TII Motorway Service Areas (MSA) Progress Thread

munchkin_utd

Irish and Proud wrote: »

Hi, I'm an M1er myself, but I think it is ludicrous that the M1 (around 80k long) will get two full services areas, while the M8 will get none - like it's over 250km from Dublin to Cork. If money was tight, would it not make more sense to build one M1 service area at Gormanston's City North, One M6 service area East of Athlone, and one M7 facility at Portlaoise. The M11 will get one at Gorey if the Arklow to Rathnew contract goes ahead. The M9 and M18 motorways would still need attention, but at least more of our motorway network would be covered.

Regards!

Tangent regarding the above comment,
is there any sensible (or other) reason why the NRA motorway service stations which are already built
a) are located so close to Dublin rather than more mid journey between major cities
b) happen to have 2 locations finished and open on the M1 yet none of the initial stations are on the M7/M8/M11 roads (leaving out M2/M3 as you are off them in less than a half hour anyhow, and including the M11 as thats just a tramp of a road). Why did the short M1 get priority?

donkey balls

Afaik the lay bys which have gates on them are for Gardai /RSA enforcement for commercial. vehicles to check the drivers tachograph and weight of vehicles,How f##king Irish could you get with no were for trucks to pull in order for them to take their mandatory breaks yet these lay bys are gated.
Also there is hardly any run in space in order for the likes of trucks to gain enough momentum/speed to rejoin the road from experience drivers have to rely on other trucks&cars to either slow down or move out to the outside lane in order for the truck to merge with the rest of traffic.
And as for the local towns which have been by passed, for years they moaned about the amount of traffic going through their towns(which I don't blame. them for ) yet they are saying business is down what did they expect with a by pass I know. of resturant on the old. n8 which had a sign up saying no trucks allowed,But since the M8 got built and with hardly any traffic going through the town the no trucks allowed sign has disapeared.
As another poster pointed out even the lay by are a hazard god forbid if truck or coach was to lose control I don't think those reflective poles dotted along the outside path of the lay by would stop a car never mind a truck to at 44,000 kgs.

L1011

black francis wrote: »

Bottom line - I wouldn't hold my breath for any additional services appearing on these schemes, unless they can be funded through a PPP type model.

They're already funded by PPP - but the NRA has to buy the land.

ardmacha

happen to have 2 locations finished and open on the M1 yet none of the initial stations are on the M7/M8/M11 roads (leaving out M2/M3 as you are off them in less than a half hour anyhow, and including the M11 as thats just a tramp of a road). Why did the short M1 get priority?

The N7 has services, so there is less need for a M7/M9 services close to Dublin, although one nearer Portlaoise would be reasonable.

The M8 and M9 are lightly trafficked, a big services would be empty.

Frank Black

MYOB wrote: »

They're already funded by PPP - but the NRA has to buy the land.

I know that, but we were talking about additional service areas further down the N7 towards Limerick - traffic volumes would make the PPP model less attractive unless they were part subsidised.

ongarboy

I used the M7 Monastarevin (Mayfield) service station for the first time a few weeks ago. While it's not an official PPP, it is just as good. It literally is on top of the slip road from the M7, the food (Insomnia, Supermacs and Spar hot/cold food counter), parking and facilities offerings are perfectly acceptable. The fact it is an hour outside Dublin means (for me) the remainder of the trip to Kerry more tolerable (only 2 and a bit hours)- this will be my regular haunt from now on should I need to take a break/refill etc.

munchkin_utd

Not sure where this belongs, so will post it here.

AA reveals 10% rise in number of call-outs

MOTORWAY BREAKDOWNS have increased significantly in the first four months of this year and a large number are because of vehicles running out of fuel, according to the Automobile Association.

The shortage of service stations on the motorway network and the price of fuel are the two main reasons for the 10 per cent increase in call-outs to the association, according to its director of consumer affairs, Conor Faughnan.
<snip>
On some sections of motorway such as where the N9 splits from the N7, Mr Faughnan said there was “60 to 70km of motorway with no service area”.

He joked that when travelling to Waterford, motorists need to make sure their “tank is full and bladder empty”.
<snip>
The AA has had numerous discussions with the National Roads Authority about the provision of service areas. The NRA had originally planned 12 on the motorway network on a public private partnership basis but funding collapsed with the recession.

There was a “marvellous new motorway network” in place but the lack of service areas or safe rest areas for motorists was potentially dangerous, the AA said.

nothing new there but good to see that the AA is pushing the issue and keeping awareness high that the missing rest areas are a safety problem that still needs to be addressed.

niloc1951

munchkin_utd wrote: »

Not sure where this belongs, so will post it here.


nothing new there but good to see that the AA is pushing the issue and keeping awareness high that the missing rest areas are a safety problem that still needs to be addressed.

What in the name of God is wrong with THIS type of rest area. It serves its purpose as a rest area and provides toilet and picnic facilities.
This type of rest area costs of a lot less than a full spec service area, which could be added if/when funds become available and the need is verified.

munchkin_utd

niloc1951 wrote: »

What in the name of God is wrong with THIS type of rest area. It serves its purpose as a rest area and provides toilet and picnic facilities.
This type of rest area costs of a lot less than a full spec service area, which could be added if/when funds become available and the need is verified.

agree 100%

I drove the width of france there at christmas and found their rest stops to be magnificient. Simple and functional but with a great open design so that wee b@stards cant hide and attack you.
Theres no "room" as such with closed doors but 2 alcoves open to the front with the cubicles at the side. Another side effect is that theres plenty of fresh air so they dont stink remotely as bad as german rest stops.

The NRA at the time decided (or had it decided for them by inept muppet politicians ) that dedicated service areas werent wanted as it'd attract "anti social behaviour".
Better the 99.9% of the law abiding populace is utterly inconvienced than create the possibility that 0.1% would act the magot.
(echo's the nanny state cr@p with not selling booze on a sunday morning too in case the odd alco gets his fix, but thats a separate issue)

The real reason I suspect is that it wasnt to inconvience the public lest someone acts the maggot.
It was to inconvience the public to the benefit of pub and shop owners on the by-passed routes in "nearby" towns.
That councillors and TDs and vintners and shop and business owners are all part of the same self serving group, is just a co-incidence !!!

JupiterKid

I've little doubt that the NRA procrastinated and prevaricated on the MSA issue because of the lobby from local town councillors, shop owners and the vitners.

But the thing is - just how many motorway users actually stop in the bypassed towns and villages? Very, very few I would suspect.

Irish and Proud

JupiterKid wrote: »

I've little doubt that the NRA procrastinated and prevaricated on the MSA issue becuase of the lobby from local town councillors, shop owners and the vitners.

But the thing is - just how many motorway users actually stop in the bypassed towns and villages - very, very few I would suspect.

Having traveled the M4/M6 motorways to Galway today, I stopped in the M4 Service Area near Enfield - it was a bit close to Dublin for the journey I was doing, but the last thing on my mind was stopping in a town as I was trying to make an appointment (which I did thankfully). A service area in near Athlone would be perfect IMO. Great road though!

veryangryman

Irish and Proud wrote: »

JupiterKid wrote: »

I've little doubt that the NRA procrastinated and prevaricated on the MSA issue becuase of the lobby from local town councillors, shop owners and the vitners.

But the thing is - just how many motorway users actually stop in the bypassed towns and villages - very, very few I would suspect.

Having traveled the M4/M6 motorways to Galway today, I stopped in the M4 Service Area near Enfield - it was a bit close to Dublin for the journey I was doing, but the last thing on my mind was stopping in a town as I was trying to make an appointment (which I did thankfully). A service area in near Athlone would be perfect IMO. Great road though!

Yeah if only they had three there..... Exits 8 11 and 13 for future reference. 8 is probably the best

Jayuu

In fairness I travelled from Dublin to Carrick-on-Suir for over 20 years via the old N9 and I always tended to stop at least once both ways either in Carlow or at the Crookstown station. If I needed petrol early then I tended to stop at one of the N7 stations on the way down and on the way back at Knocktopher.

Without any stations on the M9 I now tend to pull in to one of the N7 stations for a coffee/water on my way down but I don't tend to stop on the way back unless completely necessary because its not as handy.

A station on the M9 would be best around Carlow although I suspect it may end up being just before the M7/M9 junction so that it can service both roads.

L1011

Crookstown still seems to get a tolerable amount of business due to the complete lack of anything on the M9; the petrol station in Leighlinbridge was also busy enough when I had to limp in there nearly out of diesel a while ago.

flazio

Irish and Proud wrote: »

Having traveled the M4/M6 motorways to Galway today, I stopped in the M4 Service Area near Enfield - it was a bit close to Dublin for the journey I was doing, but the last thing on my mind was stopping in a town as I was trying to make an appointment (which I did thankfully). A service area in near Athlone would be perfect IMO. Great road though!

Athlone has Kilmartins N6 centre with Texaco fuel Centra with a sit down Deli, McD's and Subway, it's barely 30 seconds away from the motorway. It's as close to online as you can get without actually being online. I wouldn't be against proper signage for the place. To be honest, if you lane it properly places like Kilmartins and that rest stop just off the Monesterevin exit on the M7 which is so close to the M7 it overlooks it, are perfectly adequate for the motorway, also both of these are easily accessible to traffic who opt to travel the old non motorway route so therefore from a footfall point of view they win both ways. I certainly wouldn't object if places like that wanted to advertise their fuel prices on the exit approach to try and entice traffic off the motorway.

ongarboy

There's a sign at the petrol station in Adare saying last stop for fuel for 180kms (that's if you are driving to Dublin). I suppose that is not technically correct since you have the Mayfield garage in Monastarevin which as someone else said is as good an MSS and as easily accessible as any of the PPP funded MSSs.

antoobrien

flazio wrote: »

Athlone has Kilmartins N6 centre with Texaco fuel Centra with a sit down Deli, McD's and Subway, it's barely 30 seconds away from the motorway. It's as close to online as you can get without actually being online. I wouldn't be against proper signage for the place. To be honest, if you lane it properly places like Kilmartins and that rest stop just off the Monesterevin exit on the M7 which is so close to the M7 it overlooks it, are perfectly adequate for the motorway, also both of these are easily accessible to traffic who opt to travel the old non motorway route so therefore from a footfall point of view they win both ways. I certainly wouldn't object if places like that wanted to advertise their fuel prices on the exit approach to try and entice traffic off the motorway.

They'd be fine for cars, but AFAIK MSAs are primarily designed around truck access - are they suitable for trucks (don't think Kilmartins is, don't know the other one)?

veryangryman

antoobrien wrote: »

They'd be fine for cars, but AFAIK MSAs are primarily designed around truck access - are they suitable for trucks (don't think Kilmartins is, don't know the other one)?

Ample parking for trucks in and around it in Kilmartins. (J8)

Apple Green is okish, lots of adjacent parking (J10)

Another one on J13 not really much good but theres a 24 hour one further down that road which at night could theoretically be used to rest at (but still not ideal)

road_high

The M9 is now a glaring omission as regards provision of a proper MSA. (M3 hasn't one either but that's like half the distance).
You do have to pull off a good bit off the M9 to get fuel in say Ballitore, Castledermot, Carlow or Kilkenny. There's nowhere right at any of the exits. Then you're not even sure if somewhere will be open past 11pm at night. It's not very satisfactory for any non-locals.

Irish and Proud

flazio wrote: »

Athlone has Kilmartins N6 centre with Texaco fuel Centra with a sit down Deli, McD's and Subway, it's barely 30 seconds away from the motorway. It's as close to online as you can get without actually being online. I wouldn't be against proper signage for the place. To be honest, if you lane it properly places like Kilmartins and that rest stop just off the Monesterevin exit on the M7 which is so close to the M7 it overlooks it, are perfectly adequate for the motorway, also both of these are easily accessible to traffic who opt to travel the old non motorway route so therefore from a footfall point of view they win both ways. I certainly wouldn't object if places like that wanted to advertise their fuel prices on the exit approach to try and entice traffic off the motorway.

Thanks for that mate - may happen to be traveling to Galway occasionally in the future, so it's good to know about that service area - as I understand from Google Maps (just had a look), it's located on the roundabout that once formed the Eastern terminus of the Athone Bypass - if that's the case, it's no distance from J8 on the M6. I agree that it should be signed from the M6.

Regards!

groovie

Posting this inside the Mayfield service station on an internet kiosk. Very nice place. Decent dinner too. Good job all around.
Have to go find my kids now...

Chris_5339762

No new information but heres a thought... if the NRA want a cash cow they should put an MSA on the M50 where junction 8 was to be (between the N4 and N7 exits). Given the AADT on that route it would be permanently stuffed. I'm amazed they didn't think about an MSA on the M50 - lots of countries have services on ring roads like that.

JupiterKid

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

No new information but heres a thought... if the NRA want a cash cow they should put an MSA on the M50 where junction 8 was to be (between the N4 and N7 exits). Given the AADT on that route it would be permanently stuffed. I'm amazed they didn't think about an MSA on the M50 - lots of countries have services on ring roads like that.

Agreed.

I think that the M25 London orbital has one or two services but of course it's much longer than the M50. I shudder to think of just how packed such a services would be - like Joels on the Naas road - full of screaming and bawling kids. Yikes!:eek::(

I was in Mayfield for the first time last weekend - I thought it was pretty good but the eating area was completely packed out and could be expanded.

L1011

JupiterKid wrote: »

I think that the M25 London orbital has one or two services but of course it's much longer than the M50.

Think its 3 now - they opened another very recently. Which people had been screaming for for years.

People need to remember that they're for long-distance traffic, not local before they say there's no point.

Until Gorey opens (it, of course, should be going to construction soon) there's no decent services on a Galway-Rosslare or Belfast-Rosslare journey for a huge distance.

Neither side at Kilmac is safe to take any amount of traffic and the single-sided petrol station on the N11 near Rathnew doesn't do food at all and closes very early. One on the M50 would probably do quite well.

Ernest

Is there a proper motorway service station on the main motorway between Dublin and Cork i.e. on the M8 or even the M7??

Last time I went down that way there wasn't really one. There was an expanded petrol filling station effort somewhere near Cashel but it didn't seem to be a proper motorway service station like the two Applegreen ones on the M1 motorway at Lusk and Castlebellingham.

Can anyone advise if there is now a proper Motorway Service Station on the M8 up a running?

donkey balls

There is nothing between Cork and Dublin services wise a part from the Topaz garage outside Cashel and junction 14 in Kildare.

Chris_5339762

Junction 14 M7 (Mayfield) is a good bet and the best service station on the route. Its literally sitting on the junction so you don't have to detour.

harr

Junction 14 is your best bet it has all you need food and services wise

spacetweek

Going over Page 1 of this thread is a tad depressing - 12 MSAs planned: 3 open, one cancelled and one to go to construction in July. Not great. Still no online services on the country's busiest motorways, the M6/7/8.

ongarboy

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

Junction 14 M7 (Mayfield) is a good bet and the best service station on the route. Its literally sitting on the junction so you don't have to detour.

Yes, I think Junction 14 is just as good, facility and accessibility wise as the official MSSs. I do think they should allow for more high profile MSS type signs pointing to it (along with the services eg Supermacs/Insomnia/Spar) to give it more visibility as it's not that obvious when on the motorway apart from a generic Services sign that you get for any offline petrol station. I would say quite a significant amount of motorists who would stop end up inadvertently passing by.