TII Motorway Service Areas (MSA) Progress Thread

Amtmann · 10-02-2011 1:43am

I received this email from Ms McNally today:

I refer to your recent email regarding motorway service areas on the above routes.

While the Authority is currently seeking tenders for archaeological work on motorway service area sites at Cashel, Athlone and Kilcullen, a definite decision to proceed to construction on all three sites has not yet been made. The Authority is currently assessing the market interest in developing these service areas under a Public Private Partnership arrangement and a decision will be made on which service areas are to proceed, if any, on completion of this assessment.

That McDonalds/Topaz development at Cashel may hamper interest in the M8 Cashel service area.

L1011 · 10-02-2011 7:33pm

We need to invite her to the next Infrastructure beers, seeing as she's almost as big a posting member as most (albeit indirectly!)

Carawaystick · 11-02-2011 2:04am

Tremelo wrote: »

I received this email from Ms McNally today:

That McDonalds/Topaz development at Cashel may hamper interest in the M8 Cashel service area.

You mean save the taxpayer money, unlike what the nra did in Lusk?

Carawaystick · 11-02-2011 2:07am

Pete_Cavan wrote: »

Seems like an awful waste to build two service areas at each site, one on either side of the road. They should all be built as one large MSA with a bridge to allow it to serve both side of the road. As most of the bridge is precast concrete and using an imaginative traffic management plan, temporarily diverting the traffic along the slip road up to the MSA while the precast elements are installed. It would probably only take a few days to install the bridge beams and deck and the traffic would only be disrupted for a few hundred metres, would be well worth it as it would save a few million.

Fingal CoCo built a bridge over the M1 at a new half junction with minimal closures or none, so where there's a will there's a way.

Pete_Cavan · 06-05-2011 6:11pm

Please make sure you are sitting before clicking the following link, what you are about to read may shock you...

http://www.etenders.gov.ie/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=MAY219335

Amtmann · 06-05-2011 6:35pm

McDonalds/Topaz have scuppered the M8 service area so. Bastids. They better be worth it.

Chris_5339762 · 06-05-2011 7:40pm

The M7/8 corridor will be looking very bare soon. The one at Mountrath should be included in this.

Pete_Cavan · 07-05-2011 12:39pm

Tremelo wrote: »

McDonalds/Topaz have scuppered the M8 service area so. Bastids. They better be worth it.

As I siad in post #408, the tender process to appoint archaeological consultants for M6, M8 & M9 started in January. Contract Award Notices for M6 & M9 also appeared on the etenders website yesterday. M8 MSA must be dead.

Roryhy · 07-05-2011 12:43pm

I can't remember where i saw it but didn't the NRA say they were postponing the M8 one to see how the McDonalds setup did first and then they would review things?

Sully · 07-05-2011 12:56pm

Pete_Cavan wrote: »

As I siad in post #408, the tender process to appoint archaeological consultants for M6, M8 & M9 started in January. Contract Award Notices for M6 & M9 also appeared on the etenders website yesterday. M8 MSA must be dead.

How long does their review take before they consider/start development?

Amtmann · 07-05-2011 12:59pm

Roryhy wrote: »

I can't remember where i saw it but didn't the NRA say they were postponing the M8 one to see how the McDonalds setup did first and then they would review things?

It was in Leo's DoT briefing.

Pete_Cavan · 07-05-2011 3:00pm

Sully wrote: »

How long does their review take before they consider/start development?

According to the Contract Notice on the etenders website, the final date for submitting requests to participate is 13-06-2011 12:00. The four highest scoring candidates will progress to the tender stage. The estimated date of dispatch of invitations to tender to selected candidates is 13-07-2011. I would imagine the final date for submission of tenders would be a couple of months later. It will take the NRA another month or two to assess the tenders. I'm sure it will be next year before we see them turn the sod on these MSAs.

Jayuu · 08-05-2011 1:32pm

Personally I think the M9 MSA is too close to Dublin.

By the time you've reached Kilcullen going northbound you're probably just going to keep going and finish your journey unless you have a real need to pull in. And conversely going southbound you've just started your journey so why are you going to stop so soon unless again you have to.

I think one MSA in and around the Carlow area would have been a much better concept for the M9.

Chris_5339762 · 08-05-2011 3:37pm

I was also thinking that, but every time I've been at the Enfield and Lusk ones on the M4 and M1 (v close to Dublin) they're wedged with people.

L1011 · 08-05-2011 9:51pm

M4 and M1 have higher traffic figures than the M9 and that traffic is going further too.

Amtmann · 24-05-2011 9:39pm

Official status update here. Cashel MSA is a dead duck thanks to Topaz and McDonalds. :mad:

L1011 · 24-05-2011 10:01pm

Cashel was a terrible idea anyway, due to the propensity of services that the town has already easily accessible off its many junctions. The Topaz was planned before it was a motorway.

Manager in Mother Hubbards in Cashel told me today that their business is actually up since Topaz opened (its been all of a week, admittedly) and that they are considering an extension due to how full they can get at weekends. Seeing as they must have contracted after the bypass opened (the filling station closed, this is good to see.

NFD100 · 25-05-2011 9:21am

I despair. The 'Services' at Cashel is way too small. It doesn't meet international standards. It looks cheap and nasty. What were they thinking? HGVS? Parking? Safety?

dell1211 · 25-05-2011 11:35am

Athlone services are not needed, there are two very easily accessible service stations which are of motorway standard being Kilmartins(subway, mcdonalds, 4star, very good cafe, hotel all in the grounds of the service station) and Apple Green, all they are missing is truck parking. The NRA should not be wasting much needed millions on a project here.

Amtmann · 25-05-2011 11:44am

MYOB wrote: »

Cashel was a terrible idea anyway, due to the propensity of services that the town has already easily accessible off its many junctions. The Topaz was planned before it was a motorway.

Should never have been given permission.

Services at J9: Mother Hubbards - overpriced and closes too early. Tesco filling station. Closes too early, nothing in shop.

J8: Topaz/McDonalds - dangerously curved approach road on a steep incline, not enough seating/parking, no separation of HGV from car traffic, dangerous for kids, people parking RIGHT beside the truck fueling area, confusing road markings.

J7: Esso garage 3km from M8, not 24hr, very limited food.

An M8 service area would have totally cleaned up in the absence of Topaz/McDonalds (which is already absolutely mobbed most of the time).

veryangryman · 25-05-2011 11:44am

dell1211 wrote: »

Athlone services are not needed, there are two very easily accessible service stations which are of motorway standard being Kilmartins(subway, mcdonalds, 4star, very good cafe, hotel all in the grounds of the service station) and Apple Green, all they are missing is truck parking. The NRA should not be wasting much needed millions on a project here.

Kilmartins has truck parking for ~10 trucks around the service area also and is 24 hour. Add Dominoes to the list of restaurants.
Im sure im due commission for that marketing i just did

Apple Green aint 24 hour, but does boast a nice takeaway nextdoor. Bag of chips at 10pm without leaving the Dualler (much).

etchyed · 25-05-2011 11:47am

NFD100 wrote: »

I despair. The 'Services' at Cashel is way too small. It doesn't meet international standards. It looks cheap and nasty. What were they thinking? HGVS? Parking? Safety?

I presume you already know this but just so everyone's clear: the Topaz/McDonald's at Cashel has nothing to do with the NRA. It was given planning permission before that section of N8 was redesignated a motorway.

harr · 25-05-2011 11:56am

hi
does any one know when the private service station on the M7 at Monasterevin is due to open,i know they started recruiting for the supermacs already.

Amtmann · 25-05-2011 12:19pm

etchyed wrote: »

I presume you already know this but just so everyone's clear: the Topaz/McDonald's at Cashel has nothing to do with the NRA. It was given planning permission before that section of N8 was redesignated a motorway.

Very true of course; yet we do know for a fact that it has influenced the NRA to decide not to proceed with the Cashel MSA, for which they have been granted permission. It was specifically mentioned in Varadkar's briefing as a reason for mothballing the Cashel MSA.

NFD100 · 25-05-2011 5:05pm

etchyed wrote: »

I presume you already know this but just so everyone's clear: the Topaz/McDonald's at Cashel has nothing to do with the NRA. It was given planning permission before that section of N8 was redesignated a motorway.

Yes, I know it's not NRA. it clearly isn't up to scratch!

L1011 · 25-05-2011 5:59pm

Tremelo wrote: »

Should never have been given permission.

Services at J9: Mother Hubbards - overpriced and closes too early. Tesco filling station. Closes too early, nothing in shop.

Its food is pretty much the same price and time-availability as the A Cafe's in the NRA MSAs. I have to use MH and them quite frequently!

harr wrote: »

hi
does any one know when the private service station on the M7 at Monasterevin is due to open,i know they started recruiting for the supermacs already.

This the one at the junction at the far end? Didn't look near opening when I last passed it, which I'm having trouble remembering

but was probably three weeks ago.

harr · 25-05-2011 6:45pm

MYOB wrote: »

Its food is pretty much the same price and time-availability as the A Cafe's in the NRA MSAs. I have to use MH and them quite frequently!

This the one at the junction at the far end? Didn't look near opening when I last passed it, which I'm having trouble remembering but was probably three weeks ago.

Yep thats the one, i was told 4 weeks by someone today but i cant see it been that quick.
It was a about 3 weeks ago i was over that way as well and it looked no where near finished.
http://www.kildare-nationalist.ie/tabId/201/itemId/6299/Green-light-for-motorway-service-area-at-Monastere.aspx

L1011 · 25-05-2011 6:55pm

23 car parking spaces? I despair some times....

Pete_Cavan · 31-05-2011 8:29pm

NRA tendering for contractors for Advance Works Contract for M6 and M9 MSAs;

National Roads Authority wishes to procure a contractor to construct grade separated junctions (including a motorway overbridge) on the M6 and M9 motorways to provide access to proposed motorway service areas, which are to be constructed under a separate PPP Contract.

http://www.etenders.gov.ie/membership/Member_HistShow.aspx?ID=MAY226496

They intend to award this contract by October of this year with construction of Athlone and Kilcullen Service Areas by PPP Contractor possibly starting in mid 2012.

L1011 · 31-05-2011 10:04pm

The NRA must not want to give the operators a huge contract if they're doing the really expensive bit of the work themselves.

Seperately, I suspect I'm paying Superstop's mortgage at this stage - doing my expenses there and at least 200 of the total ~700 for the month is fuel or food in them!

TII Motorway Service Areas (MSA) Progress Thread

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