Is the traffic a lot lighter this summer

rcunning03 · 14-07-2008 4:50pm #1

Am I just imaging things or is the traffic around Dublin a lot lighter than it was this time last year.

I know the kids are on school and it's always quiet in summer, but this year for the past few weeks I have been going from Killester all the way down the Howth road to fairview without stopping, I'm getting into work in less than 40 minutes as opposed to 60-90 mins.

Is it the recession or is it always like this, this time of year, I remember August being the quiet month the last 2 years.

It's great I hope the reduced traffic is something more permanent rather than a few weeks break from the heavy traffic.

Interested to know if anyone else thinks traffic is a lot lighter this summer.

pvt.joker · 14-07-2008 4:53pm

id imagine the fuel prices have something to do with it.

Nuttzz · 14-07-2008 5:30pm

M50 was backed up from the bridge to the n7 northbound (i got on at the n4 southbound) at noon, so it doesnt look any lighter in that regard

corktina · 14-07-2008 8:58pm

possibly less L drivers on the road?

BendiBus · 14-07-2008 9:03pm

Everyone who can has pissed off to the sun for a few weeks.

BobbyD10 · 14-07-2008 9:06pm

July and August tend to have less cars flying around...no harm tho, nice to be able to get from A --> B in a resonable time.

trishasaffron · 14-07-2008 9:11pm

I agree - its lighter than even light summer traffic. I've been whizzing into Grafton St area from Clonskeagh in the morning. Not so light in the evening though. I wonder is it more than schools out and holidays. Could it be the price of fuel, and/or fewer L drivers and/or emigration/repatriation ?

nhughes100 · 14-07-2008 9:12pm

It's definitely lighter this year. I've been able to drive all the way up to the m50 roundabout at the n4 and get to Tallaght with only hitting traffic on either the Tallaght bypass or Ballymount depending on where I come off, in previous years I've only been able to do this around builders holidays but this year I've been doing it since the start of June.

I read in a paper recently that car fuel sales are down around 20%, is the dearer price worth paying if it keeps the school and shop runs to a minimum? I say definitely yes!

anotherlostie · 14-07-2008 9:45pm

I'd imagine the higher rate of unemployment has something to do with it too - fewer cars on the road in morning and evening rush hour because fewer people at work.

rcunning03 · 14-07-2008 9:56pm

anotherlostie wrote: »

I'd imagine the higher rate of unemployment has something to do with it too - fewer cars on the road in morning and evening rush hour because fewer people at work.

Fewer people in work and fewer people in the country after the poles have gone home, high price of fuel definately a factor for people living in way out satellite towns.

I thought it might of been my imagination or some desperate hope that traffic will be easier this winter. Glad other people have noticed. Ireland 2008 is so different to Ireland in 2007. If I wasn't a pleb reliant on working for other people to get money, I'd probably find it very interesting.

On the positive side it gives the government and councils breathing space to build infrastructure and introduce planning laws around public transport.

Victor · 14-07-2008 11:35pm

The Port Tunnel and M50 works will have helped.

Nostradamus · 14-07-2008 11:38pm

Big time decrease in road traffic not just in Dublin. The N17 is a pleasure to drive on these days. The number of lorries off the roads is a dream. Even the regional routes around the West are like they were 10 years ago when I first moved here. I have even started to see more and more people riding horses on the country lanes.

I have started using my bike to go to the post office again without the fear of being killed by a cement truck driven at 100mph by some fat wanker with a pink nose screaming into a mobile phone while he "steers" with one hand. It's simply wonderful.

heyjude · 14-07-2008 11:48pm

rcunning03 wrote: »

On the positive side it gives the government and councils breathing space to build infrastructure and introduce planning laws around public transport.

Hopefully they won't decide now, that the infrastructure and improved planning laws aren't necessary :rolleyes:

rcunning03 · 15-07-2008 9:25am

heyjude wrote: »

Hopefully they won't decide now, that the infrastructure and improved planning laws aren't necessary :rolleyes:

They're too comitted it to it now, and people have decided they don't want to spend hours getting to work. Think the funding for the roads has already been commited

Colm R · 15-07-2008 9:49am

Willie O'Dea used to say regarding transport deadlock

"We are a victim of our own success!"

loyatemu · 15-07-2008 9:58am

a lot of building sites have shut down and (sweeping generalisation ahead...) builders all drive to work. Combined with general lighter summer traffic due to schools closing and people on holiday.

mikemac · 15-07-2008 10:03am

Hurray for the recession! :pac:

Nostradamus · 15-07-2008 1:16pm

micmclo wrote: »

Hurray for the recession! :pac:

I agree, the country almost seems human again for the first time in years.

Honey-ec · 15-07-2008 1:22pm

Definitely lighter - I remember complaining this time last year that I hadn't noticed any school holiday drop in traffic, but there certainly is this year.

Although a special "gobsh*te" mention has to go out to the contractors currently laying cable in Blessington village who clearly have no idea of how to run a stop-go system. Despite numerous phone calls to the company in question, they still don't quite seem to have grasped the concept that that traffic tends to be far heavier going towards Dublin in the morning, and vice versa in the evening, and just blindly give equal green time in both directions.

rcunning03 · 15-07-2008 2:04pm

Nostradamus wrote: »

I agree, the country almost seems human again for the first time in years.

Now the government have real problems to worry about, they might stop trying to socially engineer us into being tee-totalers who don't smoke, drive fast or complain too much.

From 1995 the country became a horrible greddy little kip with the politically correct interfering in everybody's life.

Hopefully we'll get the good aspects of Ireland pre-1996 back without the negative aspects.

Colonel Sanders · 15-07-2008 4:45pm

I drove from Finglas to D2 in now time monday morning. The girlfriend lives out there, usually leave at 7 to miss the traffic. Left at 7.45 and the traffic was lighter than it usually is at 7 and by a long way too. Just one journey but its about the only time I'm on the roads behind the wheel of my car at the busy times

L1011 · 15-07-2008 5:12pm

Been noticing this in Tallaght for some months now - even when the schools were in full flow.

lord lucan · 15-07-2008 5:41pm

rcunning03 wrote: »

Now the government have real problems to worry about, they might stop trying to socially engineer us into being tee-totalers who don't smoke, drive fast or complain too much.

From 1995 the country became a horrible greddy little kip with the politically correct interfering in everybody's life.

Hopefully we'll get the good aspects of Ireland pre-1996 back without the negative aspects.

+1:cool:

miju · 15-07-2008 6:08pm

If theres approx unemployment is rising by approx 2,000 a month (after register sign offs are taken into account)

then that equals alot of extra cars off the road in the morning and evenings as well.

in my book its the recession thats causing traffic to lighten up. HOOOORRRAYYY

ardmacha · 15-07-2008 6:48pm

Now the government have real problems to worry about, they might stop trying to socially engineer us into being tee-totalers who don't smoke, drive fast or complain too much.

Sure, let everyone speed about pissed and let's get back those accident rates that were twice those now when the traffic was only half!

what2do · 15-07-2008 9:00pm

The trains are way quieter than normal also, definitely wasn't like this last summer. I thought they were quieter because people were driving?

Heroditas · 17-07-2008 2:30pm

I drive from Lucan to Ashtown every day via Chapelizod and the Phoenix Park. It takes anywhere from 30-45 minutes during the winter when I leave at 8.10 in the morning but has taken me approximately 20 minutes for the last few weeks. I leave work at 5 and go home via the Phoenix Park and Knockmaroon Gate and the Strawberry Beds in the evenings but that route has become progressively worse over the last few months and is actually worse than ever before. It used to take about 20-25 minutes but now regularly takes me at least 45. I assume it’s due to the work on Knockmaroon Hill – thus forcing mofre people to enter the park via the Chapelizod gate and racing around to go out the Knockmaroon Gate, causing outbound traffic to get backed up.
I’m contemplating taking the M50 home in future but I’m reluctant to spend €2 just to get home maybe 10-15 minutes earlier.

rcunning03 · 17-07-2008 4:08pm

Heroditas wrote: »

I drive from Lucan to Ashtown every day via Chapelizod and the Phoenix Park. It takes anywhere from 30-45 minutes during the winter when I leave at 8.10 in the morning but has taken me approximately 20 minutes for the last few weeks. I leave work at 5 and go home via the Phoenix Park and Knockmaroon Gate and the Strawberry Beds in the evenings but that route has become progressively worse over the last few months and is actually worse than ever before. It used to take about 20-25 minutes but now regularly takes me at least 45. I assume it’s due to the work on Knockmaroon Hill – thus forcing mofre people to enter the park via the Chapelizod gate and racing around to go out the Knockmaroon Gate, causing outbound traffic to get backed up.
I’m contemplating taking the M50 home in future but I’m reluctant to spend €2 just to get home maybe 10-15 minutes earlier.

The M50 is a straight road and if there's not a lot of traffic on it, very easy to drive

serfboard · 17-07-2008 4:27pm

Heroditas wrote: »

I’m contemplating taking the M50 home in future but I’m reluctant to spend €2 just to get home maybe 10-15 minutes earlier.

That depends on whether you think less than half the price of a pint is worth it to spend 15 minutes less in your car

Actually, given the rising cost of fuel it probably works out better than that.

Heroditas · 17-07-2008 4:29pm

rcunning03 wrote: »

The M50 is a straight road and if there's not a lot of traffic on it, very easy to drive

I know, but the traffic at the Blanchardstown interchange can be ridiculous in the mornings and I'm reluctant to spend an additional €2 if it means I may take even longer to get into work than if I took the "scenic route".

I may take that route home however a bit more often because Strawberry Beds isn;t really ideal, particularly if the weather is treacherous.

Is the traffic a lot lighter this summer

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