Galway traffic

AndrewJRenko

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Did you ever think of getting waterproof shoes?

https://www.clarks.co.uk/Mens/Gore-Tex/c/m185

I only wear bulky shoes/boots if absolutely necessary don't like them really, too warm etc. Wear deck shoes the majority of the time for both look and comfort otherwise its runners and a very odd time boots if going around in the rain is completely unavoidable (always wearing wellingtons on the farm too wet or dry don't like work boots).

AndrewJRenko

Jazmin Harsh Gold wrote: »

I only wear bulky shoes/boots if absolutely necessary don't like them really, too warm etc. Wear deck shoes the majority of the time for both look and comfort otherwise its runners and a very odd time boots if going around in the rain is completely unavoidable (always wearing wellingtons on the farm too wet or dry don't like work boots).

Fair enough so, once there's a good reason for spending the guts of a billion euro on a bypass that won't solve the problem that people expect it to solve.

https://www.sportsshoes.com/products/?$features=waterproof&q=gtx*

https://www.adidas.ie/gore_tex

grbear

xckjoo wrote: »

I actually think a toll on the ring road that's ring fenced for public transport would be a great idea and would greatly lessen my objection to it. If the council was serious about getting people using public transport it would be a no-brainer. I'd even be happy if there was (strictly enforced) exemptions for tradespeople or those that can't do without a car (disabled, etc.). Convert the city streets to heavily prioritiese walking, cycling and public transport and let people make the choice. Similar exemptions for local access to cars where necessary.

Unfortunately it won't happen though. There'd be uproar if it was suggested and even if there was a toll added, it would probably be to a private company like all the others. Or the council would manage it ineptly and everyone that owns a hammer or once stubbed their toe would have an exemption.

If its sold properly I believe ideas like that can work. There would need to be clear goals set out and transparency about how much money was being raised.

-Get a 30 year commitment from the Dail to match any money raised by the toll
-Include exemptions for appropriate vehicles
-Let people within Galway County buy an annual pass, with a lower charge for people in the city itself
-Create a list of projects to be financed by the toll with accompanying price list
-Revise that price list annually
-Maintain a website showing just how much money is being raised

Obviously that needs more fleshing out but it's only a basic outline.
If it was generating €15,000 a day, €30,000 when matched by the Government, that'd be around €11million a year. Taking the Fairview to Amiens Street cycle lane as a guide (I am admittedly picking a very expensive baseline here) that's around 1.5km of new top quality cycle lanes in Galway each year.

Discodog

Ring roads aren't tolled because you want to encourage people to use them. A toll will just bring through traffic back into the city.

grbear

Discodog wrote: »

Ring roads aren't tolled because you want to encourage people to use them. A toll will just bring through traffic back into the city.

That's why I'd be talking about 50 cent or a Euro for 24 hours of usage. Set it low enough so that people would still use the road despite the toll. Even less if they bought an annual pass.

grbear

grbear wrote: »

That's why I'd be talking about 50 cent or a Euro for 24 hours of usage. Set it low enough so that people would still use the road despite the toll. Even less if they bought an annual pass.

No road should be tolled, we have paid for our roads though the large amount of tax we pay across multiple things, it's disgraceful to be charging extra on top.

thecretinhop

three rants:

1 lights at briarhill and parkmore never sync this causes a bottleneck even in moderate traffic
2 its worse in junction between galway shopping centre and dunnes.
3 after connacht matches would it kill the council to say double the green man requests for 20 minutes after match?? instead kids and parents running across traffic

does anybody run anything in the council?? they had a traffic controller about 5 years ago he left for cork, is there any integrated smart traffic light system and if so who runs it??
me thinks a pair of monkeys pulling levers wud be better than what we have now

xckjoo

Discodog wrote: »

Ring roads aren't tolled because you want to encourage people to use them. A toll will just bring through traffic back into the city.

But I thought the whole idea was to massively rezone the rest of the inner city roads to prioritise the likes of public transport so it would be attractive to people commuting? I thought that everyone was claiming that's the only way to get the road space necessary and then all our problems would be solved? Your suggestion seems to imply that the ring road will just be more of the same. Unless the number of cars on the road magically freezes at the current amount.

cooperguy

what_traffic wrote: »

This is just plain wrong. There are plenty of places in Galway City's where there is space for major public transport improvements.

How many meters of bus lane have been built in GALWAY CITY in the last 5 years?

It is also a fallacy to say public transport takeup will increase - ARUP and City Council own figures show this as well to be the case.
Post ring road been built public transport uptake is aimed in the single digits.
I know for example off the top of my head they have a modal share of cycling for a University City in 2037 is aimed at 2.8%.

Im not sure where you would put a decent bus lane network anyway (and neither is the development plan). I cant see the space for it. Thats why bus lanes haven't been built.

Jazmin Harsh Gold wrote: »

No road should be tolled, we have paid for our roads though the large amount of tax we pay across multiple things, it's disgraceful to be charging extra on top.

I entirely disagree. Congestion charges work everywhere they are tried and provide the needed incentive to consider alternative options

xckjoo wrote: »

But I thought the whole idea was to massively rezone the rest of the inner city roads to prioritise the likes of public transport so it would be attractive to people commuting? I thought that everyone was claiming that's the only way to get the road space necessary and then all our problems would be solved? Your suggestion seems to imply that the ring road will just be more of the same. Unless the number of cars on the road magically freezes at the current amount.

Im not sure everyone was claiming that. I was though, and its whats in the transport plan for Galway

phelant

thecretinhop wrote: »

three rants:

1 lights at briarhill and parkmore never sync this causes a bottleneck even in moderate traffic
2 its worse in junction between galway shopping centre and dunnes.
3 after connacht matches would it kill the council to say double the green man requests for 20 minutes after match?? instead kids and parents running across traffic

does anybody run anything in the council?? they had a traffic controller about 5 years ago he left for cork, is there any integrated smart traffic light system and if so who runs it??
me thinks a pair of monkeys pulling levers wud be better than what we have now

By all accounts they wouldn't' provide any sort of permanency or commitment for the guy. He was very committed to that controller position, doing it at night and first thing in the morning. Apparently when you didn't notice any traffic it was because he was busy managing, but he was the only one.
I also heard they wouldn't even procure him a decent laptop to work from home which he was prepared to do. Sound like someone who got a buzz out of making the system work for the road user which means he was never going to fit in at Galway Council.

pure.conya

grbear wrote: »

-Get a 30 year commitment from the Dail to match any money raised by the toll

you're off your noodle if you think tolls work for us in this country lol

https://www.thejournal.ie/low-traffic-could-cost-government-30-million-1023849-Aug2013/

pure.conya

grbear wrote: »

That's why I'd be talking about 50 cent or a Euro for 24 hours of usage. Set it low enough so that people would still use the road despite the toll. Even less if they bought an annual pass.

do you realise at all how tolls operate here?

https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/private-firm-to-reap-115bn-bonanza-from-m50-toll-deal-26628381.html

pure.conya

Jazmin Harsh Gold wrote: »

No road should be tolled, we have paid for our roads though the large amount of tax we pay across multiple things, it's disgraceful to be charging extra on top.

and handing over all the profits to a private company that's got the state locked into a sweet water tight contract that means the tax payer is on the hook to make up any shortfalls in profit if the use of the toll is less than predicted, we can't even renegotiate the contract without paying massive fines to the private company

It's already been stated that it won't be tolled

ceatharloch

What about a single-line tram in Galway:
https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2020/0204/1113099-the-maths-of-public-transport/

timmyntc

ceatharloch wrote: »

What about a single-line tram in Galway:
https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2020/0204/1113099-the-maths-of-public-transport/

It'd be both slower and less flexible than the bus routes.
Majority of people going to Parkmore would probably still drive as it'd be quicker.
The solution here is obvious - its bus lanes and orbital bus routes (i.e. no changeovers in eyre square).

cooperguy

pure.conya wrote: »

and handing over all the profits to a private company that's got the state locked into a sweet water tight contract that means the tax payer is on the hook to make up any shortfalls in profit if the use of the toll is less than predicted, we can't even renegotiate the contract without paying massive fines to the private company

You've posted a few of the same type of articles now. The suggestion isnt to get a private company to build and toll the road. Its for the government to toll the road and put it towards public transport, which is an entirely different thing.

Either way that's not currently in the plan for the road and would probably, at this point, be politically very hard to get implemented

thomas 123

cooperguy wrote: »

You've posted a few of the same type of articles now. The suggestion isnt to get a private company to build and toll the road. Its for the government to toll the road and put it towards public transport, which is an entirely different thing.

Either way that's not currently in the plan for the road and would probably, at this point, be politically very hard to get implemented

For some reason it’s not something we do.(might be to do with jobs for the boys, who’s to know)

What gets me is the big “funded by the EU” signs at say the start of the limerick tunnel, yet 20 seconds later your paying a toll.

pure.conya

[Deleted User] wrote: »

It's already been stated that it won't be tolled

and if you believe that i have a bridge to sell you

pure.conya

pure.conya wrote: »

and if you believe that i have a bridge to sell you

I see no reason not to believe them. It was stated the M17 wouldn't be tolled and it isn't.

grbear

pure.conya wrote: »

do you realise at all how tolls operate here?

https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/private-firm-to-reap-115bn-bonanza-from-m50-toll-deal-26628381.html

I'm aware how tolls and road building in general has worked up until now. I'm also well aware it hasn't gotten us where we need to be so what harm is there in suggesting a different approach? A bit more interesting than yet another conversation about how some people can't handle a five minute walk.

The country is supposed to have turned a corner financially with the national debt now supposed to be falling when measured as a percentage of GDP and also in pure financial terms.
https://www.financedublin.com/debtclock/

Why not try or at the very least start a conversation about changing tactic?

xckjoo

What about congestion charges? Anyone on for them? I think they'd be a bit moot with the ring road built but I guess it would at least free up city street space for other things.

ben.schlomo

pure.conya wrote: »

and if you believe that i have a bridge to sell you

Keep the bridge, I'll take a tinfoil hat please.

timmyntc

xckjoo wrote: »

What about congestion charges? Anyone on for them? I think they'd be a bit moot with the ring road built but I guess it would at least free up city street space for other things.

Ineffective and unfair without a credible alternative in place first.

xckjoo

timmyntc wrote: »

Ineffective and unfair without a credible alternative in place first.

If the ring road is built and the Council actually follow through with implementing public transport, cycling and walking infrastructure?

timmyntc

xckjoo wrote: »

If the ring road is built and the Council actually follow through with implementing public transport, cycling and walking infrastructure?

Oh in that case 100% justified. Ring road should be charge free so if you want to leave the city you can use it instead of driving through city and clogging up traffic (congestion charges to act as an additional deterrent), and if you want to go somewhere inside the city you can use public transport. Which when bus lanes & proper routes are in place, would be the quickest way of getting from A - B anyways.

pure.conya

ben.schlomo wrote: »

Keep the bridge, I'll take a tinfoil hat please.

ya governments love your stoic optimism

serfboard

pure.conya wrote: »

you're off your noodle if you think tolls work for us in this country lol

https://www.thejournal.ie/low-traffic-could-cost-government-30-million-1023849-Aug2013/

You're off your noodle yourself if you think that an almost seven-year-old article is still relevant now.

It was posted somewhere else on boards, that the M3 is not costing anything now, given traffic growth.

OTOH, what about all the other tolled roads where these guarantees weren't in place? The private sector took the hit there during the recession, but you don't mention that because it doesn't suit your narrative.

Mrs OBumble

what_traffic wrote: »

Your argument is dead.
A bicycle is an individual transport solution.

Nope, the point is not dead at all.

A bicycle is one example of an individual transport solution, which works well for some people.

However it doesn't work for everyone: I've got a knee injury which is badly aggravated by using an exercise bike in the gym for 10 minutes, there's no way I could use an on-street bicycle. Even if I did have somewhere to store it at my city-centre home (I don't).

Personally, provided I'm careful, walking plus the bus is a perfectly good solution 95% of the time. Rental cars, taxis and lifts from friends do the trick the rest of the time.

But other people have to transport tools, disabled clients, elderly parents, hairdressing or nursing equipment, etc. Bicycles don't work for them either.

Cities need cater for the diversity in their residents' lives.

AndrewJRenko

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

But other people have to transport tools, disabled clients, elderly parents, hairdressing or nursing equipment, etc. Bicycles don't work for them either.

If only there was some way that bikes could be used to transport tools and equipment?


https://propelbikes.com/product/butchers-bicycles-mk1-e/


Or elderly or disabled relatives;