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M8 motorway (general thread)

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Comments

  • #92
    Gatsby
    Registered Users Posts: 40 ✭Gatsby


    Are they opening the southern section of the Fermoy to Mithclestown motorway first before the norhtern section of this project?

    I drove from Fermoy to Dublin on Sunday and construction seemed much further advanced between junctions 13 & 14 than between junctions 12 & 13.


  • #93
    Amtmann
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,093 ✭✭✭Amtmann


    Gatsby wrote: »
    Are they opening the southern section of the Fermoy to Mithclestown motorway first before the norhtern section of this project?

    I drove from Fermoy to Dublin on Sunday and construction seemed much further advanced between junctions 13 & 14 than between junctions 12 & 13.


    Too soon to say. The NRA won't comment. However, I have been told that "if a project is ready to open ahead of schedule, it will open ahead of schedule".

    I'm betting too that J13-14 will open early.


  • #94
    Amtmann
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,093 ✭✭✭Amtmann


    larryone wrote: »
    However. Durrow and Abbeyliex and the roads on this section will have to be put up with till 2010 =0(. I dread hitting the queue at Abbeyliex. Sometimes I wonder if it'd be easier to bypass it on the back roads...

    Big time. Between Durrow and Abbeyleix yesterday at 6pm and I saw a farmer about to herd his cows (about 40) across the N8! I couldn't believe it! This must happen twice daily I take it?


  • #95
    Heroditas
    Registered Users Posts: 9,441 ✭✭✭Heroditas


    It was probably the same farmer who decided to bring his tractor and trailer onto the N8 at the same point last week and crawled up the road for a couple of miles at 10MPH refusing to pull over and let traffic by. :rolleyes:


  • #96
    Amtmann
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,093 ✭✭✭Amtmann


    "Motorway Ahead - No L Drivers" signs were erected at Junctions 12, 11, 10, and 9 this week.

    A solid yellow line is being painted along both sides of the Cashel Bypass too.


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  • #97
    marmurr1916
    Registered Users Posts: 2,091 ✭✭✭marmurr1916


    Just over two weeks before our newest motorways open under full motorway regulations. The excitement! I had to get the bus up to Dublin last Sunday from Cork. Luckily the bus went non-stop (except for 10 minute break in Urlingford). We took 3 hours 25 minutes to get from the centre of Cork (Bus Station, Parnell Place) to O'Connell Bridge in Dublin.

    Hopefully genuine non-stop services (with on-board toilets) will be introduced when the motorway is finished. I reckon they'll be able to do it in 3 hours if that happens.

    That'll put pressure on Irish Rail. Currently Cork-Dublin Heuston takes at least 2 hours 45 minutes or longer. Add in at least 15 minutes to get from Heuston to Abbey Street, plus a ten minute walk from the centre of Cork to Kent station and the bus journey from centre to centre (Patrick's St to O'Connell St) will be quicker and cheaper.


  • #98
    BluntGuy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,468 ✭✭✭BluntGuy


    Furet wrote: »
    "Motorway Ahead - No L Drivers" signs were erected at Junctions 12, 11, 10, and 9 this week.

    A solid yellow line is being painted along the both sides of the Cashel Bypass too.

    Excellent news.

    I'm hoping that they've also put back the start of motorway and end of motorway 'chopsticks' that were removed. The road felt very incomplete without them.

    If you have some pictures, particuarly of the Cashel Bypass, please post them here!

    *** Note To Those Interested In The M8 ***

    I've started doing 'Clear Scheme Layouts'. Basically, it lists the exits of motorways (when completed) in a nice, fresh, clear layout. So far I've done the M8 and the M9. I'm working on the M7 and the M50.

    And keep your eye on the wikipedia page. All news posted here becomes available on the M8 wikipedia page. The 'clear scheme layout' mentioned above is available there.


  • #99
    Amtmann
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,093 ✭✭✭Amtmann


    BluntGuy wrote: »
    Excellent news.

    I'm hoping that they've also put back the start of motorway and end of motorway 'chopsticks' that were removed. The road felt very incomplete without them.

    If you have some pictures, particuarly of the Cashel Bypass, please post them here!

    *** Note To Those Interested In The M8 ***

    I've started doing 'Clear Scheme Layouts'. Basically, it lists the exits of motorways (when completed) in a nice, fresh, clear layout. So far I've done the M8 and the M9. I'm working on the M7 and the M50.

    And keep your eye on the wikipedia page. All news posted here becomes available on the M8 wikipedia page. The 'clear scheme layout' mentioned above is available there.


    I won't be in the country again until after the 25th, but I'll take some snaps then. I'd like to wait for a sunny day for a change. The weather's been so foul this year that almost all my photos look dreary and dull. A bit of sunshine would improve the look!


  • #100
    BluntGuy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,468 ✭✭✭BluntGuy


    Furet wrote: »
    I won't be in the country again until after the 25th, but I'll take some snaps then. I'd like to wait for a sunny day for a change. The weather's been so foul this year that almost all my photos look dreary and dull. A bit of sunshine would improve the look!

    Well, I can probably take some photos myself. I might be driving around there soon, but not sure if it will be before the 24th.


  • #101
    Amtmann
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,093 ✭✭✭Amtmann


    marmurr1916 wrote: »
    Hopefully genuine non-stop services (with on-board toilets) will be introduced when the motorway is finished. I reckon they'll be able to do it in 3 hours if that happens.

    Absolutely. I wonder what Bus Eireann's plans are in relation to the interurbans. Certainly during tourist season you could run a fully boarded non-stop service between Dublin and any of the cities several times a day without difficulty.


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  • #102
    BluntGuy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,468 ✭✭✭BluntGuy


    Will the traditional Urlingford rest be maintained?


  • #103
    Amtmann
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,093 ✭✭✭Amtmann


    BluntGuy wrote: »
    Will the traditional Urlingford rest be maintained?

    Good question. I don't know. That's kind of one of the reasons I started that thread on Josephine's. I'd imagine that when the service area gets built close to Junction 9 at some point in the future, the rest area for the non-stops will be there, while Urlingford will continue to be used for busses stopping at all the major towns. That's pure speculation on my part, however.

    Blunt Guy, I notice that quite a few people record journeys on motorways with a camcorder and post them on YouTube. I'd do one for the M8, but I don't have the equipment. Do you?


  • #104
    BluntGuy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,468 ✭✭✭BluntGuy


    Furet wrote: »
    Good question. I don't know. That's kind of one of the reasons I started that thread on Josephine's. I'd imagine that when the service area gets built close to Junction 9 at some point in the future, the rest area for the non-stops will be there, while Urlingford will continue to be used for busses stopping at all the major towns. That's pure speculation on my part, however.

    Blunt Guy, I notice that quite a few people record journeys on motorways with a camcorder and post them on YouTube. I'd do one for the M8, but I don't have the equipment. Do you?

    Well I have a camcorder. But I very rarely record journeys.

    I've recorded parts of the M7, the M8 at Fermoy, the M50, the N20 approaching Cork and the Cashel-Mitchelstown M8 as it was under construction.

    But I wouldn't record huge ten minute chunks like some of those youtube videos, only about one-to-two minutes.


  • #105
    Amtmann
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,093 ✭✭✭Amtmann


    No prob. It'll get done eventually no doubt!


  • #106
    marmurr1916
    Registered Users Posts: 2,091 ✭✭✭marmurr1916


    Furet wrote: »
    Absolutely. I wonder what Bus Eireann's plans are in relation to the interurbans. Certainly during tourist season you could run a fully boarded non-stop service between Dublin and any of the cities several times a day without difficulty.

    I have a feeling it'll be Aircoach, Citylink and the other private operators who'll take the lead on this one!

    I think there would be year round demand for non-stop services from the main cities and towns to/from Dublin, especially if they can almost match the train journey times while being significantly (say at least 30%) cheaper than the off-peak trains on those routes.


  • #107
    G_R
    Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 5,022 Mod ✭✭✭✭G_R


    i hope they dont make all their services non stop... people in between have to get places to... and we cant all use the brand new motorways


  • #108
    BluntGuy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,468 ✭✭✭BluntGuy


    dannym08 wrote: »
    i hope they dont make all their services non stop... people in between have to get places to... and we can all use the brand new motorways

    The buses don't generally use the motorways I don't think. The bus from Dublin to Cork avoids them except for the Fermoy Bypass.


  • #109
    G_R
    Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 5,022 Mod ✭✭✭✭G_R


    BluntGuy wrote: »
    The buses don't generally use the motorways I don't think. The bus from Dublin to Cork avoids them except for the Fermoy Bypass.

    at the moment... but that could change when the whole route is complete


  • #110
    marmurr1916
    Registered Users Posts: 2,091 ✭✭✭marmurr1916


    dannym08 wrote: »
    i hope they dont make all their services non stop... people in between have to get places to... and we cant all use the brand new motorways

    I doubt they will but there'll be demand for non-stop services too especially at busier times.

    Ideally there should be three levels of service:

    express - non-stop from end to end
    regional - serving the bigger towns en-route
    local - serving all towns and villages


  • #111
    invincibleirish
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,219 ✭✭✭invincibleirish


    BE are way ahead of you guys, obviously not many Bus users on here;), on Cork - Dublin there is an express & non express service on each of the timetabled services.

    When the M8 is finished hopefully express services wont have to stop for a rest at Urlingford either, there is no need for a 20 minute break in what should be by then a 3hr journey.


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  • #112
    Stark
    Registered Users Posts: 20,890 ✭✭✭✭Stark


    invincibleirish wrote: »
    BE are way ahead of you guys, obviously not many Bus users on here;), on Cork - Dublin there is an express & non express service on each of the timetabled services.

    Really? I remember them running direct Dublin-Cork buses on a Friday evening but there was a never a guarantee that they would run. I ended up on a bus that stopped in every boghole before and it took me 6 and a half hours to reach Cork. Not an experience I'd care to repeat.

    Is the direct service advertised somewhere?


  • #113
    invincibleirish
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,219 ✭✭✭invincibleirish


    Stark wrote: »
    Really? I remember them running direct Dublin-Cork buses on a Friday evening but there was a never a guarantee that they would run. I ended up on a bus that stopped in every boghole before and it took me 6 and a half hours to reach Cork. Not an experience I'd care to repeat.

    Is the direct service advertised somewhere?

    Well whenever i've went Cork-Dublin or vice versa over the past year or so there has been direct express buses put on at Busaras & Cork, ive been going at peak and off peak times across the week.


  • #114
    BluntGuy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,468 ✭✭✭BluntGuy


    I'm sure I've seen direct service buses before. They have 'express' on the front of them.


  • #115
    Stark
    Registered Users Posts: 20,890 ✭✭✭✭Stark


    They definitely exist alright. But as far as I know, they're not officially timetabled services. I started a thread about them before: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055188045 . Apparently there's some licensing bull**** that prevents them from running an official direct service. Which will be a huge pity once the motorway is fully open.


  • #116
    marmurr1916
    Registered Users Posts: 2,091 ✭✭✭marmurr1916


    invincibleirish wrote: »
    BE are way ahead of you guys, obviously not many Bus users on here;), on Cork - Dublin there is an express & non express service on each of the timetabled services.

    When the M8 is finished hopefully express services wont have to stop for a rest at Urlingford either, there is no need for a 20 minute break in what should be by then a 3hr journey.

    Not true. They only put on non-stop (in reality express because they always stop at Urlingford) services if there are enough passengers to fill two or more buses. One bus will be used for passengers travelling between Cork and towns en-route to Dublin; the other bus will be used for passengers travelling from Cork to Dublin.

    But there are no officially timetabled non-stop services between Cork and Dublin run by BE.

    The BE timetables for Expressway route 8 (Cork-Cahir-Dublin) is here:

    http://www.buseireann.ie/pdf/1202289483-8Nov29.pdf

    All BE Cork-Dublin services are timetabled to stop at Fermoy, Mitchelstown, Cahir, Cashel, Urlingford, Durrow, Abbeyleix and Portlaoise.

    I was lucky the last time I used them because they put on a second non-stop (except Urlingford) bus because it was so busy. But that doesn't happen all the time and is never guaranteed.

    Any non-stop service would be considered a new service by the Dept. of Transport and they'd have to give their approval first.


  • #117
    D.L.R.
    Registered Users Posts: 1,282 ✭✭✭D.L.R.


    Yes, I think the service isn't there because the infrastructure hasn't been there in the past. Not so long ago, the Cork-Dublin bus went through every town anyway, so might as well let people off and on. The new motorways will allow genuine express journeys if the bus companies are willing to take advantage.

    I wonder what cie will do here, seeing as they own both bus and rail. Express bus routes will kill rail, being the same speed or faster, and half the price.


  • #118
    Colm R
    Registered Users Posts: 997 ✭✭✭Colm R


    I used to travel regurarly on the bus last year on Fridays between Cork and Dublin.

    It was always fun waiting down in Parnell Station.

    Generally you would have a BE Bus sitting in the pay with the digital sign saying Dublin and a big long queue outside it. Then a private bus would pull up outside. Generally the private bus would go express but not always. I use to ask the staff outside which one was going direct, and they wouldn't tell me. After a while, I got to know them as a regular travel and learned that they were not allowed to tell me as an express bus is not licenced.

    Although from just pure luck, 9 times out of 10, the private bus would go express.


  • #119
    marmurr1916
    Registered Users Posts: 2,091 ✭✭✭marmurr1916


    I reckon BE won't run express services on this route or on the other routes with motorways. They only run a bus service every two hours from Cork, probably so as not to compete with the hourly train service.

    Hopefully the private operators, Aercoach, Citylink etc. will make up for BE's inaction!


  • #120
    Chris_533976
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,082 ✭✭✭Chris_533976


    Unlikely, Citylink run Galway to Dublin Airport and they dont go on the motorway till they get to Lucan. Its an absolute joke and the last time I used it several people missed their flight because they thought that three hours to get from Galway to Dublin airport was reasonable. It took four and a half.


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  • #121
    Danno
    Registered Users Posts: 8,913 ✭✭✭Danno


    I heard today that December 5th will be the opening date for Cullohill to Cashel.


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