Parking and traffic in Phoenix Park

Seth Brundle

beauf wrote: »

You can't park there if its full and or closed. I'm not sure what's hard to understand about that. Its a tiny laneway that two cars can't pass in it. That is not "plenty of parking adjacent"

You can't park anywhere if it is full or closed. That also applies to parking within the PP. :rolleyes:

Seth Brundle

beauf wrote: »

One of the reasons they originally closed in the original lockdown was because of the conflict between cyclists and pedestrians. Maybe they should also close it for cyclists. It would be much more enjoyable to walk around then.

Maybe submit your suggestion to Minister O'Donovan as he seems to be able to get things done when it comes to the Park.

beauf

Seth Brundle wrote: »

I do have children. I don't drive them to public parks at weekends knowing that traffic is going to be a nightmare.
You are just pissed off because you, like thousands of others, want to be able to drive into the park, park there and have your fun before driving off.
Well, unfortunately, there isn't the facilites for that. It has been widely reported that traffic in the park at weekends is bad, so why do people persist in driving into it?

People driving to somewhere, having fun, then driving off is usually considered perfectly normal.

I never heard about traffic in the park before hand. Where was it widely reported before people got there. We just went out to a local park.

Hardly been in the park this year. Didn't renew the Annual Zoo Pass. Seems too much hassle.

Seth Brundle wrote: »

Probably for the exact same reason that they will park outside Glasnevin Cemetery on the R135 Finglas Rd blocking both the cycle path and the bus lane. Despite a car park inside the cemetery and another across the road from it plus on-street parking outside the main gate and along streets adjacent to the R135.

I was going to Glasnevin for years before I realized you could park in it. I don't think you could always do that. I expect a lot of people don't know you can park in it. It hard to get out of the cemetery as well because the road is so busy and fast moving.

As for the parking on street. That's an extremely very busy road, and its very difficult to get into and out of those spaces. You're going to have to reverse in or out.

Seth Brundle

beauf wrote: »

I was going to Glasnevin for years before I realized you could park in it. I don't think you could always do that. I expect a lot of people don't know you can park in it. It hard to get out of the cemetery as well because the road is so busy and fast moving.

It is as if you are justifying about fifty to a hundred cars illegally parked in a row every weekend along that stretch (and gardai couldn't be arsed doing anything about it).

beauf wrote: »

As for the parking on street. That's an extremely very busy road, and its very difficult to get into and out of those spaces. You're going to have to reverse in or out.

What about the overflow car park across the road from Glasnevin?
https://www.google.com/maps/@53.3695772,-6.2794573,140m/data=!3m1!1e3

beauf

Seth Brundle wrote: »

You can't park anywhere if it is full or closed. That also applies to parking within the PP. :rolleyes:

Not really. People have been parking in the grass for decades. Especially around the zoo.

Seth Brundle

beauf wrote: »

Not really. People have been parking in the grass for decades. Especially around the zoo.

Despite not being allowed to.

Or do you mean when they open up temporary parking space on the grass? Surely this affects your ability to enjoy the park?
Sure feck it, let's tarmac the whole lot of it and we can all park there then :rolleyes:

beauf

Seth Brundle wrote: »

Despite not being allowed to.

Or do you mean when they open up temporary parking space on the grass? Surely this affects your ability to enjoy the park?
Sure feck it, let's tarmac the whole lot of it and we can all park there then :rolleyes:

No I mean they have had parking problems for years in the PP. They let it overflow on to the grass. All around the Zoo, Garda HQ, outside Farmleigh, places like that. Recently with the lockdown they were overrun with people parking on the grass on busy days.

Back to the present, they bottle necked the traffic to just two gates, like they did early in the lockdown, and hey presto they had traffic jams again.

Why don't they have a counter on the gates and stop all traffic when the park is full, except for permit holders.

beauf

Seth Brundle wrote: »

It is as if you are justifying about fifty to a hundred cars illegally parked in a row every weekend along that stretch (and gardai couldn't be arsed doing anything about it).

I'm not justifying anything.

I'm just pointing out the limitations of the current parking that you brought up.

Seth Brundle wrote: »

What about the overflow car park across the road from Glasnevin?
https://www.google.com/maps/@53.3695772,-6.2794573,140m/data=!3m1!1e3

I didn't realize it was overflow. I thought that was parking for the other cemetery. That's the only time I've used it. I don't think I've ever been there when the car park inside is full.

I think you're complaining about the parking for the new section opposite Lidl where people just park on the road and path. I never been down there, I'm usually going to the cafe at some point so want to park close to that. Maybe you should ask the local Garda why do they let the illegal parking happen.

Phil.x

Can we ban cyclists from posting on this topic. Life on boards would be so much nicer.

zerosugarbuzz

Seth Brundle wrote: »

They're not being deterred as far as I know. The only thing slowing traffic down is traffic. So why choose to be a part of that?

Of course they are being deterred by closing all but the main gates. All to facilitate lunatic man racers on bikes or MAMILs as they seem to be known as. If I want to bring my children or elderly relative to the park then I want to park in a safe place in the park. I'd also like them to be safe from cyclists while in the park which is not the case currently.

Seth Brundle

Phil.x wrote: »

Can we ban cyclists from posting on this topic. Life on boards would be so much nicer.

zerosugarbuzz wrote: »

Of course they are being deterred by closing all but the main gates. All to facilitate lunatic man racers on bikes or MAMILs as they seem to be known as. If I want to bring my children or elderly relative to the park then I want to park in a safe place in the park. I'd also like them to be safe from cyclists while in the park which is not the case currently.

Is that the IQ level we're now debating at? :rolleyes:

beauf

It's the lock down, some people are getting very cranky.

Spanish Eyes

When the old lady was alive we took her down to the IMMA. Had disabled parking, grand. Walked her up the avenue in the wheelie bin to the Hilton, had coffee and back. She loved it. The Pheeno was only down the road and we all played there as kids, but honestly, the parking was a pain up at the castle and Farmleigh, so we took the easier option in the long run. That IMMA place is great anyway.

Next option was the car park at Memorial Gardens and a walk by the Liffey to see the rowers.

Last was the Park TBH, not easy to get in and out of even before the current restrictions.

I do the walk along the Liffey to and from Memorial Gardens now. It is great.

Larbre34

Phil.x wrote: »

Can we ban cyclists from posting on this topic. Life on boards would be so much nicer.

I enjoy winding them up every much.

Spanish Eyes

Larbre34 wrote: »

I enjoy winding them up every much.

The cyclists are fine as long as they understand that pedestrians and other vehicular traffic have equal rights.

Three in a row on a road is just taking the pis though. But hey the Greenies are in Gov now. lol.

VonLuck

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

The cyclists are fine as long as they understand that pedestrians and other vehicular traffic have equal rights.

Three in a row on a road is just taking the pis though. But hey the Greenies are in Gov now. lol.

I'm not one of those cyclists, but you do realise it's safer to cycle that way, right?

Anyways, cyclists have nothing to do with parking and traffic in the Phoenix Park!

zerosugarbuzz

VonLuck wrote: »

I'm not one of those cyclists, but you do realise it's safer to cycle that way, right?

Anyways, cyclists have nothing to do with parking and traffic in the Phoenix Park!

Cyclists have everything to do with traffic and parking in the Phoenix park. Cyclists are the ones trying to Get rid of cars for their own personal gain.

raheny red

Cyclists are in yer heads lads. Rent free.

Hurrache

Phil.x wrote: »

Can we ban cyclists from posting on this topic. Life on boards would be so much nicer.

How much would your mind be blown if you ever realised that most cyclists probably have decent cars too?
Anyway, when you move out of the area because of changes to road layouts you probably won't have a need to come to such a thread so your blood pressure may relax a bit.

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Three in a row on a road is just taking the pis though.

You'd have a hissy fit over the alternative, and recommended, scenario.

beauf

You can have gates in car parks that don't open if there are no spaces. They could do the same with the Park once the number of cars entering but not leaving, hits a quota.

They could create some car parks just inside the gates say at Ashtown. So anyone who wants to drive to the park, but not in the park. Can just get out and walk from there. They do temporary ones for bloom.

The park can set it own bylaws about how cars, or cyclists have to operate in the park.

Lots of solutions.

VonLuck

zerosugarbuzz wrote: »

Cyclists have everything to do with traffic and parking in the Phoenix park. Cyclists are the ones trying to Get rid of cars for their own personal gain.

Play the ball, not the man. If you don't agree with a cyclist's point, put forward a counter argument.

Car parks just inside the gates are not a good idea.
They just encourage parking by commuters.

Hurrache

Either don't open the gates to the carpark until after 10, or introduce an automate charge that kicks in after 6 hours or so.

beauf

bubblypop wrote: »

Car parks just inside the gates are not a good idea.
They just encourage parking by commuters.

yeah people are always banging on about this. But thus far this year its almost always been weekends and park users creating these traffic jams and parking on grass issues.

That not to say commuters are not an issue. But thats a different subject. You could easily toll them, to reduce their numbers. Port Tunnel is €10 at peak. That seems to work. You could also charge people if they park there all day. it not rocket science to solve that. Guy on a ebike with a hand scanner.

bubblypop

bubblypop wrote: »

Car parks just inside the gates are not a good idea.
They just encourage parking by commuters.

I think its a great idea. Car parks by the gates, and no further traffic movement in the park at all, except for down the avenue. Basically turn the whole of the outside road to how the s-bends by magazine fort is now. It would allows access to people who need to drive, yet keep the environment as pristine and family / cycling / walking friendly as possible.

Commuter parking can easily be stopped by making only the first X number of hours free.

AlanG

Seth Brundle wrote: »

But all those people driving to the park and sitting in their cars for ages - what were they hoping to do in the park? Where were they going? What was going to be so good that they endured the boredom of sitting in the car to get there?

I drove in on Sunday with 4 kids and scooters after dropping food to elderly parents. I stayed within 5km but had to turn around and leave due to the traffic. Still had to drive to mountjoy roundabout and back to gates so became part of the traffic for 20 minutes.Icouldn't see the traffic levels before I was in the park. All because the OPW have taken it upon themselves to restrict the amenity of the park for its users.

I cycle to and around the park almost every day but the route to it is not safe enough for my kids and it is not possible for my parents to walk in regularly even though they live within 2km of the park. Should they not be allowed enjoy the leisure facilities within their level 5 exercise range.

There is nothing in Level 5 to suggest they should do this but the OPW have taken it upon themselves to restrict the taxpayer funded amenity from the people living within 5km of the park.
If the OPW don't think the park should be a leisure facility for Irish residents then thy should not be managing it. The seem to just want to make it available to tourists and street hawkers.

Hurrache

People within 5km have it easiest to get there and use it. There's no restrictions on its usage, only if you want to use any gate you want when in a car, on weekends.

And street hawkers? It's next to impossible to get a licence to trade within the park outside of the farmers market and already long established businesses like the ice-cream van. Organised commercial sports groups are often challenged when they try set up there.

We all have/had old parents, but it's somewhat ironic to claim your parents exercise regime is restricted because they can't drive to the park. This issue is only a problem on weekends, there's Monday - Friday without problems and open gates. OAPs also get priority parking at Ashtown Castle, as well as priority at the visitors centre and garden, how well that's managed or abused by others is another story. They can drive and walk there more regularly than most people.

The OPW acted on Gardai recommendations, they didn't take it upon themselves.

daymobrew

AlanG wrote: »

I cycle to and around the park almost every day but the route to it is not safe enough for my kids

This is a very important part - many people do not feel safe cycling to the Phoenix Park. That is so unfortunate and so wrong.

When I've cycled from Carpenterstown the stretch between Carpenter roundabout and entrance to Collegefort (where we turn into to avoid going by the even worse stretch outside Castleknock College) is terrible. The drivers have close passed and often into oncoming cars. I fully understand why people do not feel safe.

Seth Brundle

AlanG wrote: »

I drove in on Sunday with 4 kids and scooters after dropping food to elderly parents. I stayed within 5km but had to turn around and leave due to the traffic. Still had to drive to mountjoy roundabout and back to gates so became part of the traffic for 20 minutes.Icouldn't see the traffic levels before I was in the park. All because the OPW have taken it upon themselves to restrict the amenity of the park for its users.

I cycle to and around the park almost every day but the route to it is not safe enough for my kids and it is not possible for my parents to walk in regularly even though they live within 2km of the park. Should they not be allowed enjoy the leisure facilities within their level 5 exercise range.

There is nothing in Level 5 to suggest they should do this but the OPW have taken it upon themselves to restrict the taxpayer funded amenity from the people living within 5km of the park.
If the OPW don't think the park should be a leisure facility for Irish residents then thy should not be managing it. The seem to just want to make it available to tourists and street hawkers.

Just to clarify a few things:
* the park has not been restricted to users. Vehicular access has been restricted with access via the Chesterfield Ave gates only. Pedestrians and cyclists can access the park as normal.
* any changes in terms of access and parking are due for one reason only - the behaviour of drivers. Following the initial lockdown, the issues in terms of dangerous driving and parking returned. It was deemed that during a level 5 lockdown, people needed to be able to use the park without the danger posed by drivers. It wasn't the OPW or the gardai that created this need.
* the issues within the park caused by dangerous driving and parking are visible right across the city to those who wish to see it. You have pretty much confirmed this in your statement about it being dangerous for your kids to cycle and your parents to walk. But yet you seem to want to continue letting drivers do as they wish within the park
Currently changes are being made to improve safety for cyclists around Dublin despite opposition from some local groups who want the status quo. Surely, it would be better in the log term if people's ire was towards the problem rather than interim solutions?
* in terms of the OPW's management of the park, what do you expect them to do when hundreds of drivers descend upon the park at the weekend, all expecting to be able to park? Do you think drivers should be given more priority over other park users? What is it that you expect from the OPW on this?

Larbre34

They're not just going to put carparks beside the gates. They already exist in suitable spots only and in case you haven't noticed, you'd have to remove a huge amount of established trees, formal park, ponds etc to do so!