ideas down that don't suit.

This is a good idea but needs for part of a wider plan. shuttle buses from claregalway/oranmore to parkmore, the route just mentioned so if they get to park more they get on a bus to the other side of the city or to city center. Needs o be parking somewhere on the westof the city for people to take these buses and also somthing north o fnew castle to take the catchment from Moycullen and beyond perhaps.

However all the above is a waste of time unless there are bus lanes in galway, tuam road needs a bus lane both directions the bridge needs to convert a lane to bus only, bohermore and college road - one lane needs to be converted to a bus lane in one direction (yes that means normal taffic can't come or out depending on direction taken).

this leads as to why an oribal route needs to be built to facilate these changes, to implement as i suggested would promote using public transport but city is not going to car friendly at all. Any events on west of the city such as those on in pearse stadium etc would gridlock the whole place.

Getting left and right of the corrib there needs to be another bridge..... the bypass fufills that need.

Can't do bus lanes on Tuam rd as it's too narrow, you'd have to change it to one way which just wouldn't work.

You could make a bus stop & pedestrian crossing halfway along Bothar na dTreabh between Kirwan Roundabout and the Tuam Rd junction - and have a footpath from there into the back of Liosban Industrial Estate - that could serve most of those workers without the need for buses through the Tuam Rd.

Laviski

plenty of space on that road, some trees and carparking spaces will get lost, but can be done just as the dublin bus connects plan.

making a bus lan in and our on the tuam rd ( travel lodge to flemmings lights) will not only service the route we are prosposing but also the 405 and the buses that come from Tuam direction. I do think it would be harder to make a bus lane from flemmings out further, maybe only on one side could be possible but my main point is to fulfil improvement of city services rahter than intercity.

turning a lane either side of bother na trebh is waste for 1 bus route. Have a bus going on a road without a bus lane is pointless will not invoke the change in those that have a car to take up the service which is the target audience.

Bus lanes on Tuam Road is already on the cards.

dubhthach

wassie wrote: »

One idea was to divert the billion odd in revenue generated by motor tax to fund free public transport (around €660 million). More people would be highly incentivised to use public transport, especially if a congestion charge is introduced. This would also prompt further investment in public transport, further reducing reliance on motor cars.

Most of that revenue currently goes to the Local Government fund to fund county councils. I'm assuming to offset that major loss of revenue they would have to increase LPT? (Double or triple -- as it only provides €500m/year)

Then again we do have some of lowest annual property taxes in Europe so it would make sense to tie local services purely to LPT and use Motor Tax returns for stuff like public transport

zell12

Deleted User wrote: »

Bus lanes on Tuam Road is already on the cards.

Yep.

“A bus lane on the N17 between Parkmore and Leaders, even from Roadstone to Leaders, first proposed in 2003, must now be a priority as it would greatly improve access for public transport and complement the bus lane at Claregalway,”
https://connachttribune.ie/bus-lane-cut-20-minutes-off-tuam-galway-journey-200/

dubhthach

dubhthach wrote: »

Most of that revenue currently goes to the Local Government fund to fund county councils. I'm assuming to offset that major loss of revenue they would have to increase LPT? (Double or triple -- as it only provides €500m/year)

Then again we do have some of lowest annual property taxes in Europe so it would make sense to tie local services purely to LPT and use Motor Tax returns for stuff like public transport

Seems I haven't kept up, Motor tax is used heavily now to fund Irish Water since it was removed from Local Gov Fund in 2018 (going straight to central revenue)

https://www.irishtimes.com/business/economy/motor-tax-revenue-to-be-paid-directly-to-central-government-1.3327927

Going off Irish Water accounts they got €720m from state in 2018 and should be getting between €800 and €1.1b/year over the next 5 years

https://www.ervia.ie/ervia-annual-report/20518_Irish_Water_AR_2018_V13(web).pdf

https://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/publications/files/irish_water_strategic_funding_plan.pdf

Laviski

not sure if they are actually going to build on the segment i'm referring too but more so from corinthians RFC to supermacs.

but we wait and see one plans are actually made, at present its just talk and there is plenty of that at present with current GE.

zell12

Laviski wrote: »

not sure if they are actually going to build on the segment i'm referring too but more so from corinthians RFC to supermacs.
but we wait and see one plans are actually made, at present its just talk and there is plenty of that at present with current GE.

Yep, that's in the link.

machaseh

machaseh wrote: »

And what if that luas was built that I described above? Wouldn't you fancy parking your tonne of steel at the P+R and just zoom into town by Luas?

Or depending on where you live maybe you can even take it all the way from home to work ! Wouldn't that save you a lot of stress sitting in that traffic jam?

Firstly the luas doesn't "zoom" anywhere, it crawls along and spends more time stopped at stops than moving.

I have no interest in P&R for various reasons, the first one being it would only increase my time getting to work. A route from salthill though town and out to parkmore would go nowhere near either my route into the city nor where I work just outside the city centre. I also like to have my car with me for numerous reasons such as I use it to go get lunch or go places at lunch, I often take different route home for various reasons (gym/pool, picking up a takeaway, getting stuff from different shops etc).

I live rurally so the Gluas will be of no benefit, I get from my door at home to park 1 metre from the door of work in 30 to 40 mins travelling 25km, usually home in 25 to 30 mins in the evening aside from an odd day here and there where there is crash, works etc. This is of course as I travel to work after 9am and home after 6pm, public transport or P&R would only increase my trip to work as would most of the suggestions here to "relieve traffic" like getting rid of lanes and making them bus lanes to sit idle most of the time.

Step 1 in improving traffic issues in Galway is build the ring road, no ifs not buts that is what is needed. All the rest in pie in the sky stuff.

machaseh

Jazmin Harsh Gold wrote: »

Firstly the luas doesn't "zoom" anywhere, it crawls along and spends more time stopped at stops than moving.

I have no interest in P&R for various reasons, the first one being it would only increase my time getting to work. A route from salthill though town and out to parkmore would go nowhere near either my route into the city nor where I work just outside the city centre. I also like to have my car with me for numerous reasons such as I use it to go get lunch or go places at lunch, I often take different route home for various reasons (gym/pool, picking up a takeaway, getting stuff from different shops etc).

I live rurally so the Gluas will be of no benefit, I get from my door at home to park 1 metre from the door of work in 30 to 40 mins travelling 25km, usually home in 25 to 30 mins in the evening aside from an odd day here and there where there is crash, works etc. This is of course as I travel to work after 9am and home after 6pm, public transport or P&R would only increase my trip to work as would most of the suggestions here to "relieve traffic" like getting rid of lanes and making them bus lanes to sit idle most of the time.

Step 1 in improving traffic issues in Galway is build the ring road, no ifs not buts that is what is needed. All the rest in pie in the sky stuff.

Fair enough if you need to go from rural area to suburban area PT in a city the size of Galway won't work for you personally, but it would for thousands of other commuters who would no longer take up road space, thus also improving your car commuting time.

Even though I'm generally pro PT and anti road, I would in fact agree with a ring road for Galway as having through traffic right through the city (even if you dont need to be in the city at all) is also not good for the environment. We'd agree there. But it's not the be all end all solution.

Laviski

zell12 wrote: »

Yep, that's in the link.

have the detailed drawings and public consultation (as there will be CPO's needed) started?

not seen any or heard any from local news outlets on such activity.

zell12

Laviski wrote: »

have the detailed drawings and public consultation (as there will be CPO's needed) started?
not seen any or heard any from local news outlets on such activity.

Have no idea

xckjoo

Jazmin Harsh Gold wrote: »

Firstly the luas doesn't "zoom" anywhere, it crawls along and spends more time stopped at stops than moving.

I have no interest in P&R for various reasons, the first one being it would only increase my time getting to work. A route from salthill though town and out to parkmore would go nowhere near either my route into the city nor where I work just outside the city centre. I also like to have my car with me for numerous reasons such as I use it to go get lunch or go places at lunch, I often take different route home for various reasons (gym/pool, picking up a takeaway, getting stuff from different shops etc).

I live rurally so the Gluas will be of no benefit, I get from my door at home to park 1 metre from the door of work in 30 to 40 mins travelling 25km, usually home in 25 to 30 mins in the evening aside from an odd day here and there where there is crash, works etc. This is of course as I travel to work after 9am and home after 6pm, public transport or P&R would only increase my trip to work as would most of the suggestions here to "relieve traffic" like getting rid of lanes and making them bus lanes to sit idle most of the time.

Step 1 in improving traffic issues in Galway is build the ring road, no ifs not buts that is what is needed. All the rest in pie in the sky stuff.

The point of all these suggested moved to public transport based infrastructure is to reduce overall traffic congestion, not help out one lad who doesn't want to be put out. The ring road will do nothing but increase demand for private car usage, which keeps things sh1tty for the majority of people.



But at least you're honest that your motivations are selfish. Most people will try and mask it.

Wombatman

This should be a one way system with two lanes. Bus only in one lane at rush hour. No street parking on these roads.
Convenience for many far outweighs inconvenience for few who already benefit from living in city. Eggs omelettes and all that.

wassie

xckjoo wrote: »

The ring road will do nothing but increase demand for private car usage, which keeps things sh1tty for the majority of people.

Economists call this 'induced demand'. A new road may provide motorists with some level of respite from congestion in the short term, but almost all of the benefit from the road will be lost due to increased demand in the longer term.

Politicians like building roads as they can be 'seen' to be 'fixing' the problem, despite the evidence to the contrary, rather than being prepared to radically shake up public transport.

John_Rambo

Jazmin Harsh Gold wrote: »

Firstly the luas doesn't "zoom" anywhere, it crawls along and spends more time stopped at stops than moving

Who told you that? They're pulling your leg.