Parnell Square Station

strassenwolf

The RPA plans for the metro include a "possible" station at Parnell Square, between the stops at O'Connell Bridge and Mater Hospital.

If the costs are not absolutely prohibitive, I think it would be a good idea to have this station. The "Platform for Change" from the DTO indicated that there might be as many as three stations between Stephen's Green and the Mater Hospital - Nassau, Tara Street and Rotunda. That figure is now down to just one - the station at O'Connell Bridge.

If the DTO were hoping to see three stations in that "area" of town, one imagines that this was because their figures indicated that this was what would be required to cater for the passenger volumes envisaged. And, at the time that "Platform for Change" came out, the metro was broadly proposed to be a "heavy" metro.

The plans are now for a "light" metro, and we're down to just one station. Can this one station cope?

I'd imagine that it's easier to build the station at Parnell Square while the metro is being constructed, rather than to try and put it in at a later date, if the station at O'Connell Bridge is just too busy.

Is this correct?

OTK

David Norris kept joking at the joint transport committee meetings about the need for a station outside his gaff. That aside, there is the Rotunda hospital, a lot of high density development on Parnell street west of O'Connell street. The other end of the street is ripe for development. Plus you have henry street/ilac centre shopping area. Plenty of high density older corpo flats around too. Stations are normally built first before the tunnel is bored. They can be mined or excavated. (Almost certainly mined in this case at great expense).

AlekSmart

Take a peep "Strassenwolf" at the "Dublin Bus after 5pm in Santry" thread ...

Your accurate observation regarding the High Density housing and associated commercial activity at the West End of Parnell St confirms my thoughts on the topic.

As I see it both Dublin Bus and the City Council have totally ignored the infrastructural needs of this now highly populated area.

The danger of this type of hands-off city management is the ease with which a neighbourhood descends into Slum Status.
To my mind our particular West-End is presently very finely balanced as can be observed in the almost decrepit condition of the Former Imax and Parnell Centre itself.
When the Parnell Centre Cinemas initially opened I had hopes of Dublin Bus moving at least some of it`s City Centre Bus Termini to cluster around the Centre which would at least have stimulated the area with movement and resultant business.

Well...Nothing of the sort happened and the Invisible Line in the public transport sand remained firmly drawn across Parnell St outside the Kingfisher Restuarant.

This RPA plan will definitely shaft Dublin Bus big-time and who can say they don`t deserve it after studiously ignoring this area for so long......:rolleyes:

markpb

AlekSmart wrote:

When the Parnell Centre Cinemas initially opened I had hopes of Dublin Bus moving at least some of it`s City Centre Bus Termini to cluster around the Centre which would at least have stimulated the area with movement and resultant business.

It would be great to see some buses operating around the Parnell Centre but I'm not sure if you remembered to take your rose tinted glasses off before you wrote that Most of the city centre streets where DB terminates its buses are truly awful places completely devoid of retail or indeed life.

Have a look at Marlborough St, Talbot St and parts of Abbey street. Maybe it's a co-incidence but I wouldn't go there for the atmosphere Now if a proper bus depot could be integrated into the Parnell centre....

AlekSmart

And,Markpb it surely could be so....however it would require the surrender of at least a floorfull of CAR parking spaces......Get thee behind me Satan....and when you are quite finished may I have my rose-tint`s back..?

lostexpectation

AlekSmart wrote:

Take a peep "Strassenwolf" at the "Dublin Bus after 5pm in Santry" thread ...

Your accurate observation regarding the High Density housing and associated commercial activity at the West End of Parnell St confirms my thoughts on the topic.

As I see it both Dublin Bus and the City Council have totally ignored the infrastructural needs of this now highly populated area.

The danger of this type of hands-off city management is the ease with which a neighbourhood descends into Slum Status.
To my mind our particular West-End is presently very finely balanced as can be observed in the almost decrepit condition of the Former Imax and Parnell Centre itself.
When the Parnell Centre Cinemas initially opened I had hopes of Dublin Bus moving at least some of it`s City Centre Bus Termini to cluster around the Centre which would at least have stimulated the area with movement and resultant business.

ha parnell street is orr west end???

it is funny that dublin doesn't have a 'theatre district'

strassenwolf

Today's Independent wrote:

RPA looking at possibility of new Metro stop for city centre

THEATRE-GOERS might be saved the walk from the River Liffey to the Gate Theatre if a Metro North stop is built on Parnell Square.

Despite stations being planned for O'Connell Bridge and the Mater Hospital, the RPA are seeking submissions from the public about providing another to serve the Rotunda Hospital and the Gate.

The move comes after Dublin City Council and other parties claimed that the Metro North system, announced just two weeks ago, would not serve the Parnell Square end of the capital's main thoroughfare.

The system, due to come into operation in 2012, will run from St Stephen's Green to Lissenhall, via the airport, and about half the system will be underground. It will run for 17km.

Yesterday, the RPA said it was considering building the Parnell Square stop, which would add one minute to the journey time of the Metro. The station would have to be built underground at considerable expense.

The public have been asked to make comments regarding the proposed stop, and have until November 30 to do so.

The distance from O'Connell Bridge to the Mater is just over a mile, and yesterday the RPA said building an underground station at Parnell Square would add significantly to the cost.

However, it refused to say how much the total bill would be, citing commercial reasons.

The agency has also refused to state how much the system will cost to build, but estimates suggest it would be "at least" €1.4bn.

"There was a strong case made (by the council and others) to serve that end of O'Connell Street. We want to see if there's any objections," a spokesman said.

Comments can be made to info@rpa.ie or by calling 1800 67 64 64.

Paul Melia

looks like good news.

AlekSmart

"Saved the walk along O Connell St"........Surely a walk along O Connell St of an evening IS Theatre at its best.....especially if there`s a pot-boiler performance outside Dr Quirkeys?

Surely also this RPA policy flies in the face of the very reasoning for the O Connell St Integrated Area Plan works in the first place ?
Were these works not intended to ATTRACT more Boulavardiers onto the Street of an evening ...?

Then there is the added threat which this Station would pose to that great `oul Dubberlin Tradition,catchin a Dublin Bus to the Pillar......any bus will do...70% of them go there anyway because as all true Dubs know,EVERYBODY wants to go to O Connell St !!

Or am I missing something here ?

strassenwolf

The RPA wrote:

Parnell Square

After the announcement of the Metro North route RPA commenced public consultation on the possibility of a Metro stop at Parnell Square on the 24th of October 2006. As a result of this Public Consultation there was overwhelming support for this stop and it will be included in Metro North.

http://www.rpa.ie/metro/about_metro/what_is_metro

One interesting aspect of this good decision is that it will probably involve the metro going quite deep below the ground at the North Frederick Street entrance/exit, given the slope along Parnell Square.

A big hello to Dublin's longest escalator.:D

Fratton Fred

strassenwolf wrote:

http://www.rpa.ie/metro/about_metro/what_is_metro

One interesting aspect of this good decision is that it will probably involve the metro going quite deep below the ground at the North Frederick Street entrance/exit, given the slope along Parnell Square.

A big hello to Dublin's longest escalator.:D

Why is there always so much public consultation, why don't they just get on and build the bloody thing.

Prof_V

strassenwolf wrote:

One interesting aspect of this good decision is that it will probably involve the metro going quite deep below the ground at the North Frederick Street entrance/exit, given the slope along Parnell Square.

A big hello to Dublin's longest escalator.:D

Wouldn't O'Connell Bridge Metro station and/or "High Street" station on the Interconnector be likely to give it a run for its money?

strassenwolf

Prof_V wrote:

Wouldn't O'Connell Bridge Metro station and/or "High Street" station on the Interconnector be likely to give it a run for its money?

Interesting point, and you're probably right on both counts. I don't know how deep the O'Connell Bridge station will need to be - the river itself isn't very deep along that stretch, but there are presumably a lot of factors which will dictate how deep the tunnel must be.

I suppose the depth of the "High St." station depends also on its location - whether it's under the brow of the hill up there, or more to the "side" of it.

The O'Connell Bridge station would seem like an ideal location for a serious retail concourse, especially as some people will be changing between LUAS and metro and would probably prefer some cover as they do so. If that happened, people would be likely to take two escalators up to the surface, getting separated from the cash along the way.:p

Parnell Square and "High Street" might not be so much in demand for a retail concourse, and it might be possible to have escalators directly down to platform level.

Thinking about it now, might not the proposed interchange at Pearse be a contender, if there is to be a direct connection from underground to overground platforms.

We may need a new thread.:D

Prof_V

I scaled off the cross-section of O'Connell Bridge station in the RPA's October 2006 newsletter, http://www.rpa.ie/upload/documents/October%202006%20-%20Dublin%20Metro%20North.pdf#page=2 (assuming it is to scale and that O'Connell Street is 46m wide) and came up with a depth to rail of about 31m and a vertical rise of about 21m for the main escalators. I don't know how Parnell Square would compare, and of course things could change in detailed design.

The Interconnector details I've seen are from http://www.iei.ie/uploads/Files/SectorPapers/125/%7B5A685FD35B814C819DFE8B8031B8C450%7D_IEI%20PRESENTATION%20T%20FINN%2028%20MAR%2007%20V2%20PDF.PDF#page=63 (which I think has been posted here before), which gives the following depths to rail (again subject to change):

Heuston 15m
"High Street" (actually near the NCAD, hence the quotes) 35m
St. Stephen's Green 23m
Pearse 30m
Spencer Dock 27m

Victor

Of note there are test boring rigs at both Eden Quay and Parnell Square North this week.

There would also appear to be provision for a stop halfway between Drumcondra and Griffth Avenue stations.

Ste.phen

Victor wrote:

Of note there are test boring rigs at both Eden Quay and Parnell Square North this week.

These are also in various other places on the route, including 2 close to DCU (one in Albert College park and one on Ballymun road just north of same)

Winters

Victor wrote:

Of note there are test boring rigs at both Eden Quay and Parnell Square North this week.

There would also appear to be provision for a stop halfway between Drumcondra and Griffth Avenue stations.

Thats the location for a ventilation shaft.