Incident at George's St

Redundo

Looks like an unfortunate/tragic incident outside the Italian Bakery on George's St just now. Poor chap collapsed on the ground and it didn't look good. Ambulance responders were struggling to get access with the entrance by the clock tower closed and traffic on the Quay blocking.

914

Is this a post about the poor chap or a post about a dig at traffic on the Quay?

JourneyMan8

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120040579#Comment_120040579

there's always one that has to take issue with something... is it not allowed to be about both or something? everyone and their mum knows about the ambulance quay problems.

Wanderer78

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120044534#Comment_120044534

have ambulance drivers actually complained about this, or is it just a notion its causing problems for them?

Wanderer2010

The quay problem is not going to ever be fixed to allow smoother traffic flow. The reason the quay was butchered so much to add extra roundabouts, single lanes and confusing signs was to make it so hard to drive through that people would use the new bridge and hence add profits to the developers behind it. This was a secret deal between them and the council, with the condition that more tolls would be added once the success of the new bridge materialised. The dogs on the street know this.

However the whole plan collapsed, with only a fraction of their projected numbers using the bridge. Now we, and ambulances, are stuck crawling through the joke of a quay.

Asdfgh2020

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120045879#Comment_120045879

What actual proof have you that such a strategy was put in place other than pub talk and hear say and your own observations?

Boooourns

Everything about this thread is just odd.

thomasm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120045879#Comment_120045879

Just one piece of proof please, even if its a tiny bit circumstantial but it cant be nonsensical or 'heard it from a mate' type stuff. Just one !

fricatus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120045879#Comment_120045879

What an absolute crock!

The reason the Quay was improved (it is much better now than when it was a four-lane highway) was because the city centre is a destination and its main street is not suitable to be used for through traffic.

The "smooth traffic flow" that you think should exist there would mean long waits at pedestrian lights for people using more sustainable forms of transport, such as buses and walking. Or more likely, it would mean people taking their lives in their hands to run across in front of speeding cars - which is exactly what used to happen, often with tragic consequences.

Sensibly, the council is not going to roll this one back. The trend worldwide is to force people out of cars for the majority of journeys in cities, which means better quality of life overall for residents (despite the complaints of people who expect to be able to drive everywhere unimpeded).

If there are issues with ambulances, then no doubt they can sit down with the council and work these out. Probably the best option would be only to allow taxis, utilities and emergency vehicles down the Quay at peak times. This is common in cities around the world, and surprisingly, the sky hasn't fallen down.

webpal

How is the poor chap?

gameoverdude

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120045879#Comment_120045879

That sounds a ridiculous suggestion.

Although seeing the incompetence of locally ccs and road traffic management, I think they're way above their competency level.

Wanderer2010

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120046024#Comment_120046024

Ask anyone in the Council informally and they will confirm it. Do you think its a coincidence the quay was butchered at around the same time the toll opened? But given the previous hysterical defense of the council, dont expect everyone to agree. Its still a fact.

azimuth17

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120047398#Comment_120047398

Your posts are conflating two issues in my opinion . I had a peripheral involvement in matters at the time. The belief in council and central government was that when the Waterford City By Pass opened that traffic would substantially decrease on quays. Council had EU fnding to hire UK planners Gilmore, Hankey Kirke to design a layout for when the new regime would happen. More or less what you see now. However, Celtic Tiger growth and increase in private car ownership from c 700K to 2.3m in thirty years between 1992 and 2022 scuppered that. While there is no comparison in size it is interesting that Amsterdam is removing up to 10k city centre car parking spaces. They would not be the only European city thinking in that way.

And as for ambulances on the quays in Waterford, the first thing that seems to happen when a siren sounds on Rice Bridge is that nearly all the traffic stops. Frozen.Paralysed. In every other European country that I have driven in, and thats a lot, when people hear a siren in a narrow street they drive their car or van up on the footpath and are trained to do so, to create a traffic lane for emergency vehicles. People dont seem to learn that in Ireland.

JohnC.

Absolutely that. There is plenty of room for an ambulance to get by. It's idiots who don't know how to drive who cause problems. Like that one clown I witnessed who pulled into the bus lane to "let the ambulance pass" and was the only clown blocking the ambulance, which was going down the bus lane. Don't blame the road for the utter stupidity of some of its users.

Oscar Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120045968#Comment_120045968

Have a look at the diversion on Manor Street coming from Parnell Street.

5 years studying for a college qualification didn't design that!

Asdfgh2020

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120047761#Comment_120047761

I think you need to elaborate on the above a bit please, I don't think its a diversion, its a permanent route change if its the one I think you are referring to..........?

2SWEET

Wow! Hearsay in Waterford never ceases to amazed me, the poor chap was in fact a lady who unfortunately passed away. May she rest in peace. And as for the traffic analysis I won't waste my time.

Motivator

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120046855#Comment_120046855

You think the main traffic route into the city has been improved? If it wasn’t such a stupid assessment it would be funny.

The quay is an absolute disgrace. To the person that asked if ambulance drivers have complained about it, yes they have. Two paramedics live beside me and at it’s worst, it can take an extra 5 - 7 minutes to get from the end of the bridge to the traffic lights outside the tower. They then need to navigate the traffic up Newtown and out the dunmore road. The dunmore road is what it is, that can’t be improved and has been congested for years but the Quay is a total disgrace and that extra 5 - 7 minutes is literally the difference in a persons life being saved or lost and has unfortunately been the case. How this isn’t made more public I don’t know but the city planner needs a kick up the hole and the Quay re-opened to 4 lane traffic.

Asdfgh2020

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120049789#Comment_120049789

Why do Ambulances insist on using the quay unless they are responding to an incident actually within the vicinity of the quay…..they are well aware of the delays that can occur yet still insist on using it. And It’s not like they have to pay the toll….if they are rushing back from somewhere like new rath or beyond then why not use the bypass and toll bridge and they can surely get to the hospital quicker……other than Ambulances/emergency vehicles does an extra 15 mins really matter to the ordinary motorist……who actually has an alternative route but is too stubborn to use it

914

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120049789#Comment_120049789

Out of interest why do you need four lanes for it to work?

I remember when the Quay was four lanes, I worked as a delivery driver, and the Quay was never free flowing.

If anything it hasn't got any worse traffic wise that is, when it had four lanes. Generally the inside lane was used by people to double park which caused its own problems.

Crossing the Quay as a pedestrian was also a disaster, it's definitely safer now for pedestrians.

One simple solution is to reduce the width of the central median and that solves any emergency services issues.

Alternatively remove the median altogether, still operate single lanes similar to Patrick St in Cork.

914

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120049880#Comment_120049880

I presume they still use the Quay as it is most likely still the quickest way between point A and B.

Sure they may lose a minute navigating the Quay (only from city sq to clock tower) but most likely that route is still quicker than taking the outer ring road and TFM bridge

914

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120047761#Comment_120047761

Diversion? You mean the new one way system that to be fair is working far better then two way traffic on manor street previously did.

Oscar Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120050930#Comment_120050930

It works superbly!

Asdfgh2020

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120050982#Comment_120050982

So you were being sarcastic in your post where you referred to 5 years studying etc…..

friendlyfun

Love how not a single comment in the replies is about the incident itself. Quay is gone to the dogs boy shite instead.

Aquos76

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120049880#Comment_120049880

I often ask myself the same question, I remember an instance a couple of months ago, I was coming in the cork road and two fire brigades and the jeep pulled out of Ballybeg junction ahead of me heading into town, I turned up towards Kingsmeadow and they continued in towards town. I was heading to ferrybank and I headed up mattie hill, over morrisons road, and down Summer hill, as I was driving up the dual carriageway, here weren't the three fire vehicles coming on to the quay by the Reg, about 5 mins later I was coming out of Spar in Ferrybank and all three passed me.

Why the hell did they not just take the route I took, I genuinely believe that sometimes they are trying to stir things up by continuing to use the Quay when they clearly dont need to.

Oscar Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120053949#Comment_120053949

Perhaps if you drove a large vehicle & didn't compare it to driving a car you might understand the difference or

the decisions taken by these drivers!

Hijpo

Maybe they have a set route outlined by the council? Do the have control over the lights to give them greens?

Aquos76

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120054118#Comment_120054118

That route which I took is a Bus Eireann route so I don't see how a fire truck wouldn't be able to take it.

Motivator

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120049880#Comment_120049880

You call refusing to pay a €2 charge being stubborn? The toll is not a viable option, the low number of users the bridge has had since it’s inception tells you that.

Oscar Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120054170#Comment_120054170

I can only assume that a fire engine is a lot heavier & wider than a bus & with all

the additional equipment but it wouldn't be the suggested route to be taking.

I'm sure that a fire engine can travel safer & faster on level ground rather than inclines!

I'm quite sure also that these drivers do not need guidance from the general populus

however well intentioned that guidance is!