Galway traffic

biko

So this is a plan to restrict car travel now when there are less cars, and then keep those measures in place when traffic volumes increase again?

From the article it sounds temporary

Martina Callanan, spokesperson for Galway Cycling Campaign added: “We have a unique opportunity to
pilot new street arrangements, widen footpaths, and install temporary cycle lanes.
“Together, we can trial low-cost car-free ideas that have worked elsewhere and ‘Change Our Streets’ in the city centre
and residential areas for the duration of the pandemic.”

donvito99

biko wrote: »

So this is a plan to restrict car travel now when there are less cars, and then keep those measures in place when traffic volumes increase again?

Traffic volumes won't increase on the roads that are closed, though.

biko

Maybe you can point out where in the article it mentions where some measures are intended to be permanent? All I see is "temporary".

Looks to be a national campaign?
https://cyclist.ie/2020/04/coronavirus-change-our-streets-make-safer-streets-for-all/

The Irish Pedestrian Network and Cyclist.ie call on the national government to provide safe, usable space across the country for people to shop, exercise and commute by walking and cycling during the Covid-19 crisis.

Mrs OBumble

First measure I'd implement is banning two-wheelers from Shop St.

The pandemic has made them more aggressive than ever.

Would need to be accompanied with increasing formal bicycle parking in Fishmonger Plaza for delivery drivers.

xckjoo

I wish they'd do something about cars speeding at the moment. It's chronic since the roads have gotten quieter. I'd say there's people doing 60+ on my road and it's all houses and families.

what_traffic

biko wrote: »

So this is a plan to restrict car travel now when there are less cars, and then keep those measures in place when traffic volumes increase again?

Interesting, thats very much a windscreen perspective - but no its not about restricting cars its about making use of the roadspace that they currently occupy.
When they are in transit or the public space they occupy when not in use. Businesses are going to need this space in the City Centre, pedestrians will need space to do business in the City Centre.

Need to think about it in terms of effeciency of space in the new social distancing world that we are going to be living in.

biko

But the Irish Pedestrian Network and Cyclist whose plans we are discussing don't mention anything about permanence, only you do.

what_traffic

biko wrote: »

But the Irish Pedestrian Network and Cyclist whose plans we are discussing don't mention anything about permanence, only you do.

Yes some of it will end up been pernament, Council had plans for some of these elements anyhow in Galway Transportation Study.

Once traffic starts flowing again the temp measures can be rescinded.

I presume you mean Car Traffic flow? It is already increasing in the past two weeks and will steadily increase, so thats a very poor indicator to use.
Duration of the pandemic is better guidance, which may last years.

what_traffic

Traffic volumes on key Galway route up 10 percent on day travel restrictions were extended
https://connachttribune.ie/traffic-volumes-on-key-galway-route-up-10-percent-on-day-travel-restrictions-were-extended/

ChewyLouie

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

First measure I'd implement is banning two-wheelers from Shop St.

The pandemic has made them more aggressive than ever.

Would need to be accompanied with increasing formal bicycle parking in Fishmonger Plaza for delivery drivers.

Isn't that already the case? Shop Street is a pedestrian zone (outside of 6am to 10am).

Mrs OBumble

ChewyLouie wrote: »

Isn't that already the case? Shop Street is a pedestrian zone (outside of 6am to 10am).

Motor-cyclists generally keep away, but most pedlars believe that any pedestrian street is also open to them.

AndrewJRenko

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Motor-cyclists generally keep away, but most pedlars believe that any pedestrian street is also open to them.

I think the question was about whether cycling is already banned or not.

what_traffic

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Would need to be accompanied with increasing formal bicycle parking in Fishmonger Plaza for delivery drivers.

Are you making up place names now Mrs OBumble? Never knew we even had a Plaza in Galway City, can only thing of Pat the Supermacs US style Motorway Service Station "Plaza" on the M6.
https://www.supermacs.ie/store/galway-plaza/

?Cee?view

what_traffic wrote: »

Are you making up place names now Mrs OBumble? Never knew we even had a Plaza in Galway City, can only thing of Pat the Supermacs US style Motorway Service Station "Plaza" on the M6.
https://www.supermacs.ie/store/galway-plaza/

I noticed that too, but as I'm kind of scared of "the Mrs" I was afraid to pull her up on it :D

Where is it anyway?

what_traffic

?Cee?view wrote: »

I noticed that too, but as I'm kind of scared of "the Mrs" I was afraid to pull her up on it :D

Where is it anyway?

I have no idea - but maybe its a old name ref though? It was never a plaza though rather a Market.
There was for sure a Fish Market to the North of the Spanish Arch. What is known as Spanish Parade now.

?Cee?view

what_traffic wrote: »

I have no idea - but maybe its a old name ref though? It was never a plaza though rather a Market.
There was for sure a Fish Market to the North of the Spanish Arch. What is known as Spanish Parade now.

Yes, that's what I was thinking. There used to be a Fish Market there. It's been called the Spanish Parade for ever; not a new name

MINISTER SAYS CORK, LIMERICK, GALWAY AND WATERFORD TO FOLLOW DUBLIN ON COVID 19 ACTIVE TRAVEL PLAN

Link for full article

Transport Minister Shane Ross has told the Dáil that he expects Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford to follow Dublin City in developing COVID 19 Mobility Frameworks with a focus on active travel to support people to switch to walking and cycling and facilitate social distancing in urban centres.

The measures will aim to keep public transport for those who have no other choice while avoiding cities getting further clogged up with cars after the lockdown.

While Dublin City Council is planning to implement measures to allow for social distancing space around shops and make space for cycling post-lockdown, the response from other cities has been seen as lackluster. Cork City Council’s CEO Ann Doherty has even refused requests from campaigners and councillors to even open a gate to a park due to claimed “safety” issues.

Here I was hoping that pressure wouldn't need to be exerted and Council's would take this golden opportunity to implement measures, but alas they have to be directed to do so for the safety of all involved.

IRISH HEALTH ORGANISATIONS JOIN #SAFERSTREETS CALL FOR SPACE FOR WALKING AND CYCLING DURING AND POST-COVID 19

Link to full article

The Irish Heart Foundation, The Irish Cancer Society and The Association for Health Promotion Ireland have called for safer space for walking and cycling during and post-COVID 19.

The groups said they are joining #SaferStreets call, which is an initiative of the Irish Pedestrian Network and cycling campaign umbrella group Cyclist.ie.

The more pressure the better, hopefully we can start to see some real positives for commuters to come out of all this

Mrs OBumble

what_traffic wrote: »

Are you making up place names now Mrs OBumble? Never knew we even had a Plaza in Galway City, can only thing of Pat the Supermacs US style Motorway Service Station "Plaza" on the M6.
https://www.supermacs.ie/store/galway-plaza/

I know I've seen a photo with that name on it. Cannot find it for the life of me, but sure I've seen it.

Spanish Parade is the road.

Spanish Arch is the area between the road and the river where people drink, aka Buckfast Plaza.

What do you call the area on the othrrsode if the street beside Burgerstory, where the delivery drivers now hang out.

Mrs OBumble

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

I know I've seen a photo with that name on it. Cannot find it for the life of me, but sure I've seen it.

Spanish Parade is the road.

Spanish Arch is the area between the road and the river where people drink, aka Buckfast Plaza.

What do you call the area on the othrrsode if the street beside Burgerstory, where the delivery drivers now hang out.

The area between the road and the river/Arch, is that not what is referred to as "The Fish Market"? I vaguely recall it being called this when the Food Festival was held there but I could be wrong

flazio

Deleted User wrote: »

MINISTER SAYS CORK, LIMERICK, GALWAY AND WATERFORD TO FOLLOW DUBLIN ON COVID 19 ACTIVE TRAVEL PLAN

Link for full article



Here I was hoping that pressure wouldn't need to be exerted and Council's would take this golden opportunity to implement measures, but alas they have to be directed to do so for the safety of all involved.

Now, I don't want to come across all "WE voted them out, why haven't they gone away", but Shane Ross did lose his seat so I don't think he should be telling the Dail anything. Do the day to day things and keep whatever plans were already in the pipeworks going by all means but after that it should fall to his successor, whichever party they may come from.

flazio

flazio wrote: »

Now, I don't want to come across all "WE voted them out, why haven't they gone away", but Shane Ross did lose his seat so I don't think he should be telling the Dail anything. Do the day to day things and keep whatever plans were already in the pipeworks going by all means but after that it should fall to his successor, whichever party they may come from.

The previous govt remains in place until replaced by the next one following a general election. Regardless of how distasteful that is to some it is all above board and perfectly legal

donvito99

Nobody voted them out if they're still entitled to be there.

flazio

Like I say, I respect that the previous administration remains in place as caretakers until such time as a replacement is formed through standard Dail process, I have nothing but respect for how Messers, Varadkar, Covney et al have handled the emergency and indeed how Minister Moran handled the February flooding despite being another who had lost his seat, but as I say I don't think Mr. Ross should be setting out new projects that he won't be around to see through. Caretakers are just that. Somebody to look after the place in the short-term.

Mrs OBumble

flazio wrote: »

Like I say, I respect that the previous administration remains in place as caretakers until such time as a replacement is formed through standard Dail process, I have nothing but respect for how Messers, Varadkar, Covney et al have handled the emergency and indeed how Minister Moran handled the February flooding despite being another who had lost his seat, but as I say I don't think Mr. Ross shouldn't be setting out new projects that he won't be around to see through. Caretakers are just that. Somebody to look after the place in the short-term.

Agreed.

But I want a new election sooner rather than later. Too much has changed since the last one.

UsBus

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Agreed.

But I want a new election sooner rather than later. Too much has changed since the last one.

If a new election were to happen, I would want to see a reduction in the number of sinn Fein TDs elected. I can only imagine how the current crisis would have been handled if a majority sinn Fein government had gotten in. Absolutely zero governmental experience and even less economic knowledge. We only narrowly avoided that by pure luck. It might be unpalatable for the 'Change' mongers and people before business liberals but we need a financially astute experienced government to rescue the storm ahead. This will dwarf the issues of a decade ago. Now is not the time for ill thought out policy, the country is in very dangerous territory without an economy.

what_traffic

flazio wrote: »

Now, I don't want to come across all "WE voted them out, why haven't they gone away", but Shane Ross did lose his seat so I don't think he should be telling the Dail anything. Do the day to day things and keep whatever plans were already in the pipeworks going by all means but after that it should fall to his successor, whichever party they may come from.

Theres no time for that; anyhow this is not Ross really; he could not a give a fiddlers - its Dept of Transport really telling certain local Council to get a move on. Ross is just the mouthpiece.

Dublin City Council is ploughing ahead with their improvements in regards to cycling & walking.

They have just released this document which outlines whats been done, what is planned, how they're going to do it and why they are doing it. It also cover bus priority measures.

Essentially it boils down to reducing road capacity by 30% for private cars

It's very, very likely a lot of this is on the way for Galway too. I'd encourage anyone even remotely interested in traffic in Galway to have a read. As another poster put it, "It's an incredible doc in many ways, it's going to reshape the city for decades."

Mrs OBumble

I''ve had a skim read, don't know Dublin well enough to really get a real a feel for it though.

My overall impression is that people are going to have to walk further - either from cars parked on the further out than they're used to, or to bus-stops which have enough footpath space for long queue (they're removing stops which don't.) Which is fine: obesity is one of the underlying conditions associated with high mortality from Covid, so anything to reduce it is good.

But I don't see anything about protecting walkers, or people waiting outside shops, from the weather, IMHO without a drastic rethink of the attitude to canopies on buildings, we simply will not see sustainable numbers back in the city-centre There will be sunny-day shoppers, for sure, but if there's a risk of rain, people will head for suburban malls. Which will make a lot of uncovered premises not viable as businesses.

rgace

UsBus wrote: »

If a new election were to happen, I would want to see a reduction in the number of sinn Fein TDs elected. I can only imagine how the current crisis would have been handled if a majority sinn Fein government had gotten in. Absolutely zero governmental experience and even less economic knowledge. We only narrowly avoided that by pure luck. It might be unpalatable for the 'Change' mongers and people before business liberals but we need a financially astute experienced government to rescue the storm ahead. This will dwarf the issues of a decade ago. Now is not the time for ill thought out policy, the country is in very dangerous territory without an economy.

Sinn Fein would likely have brought in something crazy like €350 to stay home and sit on your backside. I can imagine what you would think about the Covid payment if they were in government.
I suppose time will tell as to how financially astute the FG/FF coalition will prove to be, I don't see evidence that they are particularly astute.