on the road again..

zod

every now and again I venture out of my car and take public transport in the hopes that it may have improved.

Tried again on Thursday got the train from Sallins to Hueston station ( 25 mins ) which is great. Got straight on the bus to Stephens Green at 8:00.

It drove off at 8:17 while it waited on another train. I got to the green in 47 minutes almost twice the journey time of the sallins trip.

There was no mention from the bus driver while we were waiting to pull off for the reason or expected duration of the delay in fact the bus driver was suprised when I asked him what the delay was when I got off. :rolleyes:


Experiment over for this year .. back on the road again.

Sarsfield

What you need is a rail tunnel linking Heuston with St Stephens Green and points beyond! Sallins to the Green with no changes. I suggest you start lobbying your TDs.

Victor

Get a bike for €150 and leave it in Heuston (covered bike storage with security cameras). Cycle to St. Stephen's Green in 15 minutes.

zod

there is no cycle lanes - dont fancy competeing with the trucks!

BrianD3

How long would it take to walk to the green from Heuston? I'd say approx 1/2 hour.

BrianD3

zod

BrianD3 wrote:

How long would it take to walk to the green from Heuston? I'd say approx 1/2 hour.

BrianD3

I actually have a 20 minute walk after the green - and thats enough thank you

I actually woudn't mind walking if its a nice day - I have done so, not really an option in the rain though. Funny when you post on the transport forum - walking is the best solution - is that Irish or what

robfitz

zod wrote:

there is no cycle lanes - dont fancy competeing with the trucks!

If you think a cycle track gives you any sort of protection (or priority) on the roads you are mistaken. Actually there is a cycle track (sort of), it goes from James Street to High Street, right turn onto Patrick Street at Christchurch, left turn onto Kevin Street, stright ahead to Stephen's Green.

Is getting the Luas to Connolly and walking or cycling an option? Where do you work?

John R

zod wrote:

every now and again I venture out of my car and take public transport in the hopes that it may have improved.

Tried again on Thursday got the train from Sallins to Hueston station ( 25 mins ) which is great. Got straight on the bus to Stephens Green at 8:00.

It drove off at 8:17 while it waited on another train. I got to the green in 47 minutes almost twice the journey time of the sallins trip.

There was no mention from the bus driver while we were waiting to pull off for the reason or expected duration of the delay in fact the bus driver was suprised when I asked him what the delay was when I got off. :rolleyes:


Experiment over for this year .. back on the road again.

So because of a 7 minute delay of a bus you are going to write-off public transport? Sounds like a justification for a decision already taken to me.

zod

John R wrote:

So because of a 7 minute delay of a bus you are going to write-off public transport? Sounds like a justification for a decision already taken to me.

8:00 to 8:17 is seven minutes now :rolleyes:

more the total journey time to the green of 47 minutes - do you think thats acceptable ?? I've driven in from Sallins in 50 mins ffs

weehamster

8:00 to 8:17 is seven minutes now

more the total journey time to the green of 47 minutes - do you think thats acceptable ?? I've driven in from Sallins in 50 mins ffs

I’m wondering what the actual timetable of that bus was. Even though you jumped on the bus at 8:00, doesn’t mean that it was suppose to leave at that time. The bus probably was supposed to leave at 8:15.

To ask everyone is it acceptable is really silly. Of course it’s not. But the only way to solve the problem is either ban all vehicles in the city centre, or build the Interconnector and extend the DART to Kildare. So you have to be a bit patient (even though I’m starting to loose mine with the Government and their stalling with the 10 year transport plan)

I have to say that 50mins from Sallins is very good. I live in Artane which is a lot closer to the Green and I can tell you that it would take me a hell of a lot longer that 50mins to get there during morning rush hour by car.

zod

weehamster wrote:

I’m wondering what the actual timetable of that bus was. Even though you jumped on the bus at 8:00, doesn’t mean that it was suppose to leave at that time. The bus probably was supposed to leave at 8:15..

The bus was due to leave at 8:00 it was delayed because of the delayed arrival of a train. ( there were about 10 seats left upstairs)

weehamster wrote:

To ask everyone is it acceptable is really silly. Of course it’s not..

Dublin Bus seem to think it is or they wouldn't have kept everyone waiting

weehamster wrote:

But the only way to solve the problem is either ban all vehicles in the city centre, or build the Interconnector and extend the DART to Kildare. ..

And I thought putting a more frequent bus service might be a start.

weehamster wrote:

So you have to be a bit patient (even though I’m starting to loose mine with the Government and their stalling with the 10 year transport plan)
..

I think we can safely say that we won't hold our collective breaths.

weehamster wrote:

I have to say that 50mins from Sallins is very good. I live in Artane which is a lot closer to the Green and I can tell you that it would take me a hell of a lot longer that 50mins to get there during morning rush hour by car.

I said I have done it - on a good day. Usually it takes about an hour - which is such a pain that I try public transport now and again - which was the whole point of this post!

Metrobest

The problem Zod has mentioned here in one of CIE ineptitude. Goodness knows why the bus must wait for a train, itself probably late. To wait seventeen minutes in the rush hour is a scandal - who could draw up such a silly timetable? What makes it worse is the lack of information: the jobsworth bus driver probably engrossed in The Star while the bus fills up with stressed-out commuters late for work.

You'd be better off cycling: the route via Thomas Street is probably a less truck-filled than the Quays, and equidistant to the Green. So try it. It'll be less stressful than the car!

John R

zod wrote:

8:00 to 8:17 is seven minutes now :rolleyes:

No 8:10 to 8:17 is seven minutes, here's a tip for the future, check the timetable.

zod wrote:

more the total journey time to the green of 47 minutes - do you think thats acceptable

Frankly I seriously doubt that it took 47 minutes from Heuston to Stephen's Green

It rarely takes more than 5 minutes from O'Connell Bridge to Stephen's Green so what? 40mns+ from Heuston to O'Connell Bridge? I doubt it. There are several sections of bus lane along the north Quays so for the rest the traffic must have been completely stopped for 30+ minutes.

zod

Look - I got to the green 47 minutes after getting on the bus and the bus didn't move for for the first 17 of those 47 minutes - while the bus was full except for about 10 spaces.

Now you can dress that up all you like! :rolleyes:

John R

So now we have ascertained that;

1. You can't read a timetable.
2. Even when you are aware of it, you believe that when you turn up it should be abandoned in favour of delivering you to your destination directly.
3. The bus journey took 30 minutes not 47
4. Out of a total trip of approx 1h10m, 7min was due to a delay in the bus departure and the largest delay was caused by traffic congestion
5. By your own admission it was about 10mns slower than driving including the unscheduled bus delay so the regular difference would be negligible.
6. Back to my original point, you were looking for a justification to denounce public transport and congratulations you found your 7 minutes, now you can go back to clogging the streets of the city safe in the knowledge that "you have no viable alternative". Well done you.

zod

John R wrote:

1. You can't read a timetable..

I can, if you think that Dublin bus stick to those times at Heuston station during peak hours then you're barking. The place is mobbed, the busses pull up and are crowded onto untill people can't squash any more on then they pull off - usually. period.

John R wrote:

2. Even when you are aware of it, you believe that when you turn up it should be abandoned in favour of delivering you to your destination directly.

What exactly should a full bus do only pull off! The problem is there is not enough of them!

John R wrote:

3. The bus journey took 30 minutes not 47

I never said anything other than it took 47 minutes from the time I got on the bus!

John R wrote:

4. Out of a total trip of approx 1h10m, 7min was due to a delay in the bus departure and the largest delay was caused by traffic congestion

No there is still 17 minutes the bus was told to wait to fill up the last 10 spaces BECAUSE THERES NOT ENOUGH BUSES

John R wrote:

5. By your own admission it was about 10mns slower than driving including the unscheduled bus delay so the regular difference would be negligible.

I have a 20 minute walk after the green. I also don't have to crowd onto busses, which can be missed because their overcrowded BECAUSE THERES NOT ENOUGH BUSES

John R wrote:

6. Back to my original point, you were looking for a justification to denounce public transport and congratulations you found your 7 minutes, now you can go back to clogging the streets of the city safe in the knowledge that "you have no viable alternative". Well done you

Yep you're right getting from Hueston to the Green is quick and efficient using public transport during peak hours. We don't need more busses, a metro OR a connecting luas - its just peachy the way it is.

Metrobest

Anyone for integrated transport? How's this for an idea?

Beside the Luas/Bus plaza an electronic 'public transport information board' is erected.
The board is constantly updated in real time, listing all due departures. Eg. (reading from top to bottom)

TIME MODE VIA DESTINATION
8.02 Luas Nth City Centre Connolly
8.06 Bus 90 North Quays IFSC
8.08 Luas Nth City Centre Connolly
8.14 Bus 92 College Grn St Stephen’s Green
8.16 Luas Nth City Centre Connolly

When something is about to depart it flashes so passengers know to 'hop aboard' .. Any reports of traffic delays etc can be wired to the board via the City Traffic Office. Information about onward connections could also be provided.

murphaph

Totally agree metrobest. They have them elsewhere but usually coupled with full gps systems on board their bus network etc. This wretched little country is a long way off.

robfitz

I was doing some cycling around the city center yesterday and I cyclied the Thomas Street route.

Heuston Station (covered bicycle stands) to Stephen's Green (Lesson Street corner) is 3.7 km. For the trip my cycle time was 10 m and total time wa 14 m, the reverse trip cycle time was 11 m and total time was 16 m. This was some time between 16:30 and 17:30, in the rain and I stopped for all the red lights.

As you don't work near Stephen's Green, there is likely to be a more direct cycling route that you could take.

jman0

Metrobest wrote:

Anyone for integrated transport? How's this for an idea?

Beside the Luas/Bus plaza an electronic 'public transport information board' is erected.
The board is constantly updated in real time, listing all due departures. Eg. (reading from top to bottom)

TIME MODE VIA DESTINATION
8.02 Luas Nth City Centre Connolly
8.06 Bus 90 North Quays IFSC
8.08 Luas Nth City Centre Connolly
8.14 Bus 92 College Grn St Stephen’s Green
8.16 Luas Nth City Centre Connolly

When something is about to depart it flashes so passengers know to 'hop aboard' .. Any reports of traffic delays etc can be wired to the board via the City Traffic Office. Information about onward connections could also be provided.

Groovy, they could even incorporate some system where a person could tell the present location of the bus you're waiting on.
This way you can make a better informed decision about when to pack it in and grab a taxi.
But you know, this electronic 'public transport information board' is only going to become another target of vandalism.

Zaph0d

then build a webcam into it - and a stun gun.

Metrobest

Well perhaps there could be two boards: a large one just inside the door as you exit the station; and a smaller board (the size of one of the advertising slots on a bus shelter), on the plaza itself. I don't think it would be vandalised - the Luas displays seem to have been free of damage (so far!).

John R

A pilot real-time information system was installed several years ago on parts of the 25 and 78a routes (also displaying info for other routes using the same stops) but funding was not given to equip any other routes.

skywalker_208

I was in Rome for a few days recently... Metro - 5 - 10 mins and your ANYWHERE in the city.. for €1.. or €4 for an all day integrated metro/bus ticket..

now thats a transport systems.. even if it did stink...

Victor

Metrobest wrote:

the Luas displays seem to have been free of damage (so far!).

Two security cameras work so much better than one.

jman0 wrote:

Groovy, they could even incorporate some system where a person could tell the present location of the bus you're waiting on.

Your boss / wife / mother can already ask you to send them an MMS picture.