Private cars on O'Connell St.

mickoneill30

I'm starting a new job in a couple of weeks and one of my routes to it could be through O'Connell St.

Are private cars banned from O'Connell St. or not? I've been told they are by a few people but this morning when walking along it I counted 13 cars in a row. What's the penalty for driving on it if they are banned?

ODS

mickoneill30 wrote: »

I'm starting a new job in a couple of weeks and one of my routes to it could be through O'Connell St.

Are private cars banned from O'Connell St. or not? I've been told they are by a few people but this morning when walking along it I counted 13 cars in a row. What's the penalty for driving on it if they are banned?

No ban, except a short south bound stretch from Parnell Square to Cathal Brugha St (which means cars wishing to go this way have to detour via Marlborough St onto Cathal Brugha St). That said only one lane in either direction is available for use by private cars. But, are you really sure that you want to drive this way, as at peak times it can take 40 mins just to get from one end to another? Bicycle is much better imo if you have to get round/ thru the city centre

OTK

Cars are banned from driving from Parnell Square straight onto southbound O'Connell street. The left turn on Dorset Street that would lead south across Parnell Square and then towards O'Connell street is also forbidden for cars. Other than this I am not aware of any restrictions on private cars entering O'Connell street.

Both of these restrictions can be easily and legally circumvented. eg from Parnell Square East, turn left onto Parnell St East, turn right onto Malborough St, turn right onto Cathal Brugha St, turn left onto O'Connell St

Tails142

northward is open to all traffic; southward from parnell square is buses only however you will see plenty of cars ignoring it - I'd say occasionally a garda will be there pulling people up and giving out points (its 1 point I believe); so I wouldnt do it regularly if I was you.

Hagar

What exactly does this ban achieve?

Ste.phen

It discourages private traffic on the road, but also allows access for people who have a reason to be there

trellheim

As part of the LAP it is Dublin City Council's policy [ written down somewhere ]

to discourage private traffic using O'Connell St as a through-road


So over the last few years

the right turn from George's St-> Dame st was made bus only

the turn from Dorset St -> North King St -> Parnell Sq was made bus only

and so on ....

making OCS 2 lanes in both directions didn't help anybody much except the guy who got the gig for all that grey stone.

markpb

Why are we even discussing this? The level of enforcement for bus lanes and bus turns in Dublin is so close to zero, even a pedant wouldn't bother.

Cionád

markpb wrote: »

Why are we even discussing this? The level of enforcement for bus lanes and bus turns in Dublin is so close to zero, even a pedant wouldn't bother.

Saw a girl get done for driving in the bus lane this morning in Glasnevin. I smiled

Stark

Cionád wrote: »

Saw a girl get done for driving in the bus lane this morning in Glasnevin. I smiled

You've just brightened up my day. What part of Glasnevin was it? Parts of the N2 going through the area are atrocious for the "I'm turning left in a kilometre's time" brigade clogging everything up.

bazzer

If the Guards want to make some money they should stake out the bus lane on Conyngham Road outside the bus garage. It might as well not be there with the amount of private cars/vans etc using it.

Separately, I think the College Green area is next in line for a car ban.

Victor

trellheim wrote: »

making OCS 2 lanes in both directions didn't help anybody much except the guy who got the gig for all that grey stone.

It has made the footpaths a much nicer experience, although I would have preferred if they hadn't narrowed the median - that was my express route.

Cionád

Stark wrote: »

You've just brightened up my day. What part of Glasnevin was it? Parts of the N2 going through the area are atrocious for the "I'm turning left in a kilometre's time" brigade clogging everything up.

Turning left from Ballymun Rd onto Collins Avenue. The funny thing was there was no traffic and so she wasn't any quicker using the buslane!!