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M6/4 Motorway Galway to Dublin (for discussing completed sections)

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Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,882 ✭✭✭SeanW


    Colm R wrote: »
    I travelled the N52 from Kells to Tullamore last night and hence travelled in the M6 for the first time since redesignation. Now while I was delighted to get a break for a few minutes, and do a bit of overtaking, I found it odd.

    Is it legal that traffic wishing to continue on the N52, be directed onto the M6?

    I would have thought that the old N6 would have been deignated the N52.
    Seems perfectly resonable as it's the primary route.
    Learners are not expected to be driving long distances.
    (Pedantic) question - does this mean that the co-signed part of the N52 has been redesignated M52? Or can you really have a cosigned Motorway with National road or even tertiary Route?


  • Posts: 31,118 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    SeanW wrote: »
    (Pedantic) question - does this mean that the co-signed part of the N52 has been redesignated M52? Or can you really have a cosigned Motorway with National road or even tertiary Route?

    I think that the N52 just has a break in it's route, simple as.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,110 ✭✭✭KevR


    It looks like this is going to be the official version of the tie-in
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=59295412&postcount=137

    That is a big relief!

    The people involved must have read this thread and took our advice haha.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,735 ✭✭✭Irish and Proud


    SeanW wrote: »
    (Pedantic) question - does this mean that the co-signed part of the N52 has been redesignated M52? Or can you really have a cosigned Motorway with National road or even tertiary Route?

    ...co-signing (or multi-plexing) formats could be as follow:

    M6 (N52)

    and

    M6 West
    (N52 South)


    Regards!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,107 ✭✭✭nordydan


    ...co-signing (or multi-plexing) formats could be as follow:

    M6 (N52)

    and

    M6 West
    (N52 South)


    Regards!

    It also multiplexes on the Mullingar bypass with the N4 (and is cosigned). And staggers across a R road somewhere in Meath. It a bollocks of a route alright.


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  • Posts: 31,118 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    KevR wrote: »
    That is a big relief!

    The people involved must have read this thread and took our advice haha.

    It's good that they have decided to do it my way ;)

    I still see it causing peak time delays, particularity at the daneshill roundabout as this will now be handling all the through traffic as well as local traffic.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,110 ✭✭✭KevR


    Go Bus now have non-stop services between Galway and Dublin City & onward connections to Dublin Airport.

    Average journey time is 2hrs 45mins which is roughly the same as the train. When the 2 new sections of the M6 open it should be even faster and beat the train's time.

    14 services each way daily.

    €10 for a single Galway-Dublin City, €15 Galway-Dublin Aiport single.

    They have onboard toilets and free onboard WiFi.

    With good advertising they should be able to win over a lot of train customers.

    I always used City Link or Go Bus for Dublin Airport and used the train for the City. Can see myself switching to the bus now - it's cheaper and travel time is roughly the same (but will beat the train in the near future).

    http://www.gobus.ie/index.php

    http://www.gobus.ie/media_lib/files/GoBus-Press-Release-march-5th.pdf


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,604 ✭✭✭veryangryman


    Sucks that Nestors dont use Athlone no more, but i guess Citylink still do an almost round the clock service anyway, so all good. :pac:

    Can be handy when you book a cheap flight that goes at circa 6am from Dub :D


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,091 ✭✭✭marmurr1916


    Sucks that Nestors dont use Athlone no more, but i guess Citylink still do an almost round the clock service anyway, so all good. :pac:

    Can be handy when you book a cheap flight that goes at circa 6am from Dub :D

    If only there was an airport in the midlands.... ;)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,091 ✭✭✭marmurr1916


    KevR wrote: »
    Go Bus now have non-stop services between Galway and Dublin City & onward connections to Dublin Airport.

    Average journey time is 2hrs 45mins which is roughly the same as the train. When the 2 new sections of the M6 open it should be even faster and beat the train's time.

    14 services each way daily.

    €10 for a single Galway-Dublin City, €15 Galway-Dublin Aiport single.

    They have onboard toilets and free onboard WiFi.

    With good advertising they should be able to win over a lot of train customers.

    I always used City Link or Go Bus for Dublin Airport and used the train for the City. Can see myself switching to the bus now - it's cheaper and travel time is roughly the same (but will beat the train in the near future).

    http://www.gobus.ie/index.php

    http://www.gobus.ie/media_lib/files/GoBus-Press-Release-march-5th.pdf

    I've said a few times before that the opening of these motorways, combined with non-stop bus services, is going to pose a serious challenge to the railways.

    Unless rail journey times are significantly improved, IE is going to be in serious trouble within two years.

    Edit: Bus Eireann have 16 services daily between Galway and Dublin, Gobus have 14, Citylink have 15 on weekdays, 16 on Sundays (19 to Dublin Airport).

    That's 45 bus services between Galway and Dublin from Monday to Saturday and 49 on Sundays.

    IE have 7 weekday services, 6 on Saturdays and Sundays. Average journey time is about 2 hours, 45 minutes.

    If Citylink and Bus Eireann both introduce more non-stop services when the M6 is finished then IE is screwed!


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,284 ✭✭✭dubhthach


    I've said a few times before that the opening of these motorways, combined with non-stop bus services, is going to pose a serious challenge to the railways.

    Unless rail journey times are significantly improved, IE is going to be in serious trouble within two years.

    Edit: Bus Eireann have 16 services daily between Galway and Dublin, Gobus have 14, Citylink have 15 on weekdays, 16 on Sundays (19 to Dublin Airport).

    That's 45 bus services between Galway and Dublin from Monday to Saturday and 49 on Sundays.

    IE have 7 weekday services, 6 on Saturdays and Sundays. Average journey time is about 2 hours, 45 minutes.

    If Citylink and Bus Eireann both introduce more non-stop services when the M6 is finished then IE is screwed!

    21st century road alignments trumping 19th century railway alignments when it comes to travel time, who would have thought it! ;)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,604 ✭✭✭veryangryman


    If only there was an airport in the midlands.... ;)

    In the interim 3 years odd, one still has to make the god-awful journey up the M6/M4/M50


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,091 ✭✭✭marmurr1916


    In the interim 3 years odd, one still has to make the god-awful journey up the M6/M4/M50

    Verily, the Lord said unto the Midlandites, I shall smite thee and thine airport and there shall be wailing and weeping, and gnashing of teeth. ;)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,091 ✭✭✭marmurr1916


    dubhthach wrote: »
    21st century road alignments trumping 19th century railway alignments when it comes to travel time, who would have thought it! ;)

    It's maybe time that IE moved into the 20th century when it comes to train travel speeds.

    There's no good reason why investment in track improvements shouldn't enable their trains to travel at the much higher speeds that they're actually capable of travelling at. They'll need to achieve average speeds of ca. 120 km/h on the main intercity routes to compete with non-stop bus services once the motorways are completed.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,082 ✭✭✭Chris_533976


    Rail speed between Galway and Dublin isnt TOO bad.

    150kmh between Dublin and about Portarlingon (where it drops to 25), then about 120kmh on average the rest of the way to Galway.

    Trouble is great swathes of it are single track, so you have to wait 30 minutes sometimes in Tullamore for the train coming the other way.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,284 ✭✭✭dubhthach


    It's maybe time that IE moved into the 20th century when it comes to train travel speeds.

    There's no good reason why investment in track improvements shouldn't enable their trains to travel at the much higher speeds that they're actually capable of travelling at. They'll need to achieve average speeds of ca. 120 km/h on the main intercity routes to compete with non-stop bus services once the motorways are completed.

    The problem is that even though they have laid new tracks (on concrete sleepers) there has been no major realignment of tracks to take out bad curves/gradients since the system was built in mid 19th century.

    A good example of this can be seen with WRC, when it eventually goes into service the trains will run considerably slower then standard road traffic all because no work was done to either straighten the track or reduce any severe gradients on it.

    Given the current economic climate I can't see where the money to do such work will come from. To be honest the money spent on WRC could have been better spent on the mainline routes, for example double tracking Galway to Athenry. If they Galway route had more double track I think the current travel times would reduce, I can recall sitting on a train in a station for 5-10minutes waiting until the track ahead was clear. Thus is the curse of single track lines in this country.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,082 ✭✭✭Chris_533976


    I can remember waiting 30 minutes. It was last Sunday :( Painful wait in Tullamore for the train coming the other way. An announcement was made, but only after we were sitting there for 20 of the 30 minutes.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,110 ✭✭✭KevR


    Last time I took a train from Dublin-Galway, a bit outside Dublin you could see a motorway (not sure which one) a short distance away and the cars on it were leaving us for dust.

    I agree that the sections of single track don't help train travel times at all.

    But Irish Rail will have to do something about it or else they will lose passengers to the motorway.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,735 ✭✭✭Irish and Proud


    KevR wrote: »
    Last time I took a train from Dublin-Galway, a bit outside Dublin you could see a motorway (not sure which one) a short distance away and the cars on it were leaving us for dust.

    ...it's probably the M7 in Kildare and/or Laois.

    Regards! :cool:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,721 ✭✭✭serfboard


    dubhthach wrote: »
    21st century road alignments trumping 19th century railway alignments when it comes to travel time, who would have thought it! ;)
    KevR wrote: »
    Last time I took a train from Dublin-Galway, a bit outside Dublin you could see a motorway (not sure which one) a short distance away and the cars on it were leaving us for dust.

    Was on the Eurostar going to Brussels last year and that train was leaving the fastest cars on the motorway for dust. But that's what you get when you have 21st century trains vs 21st century roads.

    Interesting that when the Government was being formed, of the three 'Green' portfolios, the Greens got Energy and Environment, but not Transport. I think this is because Fianna Fail wanted to finish the roads (first?) and didn't think the Greens would do it. I do believe that, had the money lasted, after the MIUs and ARC, then the majority of transport money would have gone into trains. Alas!

    Agree 100% about bus kicking the trains ass, specially on Galway-Dublin, when the M6 (and other MIUs) are complete.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,082 ✭✭✭Chris_533976


    KevR wrote: »
    Last time I took a train from Dublin-Galway, a bit outside Dublin you could see a motorway (not sure which one) a short distance away and the cars on it were leaving us for dust.

    The cars were speeding ;)

    My GPS says that stretch of track (near the M7) regularly gets speeds of 150kmh on the train. Its the fastest stretch between Dublin and Galway anyway. Then it drops to stupid speeds for the terrible alignment of Portarlington.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,779 ✭✭✭Carawaystick


    Rail speed between Galway and Dublin isnt TOO bad.

    150kmh between Dublin and about Portarlingon (where it drops to 25), then about 120kmh on average the rest of the way to Galway.

    Trouble is great swathes of it are single track, so you have to wait 30 minutes sometimes in Tullamore for the train coming the other way.

    25 mins for 21 kms from Athenry to Galway is a wee bit slower than 120kmh
    16:50 to 17:15


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 69,581 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Isn't some (but not enough to make it 120km/h) of the scheduled Athenry-Galway time recovery time?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,350 ✭✭✭doolox


    When I were a lad my Dad bought a Fiat 124 special without realising how fast it was, he normally drove Fords........
    We had business in Dublin and did the journey from 6.30 am to 9.00 am back in the 1970's when men were men and speed limits were theoretical.
    Most people took 4 hours to do it that time but, not realising the performance of automobilo Italiano he surprised and amazed himself..........
    Going thru midland towns at high speed was a gas......
    You would be pushed to do Dublin-Galway in 2.5 hours today even with the motorway.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,779 ✭✭✭Carawaystick


    doolox wrote: »
    When I were a lad my Dad bought a Fiat 124 special without realising how fast it was, he normally drove Fords........
    We had business in Dublin and did the journey from 6.30 am to 9.00 am back in the 1970's when men were men and speed limits were theoretical.
    Most people took 4 hours to do it that time but, not realising the performance of automobilo Italiano he surprised and amazed himself..........
    Going thru midland towns at high speed was a gas......
    You would be pushed to do Dublin-Galway in 2.5 hours today even with the motorway.

    It's 120km from Dublin to Athlone, with a 120kmh limit and about 90km from Athlone to Galway with one town, one village and one 6km 80kmh limit windy stretch. That's easily possible.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,082 ✭✭✭Chris_533976


    MYOB wrote: »
    Isn't some (but not enough to make it 120km/h) of the scheduled Athenry-Galway time recovery time?

    Athlone to Galway a few weeks ago was generally 110 or 120. The train left Dublin bang on time and arrived in Galway bang on time. However, we sat in Tullamore for 30 minutes waiting for the train to come the other way.

    Just shows what IE build into the timetable. We should have been in Galway 30 minutes earlier.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,779 ✭✭✭Carawaystick


    MYOB wrote: »
    Isn't some (but not enough to make it 120km/h) of the scheduled Athenry-Galway time recovery time?

    No. Unless IÉ publicly admit their timetables are not wholly based on the truth.....


  • Posts: 31,118 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    No. Unless IÉ publicly admit their timetables are not wholly based on the truth.....
    This remides me of a British Rail service into London, it had a shocking 70% failure rate to arrive within five minutes of it's scheduled arrival time.
    The following year the timetable had the journey taking ten minutes longer.
    The service was much improved afterwards. :rolleyes::D


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,295 ✭✭✭D.L.R.


    Irish Rail don't even mention dualling the Galway line in the LONG term. Should've been done with the WRC money. Fuppets.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,082 ✭✭✭Chris_533976


    Yeah in a dreamworld the entire of Galway to Dublin should be dual track and 200kmh running throughout. THAT would beat the motorway :D


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,110 ✭✭✭KevR


    Outside Athenry it looks like they are ready to start work on the bridge structure that will carry the M6 over the Galway-Athenry railway line.

    Haven't had any time to track progress on the M6 lately but hopefully I'll get a chance sometime in the next week to get out and about and have a proper look for any progress that may have been made over the last few weeks.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,082 ✭✭✭Chris_533976


    Bring Mr Camera :D


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,110 ✭✭✭KevR


    Will do!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,110 ✭✭✭KevR


    Drove to and from Lucan yesterday (Thursday) - I think it's my first time ever driving on the M6 in daylight!

    On the way home (Westbound) I noticed a light-pole at one of the junctions had been flatened by someone. Surprised a bit that there's not a crash barrier to stop people potentially having head-ons with the light poles.

    Also, I previously didn't realise that the lay-bys (from the HQDC days) were still in operation. There's still signs up advertising these as parking areas. Surely signs should be up saying No Entry or Garda Only to discourage people using these.

    And despite there being lay-bys, which apparently people are more than welcome to use, I saw loads of people pulled into the hard shoulder. I suspect many of these people were just doing so to make receive phone calls. I passed one on the M4 which was the only one I could say was definitely a break down (he was broken down/stuck in the fast lane with the hood of his car open)!

    On the way home on the M4/M6 I was beginning to think it was a bit boring driving for so long the motorway but I soon realised how crazy I was to think that when I got onto the N6 West of Athlone. People constantly arsing in and out of side roads, getting stuck behind people doing 60kmh on a decent 100kmh stretch of road, Ballinasloe town, all the roadworks - I thought I'd never see home.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,093 ✭✭✭Amtmann


    KevR wrote: »
    On the way home on the M4/M6 I was beginning to think it was a bit boring driving for so long the motorway but I soon realised how crazy I was to think that when I got onto the N6 West of Athlone. People constantly arsing in and out of side roads, getting stuck behind people doing 60kmh on a decent 100kmh stretch of road, Ballinasloe town, all the roadworks - I thought I'd never see home.

    Good paragraph. I've often heard people say that motorways are boring, but I really appreciate the engineering (usually), plus, as you said, the plain sailing. Still, it's always nice to use the old road every now and then when you've got the time and the conditions are good.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,110 ✭✭✭KevR


    Yeah the old road was fine/enjoyable on the way up - very little traffic and I averaged a good speed. Was a total contrast on the way home unfortunately.

    I normally very much enjoy motorway driving - I think it's the feeling that I'm always making progress that I like and it's very easy to reliably time your journey. Like you, I appreciate the engineering aswell.

    I think I was just getting a bit sick of driving in general the other day - think I spent the best part of 7 and a half driving various places with only a couple of quick breaks. Thank god it was a really nice sunny day (Thursday) and not like the monsoons we had yesterday (Friday)!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,110 ✭✭✭KevR


    Had a quick spin around earlier and got a few pictures. Was good to see them working on it on a Saturday (especially when you hear of work being very slow on some other road projects around the country).

    All are from the N18
    Click for larger image
    th_P1010516.jpg th_P1010517.jpg

    th_P1010518.jpg

    th_P1010515.jpg


    Was out around Athenry also but failed to get any pictures because the roads were busy and because there were men onsite working I couldn't just pull up at the site entrance like I normally would.

    The weather forecast for tomorrow is supposed to be pretty bad I think. If it's not as bad as the forecastrs say I might be tempted to head out again in the morning for some more photos. Roads should be quieter if I go early in the morning and I doubt there will be people on the M6 site working.

    It definitely seems to me that they're still on target for taking all their construction traffic off local roads and have them using the mainline by the end of April/May. Most structures seem to be progressing well and once the bridges and stuff are done they can start using the mainline for construction traffic.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,042 ✭✭✭kaizersoze


    Just reading the latest contractor newsletter.
    We'll also be getting 4 signature/feature/sexy overbridges along the route which is a welcome bonus.

    Feature%20Bridges.JPG_595.jpg

    1. ST36 West Ballinasloe GSJ Overbridge (Mackney).
    2. ST26 Treanbaun Overbridge (New Inn).
    3. ST21 Carrowkeel GSJ Overbridge.
    4. ST1B Glennascaul GSJ Overbridge.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 69,581 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Those 'feature' overbridges usually look comically dated after a while (the road east out of Calais towards Belgium has them) unfortunately.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,042 ✭✭✭kaizersoze


    MYOB wrote: »
    Those 'feature' overbridges usually look comically dated after a while (the road east out of Calais towards Belgium has them) unfortunately.

    Nothin a lick of paint wouldn't sort out...:p:D


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,468 ✭✭✭BluntGuy


    Nice to have a bit of variety on the route in any case.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,010 ✭✭✭Tech3


    Slightly off topic but does anyone know why google maps is still outdated? The M6 from Kinnegad to Athlone is complete for a long time now and also some sections of the M8.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,093 ✭✭✭Amtmann


    I have emailed Google Maps twice asking them to update their information. On Friday they added the Cashel to Cullahill section to Google Earth (not Google Maps), but most of this, C-M, and ALL of the M6, are incorrectly shown as green roads. It's actually very important for businesses, commuting and tourism that the roads are up-to-date on Google of all things.

    You can contact them here and request they update their data: http://earth.google.com/support/bin/request.py?&contact_type=data


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 69,581 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    The M6 to Athlone is at least actually present albeit as N6 - unlike my 2009 second update Garmin maps where its not there at all!


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,148 Mod ✭✭✭✭spacetweek


    Yeah find this reaaal frustrating. They just can't seem to get it right at all. Although the NRA don't really seem to have any official data source that they could use. But they must surely get a lot of messages from people pointing out the inaccuracies.

    I've sent messages to Teleatlas many times too, they're the supplier for Gmaps road data for Ireland.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,093 ✭✭✭Amtmann


    Some business have had to get artistic with Google Maps just to make themselves findable: http://www.rockwellcollege.ie/directions.html
    and see here: http://www.horseandjockeyhotel.com/web-content/Location.html


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,110 ✭✭✭KevR


    Didn't get a chance to go out and take some more photos this morning unfortunately. Maybe next week though.

    It annoys me too that Google Maps are so out of date. What are the bets that they leave updating the maps until just before the redesignation and after the redesignation the maps will again be out of date despite having been recently updated? :eek:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,110 ✭✭✭KevR


    Got a fair few photos today.

    They're taking forever to upload. I'm on the computer in college now and I have to head out for dinner soon; there's no way they'll be finished uploading by the time I log-off.

    Will upload them later at home but I'll probably lose all the upload progress I've made :(


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,031 ✭✭✭✭murphaph


    Where are they being uploaded to?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,082 ✭✭✭Chris_533976


    KevR wrote: »
    Didn't get a chance to go out and take some more photos this morning unfortunately. Maybe next week though.

    It annoys me too that Google Maps are so out of date. What are the bets that they leave updating the maps until just before the redesignation and after the redesignation the maps will again be out of date despite having been recently updated? :eek:

    Go to www.openstreetmap.org. Better anyway :D


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