Non-Official, Offline Motorway Services in Ireland

ongarboy · 26-08-2013 7:47pm

I see Tipp North Co Co have given the go ahead to an offline MSA in Birdhill to be operated by Applegreen. This is in addition to the offline being built further up the road in Moneygall involving Supermacs which according to below link is due to start construction imminently.

Finally the M7 is getting some decent facilities. As a regular Dublin to Tralee motorist, it's currently a long drive from Monasterevin to Adare (nearest convenient facilities) if you find yourself running low on fuel or need of refreshments.

http://www.nenaghguardian.ie/news-detail.php?article=U6NT5S

kilclon · 26-08-2013 11:21pm

This one near Paulstown just off the M9 is due a decision next month

for the development of a Motorway Service Area to include vehicle fuelling station with 12 no. bays as well as HGV fuelling station with 2 no. bays. A part single storey part two storey services building with a total floor area of 1350m2 including convenience store (347m2), food court (333m2) with 2 no. food outlets including takeaway / drive through restaurant and associated services at ground floor as well as first floor offices and plant room (286m2) along with external dining area and all associated carparking spaces (119 no.) and HGV parking spaces (12 no.), new access from the M9 link road (R912) and new access to the R712, as well as 2 no. totem signs along with all associated site developments works

Topaz have a site notice up at the N80/M9 junction (second carlow exit) since 9th August and the newspaper notice went in last week. No application as yet.

These two are only 20km apart. Interesting to see how it pans out.

munchkin_utd · 27-08-2013 8:20am

kilclon wrote: »

This one near Paulstown just off the M9 is due a decision
<snip> all associated carparking spaces (119 no.) and HGV parking spaces (12 no.), <snip>

and MUCH better than the fiasco which is the Cashel station (which for the first time I now see is on google street view)

For those who havent seen the shambles down there, with only 40spaces which are LITERALLY impossible to access as one entrance is marked "HGV / Drive Through", the other "petrol" and once you have discarded both these in expectation of a "Parking" sign, youre on your way back to the Motorway as there is no entrance for Parking - only an exit!!!!!!!!!

Heres the google street view of what must be one of the worlds worst designed modern "Motorway service stations".
https://www.google.de/maps?ll=52.484453,-7.832565&spn=0.448675,1.203003&cbp=12,131.04,,0,10.64&layer=c&panoid=NXrnYzaalRXMnMb1dAH95Q&cbll=52.509531,-7.873923&dg=opt&t=h&z=11
I'd name and shame the idiot architects only I cannot find any info on who came up with the crazy design.

L1011 · 27-08-2013 8:58am

I put the planning app up with their name on it maybe a few hundred posts ago.

linny · 01-10-2013 10:11am

kilclon wrote: »

This one near Paulstown just off the M9 is due a decision next month

for the development of a Motorway Service Area to include vehicle fuelling station with 12 no. bays as well as HGV fuelling station with 2 no. bays. A part single storey part two storey services building with a total floor area of 1350m2 including convenience store (347m2), food court (333m2) with 2 no. food outlets including takeaway / drive through restaurant and associated services at ground floor as well as first floor offices and plant room (286m2) along with external dining area and all associated carparking spaces (119 no.) and HGV parking spaces (12 no.), new access from the M9 link road (R912) and new access to the R712, as well as 2 no. totem signs along with all associated site developments works

Topaz have a site notice up at the N80/M9 junction (second carlow exit) since 9th August and the newspaper notice went in last week. No application as yet.

These two are only 20km apart. Interesting to see how it pans out.

Kilkenny co co have requested further information, so god knows how long they will drag out there decision, and there have been a few submissions to name one topaz, who just happen to be applying for there own site at exit 5 on M9 this will surely end up with an bord pleanala

kilclon · 01-10-2013 10:21am

Has pp for the exit 5 service station been submitted yet? I haven't seen it but the site notice has been there quite a while now.

linny · 01-10-2013 10:41am

kilclon wrote: »

Has pp for the exit 5 service station been submitted yet? I haven't seen it but the site notice has been there quite a while now.

couldn't see it on Carlow coco web site but this says it has been submitted
http://www.thejournal.ie/jobs-motorway-topaz-1108710-Oct2013/

veryangryman · 01-10-2013 10:48am

munchkin_utd wrote: »

I'd name and shame the idiot architects only I cannot find any info on who came up with the crazy design.

Fair enough, the station isnt "idiot proof".

As a non-idiot, I have never ended up missing the parking and back on the motorway (seriously I need to meet some of these morons who do this). Sure they should change signs, but Im a fairly alert motorist who doesn't blindly follow things just because the sign says so. Adapt to the conditons, expect the unexpected etc etc.

marmurr1916 · 01-10-2013 11:00am

linny wrote: »

couldn't see it on Carlow coco web site but this says it has been submitted
http://www.thejournal.ie/jobs-motorway-topaz-1108710-Oct2013/

This report from the Irish Times says that Topaz will be starting work on an MSA at Junction 3 of the M8 in January (expected completion July 2014) and is still waiting for planning permission for their proposed M9 (Junction 5) MSA:

Ireland’s largest fuels and convenience retailer, Topaz, is to create 100 new jobs in Carlow and Laois as part of an €8 million investment in new motorway service stations.

The new service stations will be located at junction 3 on the Dublin-Cork motorway (M8) near Ballacolla, Co Laois and at junction 5 on the Dublin-Waterford motorway (M9) in Co Carlow.

Work on the 600 square metre site in Co Laois will begin in January and is expected to be completed by July 2014.

A planning application has been submitted for the Carlow site and construction there is expected to start next summer.

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/economy/topaz-to-create-100-new-jobs-1.1546154

blindsider · 01-10-2013 11:01am

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/economy/topaz-to-create-100-new-jobs-1.1546154

The new service stations will be located at junction 3 on the Dublin-Cork motorway (M8) near Ballacolla, Co Laois and at junction 5 on the Dublin-Waterford motorway (M9) in Co Carlow. Work on the 600 square metre site in Co Laois will begin in January and is expected to be completed by July 2014.

A planning application has been submitted for the Carlow site and construction there is expected to start next summer.
Some 200 people will be employed during the construction phase of both sites, while 100 full time jobs would be created once the sites are operational, Topaz said. “We have an excellent motorway network in Ireland now but there is a shortage of service areas and we want to address that. We see both these sites as being a vital rest and refueling stops for motorists travelling between Dublin and Cork and Dublin and Waterford,” Paul Candon of Topaz said.
He said an estimated 10,000 motorists use both motorways every day.

@Marmurr1916 - Great minds....!

Chris_5339762 · 01-10-2013 11:45am

Will both of these be similar to Cashel (hope not) or much better?

swoofer · 01-10-2013 12:42pm

I wonder does TOPAZ HQ realise how bad that Cashel service area is?? Sign for PETROL on road is a real giveaway that designer did not get a lot of work. FUEL is correct and less letters so cheaper.

I bet it has been improved but it is one stop I am not going to visit to check, too dangerous.

L1011 · 01-10-2013 1:02pm

Went in to Cashel 3x over the weekend (was up/down/up/down from Cork), two of them times I'd have imagined it to be quiet. Sum total of 2 free parking spaces at most and cars dumped bloody everywhere. They have to losing money due to the parking and layout.

Vanquished · 01-10-2013 6:57pm

I notice that the Applegreen service facility planned for M7 junction 27 has been appealed to An Bord Pleanala.

242361: Lackanavea, Birdhill, Co. Tipperary. (12/51/0421)
North Tipperary County Council

Construction of an offline motorway services area and associated works. Proposed development is to replace previous permission reg ref 10/15/0047 on these lands.

Case reference: PL22 .242361

Case type: Planning Appeal

Status: Case is due to be decided by 18-12-2013
Parties

Applegreen Service Areas Ltd, (Applicant)
Michael Larkin, (Appellant) (Active)

History

15/08/2013: Lodged

http://www.pleanala.ie/casenum/242361.htm

MrDerp · 01-10-2013 10:59pm

Vanquished wrote: »

I notice that the Applegreen service facility planned for M7 junction 27 has been appealed to An Bord Pleanala.

Lol, is that the Michael Larkin who owns a garage between junction 27 and Ballina?

L1011 · 01-10-2013 11:06pm

Probably. Most objections to any new retail outlet are competitors, look at any pub or supermarket planning file

Vanquished · 01-10-2013 11:34pm

MrDerp wrote: »

Lol, is that the Michael Larkin who owns a garage between junction 27 and Ballina?

Indeed it would appear so. He objected to the initial application before the local authority as well according to the planning file.

Hopefully it will eventually see the light of day. Such a facility is lacking on this section of the M7.

Incidentally what is the current status of "Barack Obama plaza":rolleyes: just up the road in Moneygall? Has construction begun?

Irish_rat · 03-10-2013 3:47pm

Junction 27 is too near Limerick. J22 to J25 would be ideal IMO.

Cookiemunster · 03-10-2013 4:08pm

Irish_rat wrote: »

Junction 27 is too near Limerick. J22 to J25 would be ideal IMO.

What if your travelling to Ennis? The M7 may end at Limerick, but the N/M18 only starts there and goes all the way to Gort.

veryangryman · 03-10-2013 4:30pm

Cookiemunster wrote: »

What if your travelling to Ennis? The M7 may end at Limerick, but the N/M18 only starts there and goes all the way to Gort.

Pretty much all Kerry/Clare journeys are well catered for on this. Limerick-Dublin traffic has a halfway house at Monasterevin not to mention offline at Portlaoise and Rathcoole

Cookiemunster · 03-10-2013 4:58pm

veryangryman wrote: »

Pretty much all Kerry/Clare journeys are well catered for on this. Limerick-Dublin traffic has a halfway house at Monasterevin not to mention offline at Portlaoise and Rathcoole

The post I was replying to said that services at J27 was to close to Limerick. I was merely pointing out that the motorway/dual carriageway doesn't end at Limerick.
Also how are they well catered for? Portlaoise is 113kms from Limerick and 155km from Ennis.You can travel from Gort to Dublin without leaving the motorway/dual carriageway. And I never mentioned Kerry seeing as it doesn't have any motorways.

L1011 · 03-10-2013 4:58pm

Monasterevin is not halfway. Portlaoise does not have colocated fuel and services

veryangryman · 03-10-2013 5:09pm

Motorway or not, people do sometimes need to stop to break up a journey. In a Kerry-Dublin journey, the new service station would be useful.

Stations every 90Km or so is plenty on that stretch of road considering the traffic count. Offline or not, full service or not. I will never understand peoples anal obsession with the bells and whistles solutions. Cashel is a brill service station in my opinion, beats any of the online ones ive seen (not counting Monasterevin)

Jayuu · 05-10-2013 2:09pm

Irish_rat wrote: »

Junction 27 is too near Limerick. J22 to J25 would be ideal IMO.

People said the same thing about the Lusk station on the M1 (that it was too close to Dublin) yet anytime I've ever been there it's been pretty busy.

The point is that once the station is there people will adjust their habits to take them into account. So if I'm going from Dublin to Belfast these days I tend to stop in at Lusk and get myself a coffee/soft drink (and sometimes petrol) to set myself up for the journey.

munchkin_utd · 07-10-2013 10:21am

veryangryman wrote: »

<snip>Cashel is a brill service station in my opinion, beats any of the online ones ive seen (not counting Monasterevin)

The official ones have adequate and findable parking - so on that score alone win hands down.

Maybe youve been to Cashel in the dead of night PLUS through force of habit you know that the passage marked "HGV/ Drive through" translates to "car parking" - but to the rest of us that use the place infrequently or for the first time its an unmitigated disaster - and solely to do with the parking situation

Stinicker · 07-10-2013 11:05am

munchkin_utd wrote: »

The official ones have adequate and findable parking - so on that score alone win hands down.

Maybe youve been to Cashel in the dead of night PLUS through force of habit you know that the passage marked "HGV/ Drive through" translates to "car parking" - but to the rest of us that use the place infrequently or for the first time its an unmitigated disaster - and solely to do with the parking situation

I wonder will any of these stations sell Autogas? I have yet to see any motorway service station sell gas yet they are doing ESB electric car points when there is hardly no electric cars in the country, autogas is growing fast and should be catered for as it is a real alternative fuel unlike the electric car which has yet to prove itself.

veryangryman · 08-10-2013 3:42pm

munchkin_utd wrote: »

The official ones have adequate and findable parking - so on that score alone win hands down.

Maybe youve been to Cashel in the dead of night PLUS through force of habit you know that the passage marked "HGV/ Drive through" translates to "car parking"

Nope, busy Friday evening. Figured that when in doubt, drive towards petrol pumps. I keep repeating things I know but common sense and not "obey signs regardless of how ridiculous they are" are skills that any Motorway driver should have.

Plenty of sh1t and incorrect signage in this country; do you all blindly follow that too?

linny · 08-10-2013 11:21pm

new motorway service station planned for m8 at urlingford http://planning.kilkennycity.ie/FileRefDetails.aspx?file_number=13445&LASiteID=0

ongarboy · 09-10-2013 11:43pm

Jayuu wrote: »

People said the same thing about the Lusk station on the M1 (that it was too close to Dublin) yet anytime I've ever been there it's been pretty busy.

The point is that once the station is there people will adjust their habits to take them into account. So if I'm going from Dublin to Belfast these days I tend to stop in at Lusk and get myself a coffee/soft drink (and sometimes petrol) to set myself up for the journey.

If you're travelling from anywhere in Munster or South Leinster to Antrim (Belfast), Down or Louth or vice versa, Lusk's proximity to Dublin is irrelevant as it's the first dedicated online MSS you'll come across currently (or else Castlebellingham further north) - it's a welcome stop off or intermediary point for rest,refreshment and refuellling if you've already been travelling hours without a break. I imagine this was considered when the Lusk location was planned and not just about how many Dublin motorists it would attract. I believe that's also why this MSS is so busy.

munchkin_utd · 17-10-2013 9:26am

ongarboy wrote: »

If you're travelling from anywhere in Munster or South Leinster to Antrim (Belfast), Down or Louth or vice versa, Lusk's proximity to Dublin is irrelevant as it's the first dedicated online MSS you'll come across currently (or else Castlebellingham further north) - it's a welcome stop off or intermediary point for rest,refreshment and refuellling if you've already been travelling hours without a break. I imagine this was considered when the Lusk location was planned and not just about how many Dublin motorists it would attract. I believe that's also why this MSS is so busy.

absolutely correct.

If coming from Cork/ Limerick/ Waterford you are hitting about 2hours in the car when approaching the M50 so are fine to continue, but by the time you are around the city and on the M1 most would be happy to have a break ASAP.

Non-Official, Offline Motorway Services in Ireland

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