Blockage of both lanes in rush hour traffic on Dual Carriage way

Twin-go

So I was drining into work this morning. I was maybe a few minutes late as usual so tipping along fairly rapidly. The up ahead both lanes of traffic had ground to a halt. "Oh Sh!te" I was thinking to myself, "must hav been a accident". So crawl along for about 10mins, hoping it was nothing serious. Checking in on the traffic reports to see what the story was. No information on the airwaves. So after 10 mins came up to what was causing the blockage. A flippin Census. I was a bit :mad: at this.

It happened on the Ennis road this morning, limerick bound carriage way. Tail back was back nearly as far as the Raddison (about 1km for thoes that don't know the road).

I know that a Census needs to be carried out from time to time but way on a dual carraige way at 8am with people trying to get to work. Could they not have done this on the Clondel road at the junction with North Circular road and on the Ennis road at the traffic lights near the Strand Hotel.

Or better still. Take photos of reg plates and send the Census in the post instead of adding further to rush hour traffic build up.

Rant over. (Mods, please move if in wrong forum.)

PS. Anybody know what questions they were asking? It was random selecton and i wasn't selected.

Wishbone Ash

If the census was announced, drivers would avoid the route making the findings worthless. The usually ask you where you are going and where from and if you would use alternative transport if available etc.

McSpud

What is a road census? Never seen one.

I remember years ago when used to work in Little Island in Cork before the built the Tunnel they did ran a test in morning rush hour. They stopped all the cars for maybe 10 minutes to see how far the traffic would back up. This was at the time they were decided before a bridge (would have to open for ships) & a tunnel.

None of this should need to be done manually as they could surely use the electronic speed tests the NRA or RSA do on random roads.

The-Game

They should try that up the south side of Dublin or the M50 where traffic sits still at that hour anyways!! :pac: :pac:

bookerboy

Hope you told them where to put their clipboard.

Twin-go

Census again this morning. This time on the Dock road inbound. There was 2 gardai with them. Traffic tailed back towards Mungret. Is there not a better way to do this than holding up rush hour traffic?

Looks like the people of London have the same experience:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article3971799.ece
They make a good point about the wating of Police time.

Anan1

Twin-go wrote: »

Census again this morning. This time on the Dock road inbound. There was 2 gardai with them. Traffic tailed back towards Mungret. Is there not a better way to do this than holding up rush hour traffic?

I suppose if the idea is to provide alternative transport solutions to free up traffic, who better to ask than people stuck in traffic jams?

Twin-go

Anan1 wrote: »

I suppose if the idea is to provide alternative transport solutions to free up traffic, who better to ask than people stuck in traffic jams?

Agreed but, they had these in place in locations that the traffic albeit heavy actually moves. If they had moved further up the road where traffic is at a standstill they could complete the survey without adding another bottle neck.

There is another thread on this in the Limerick City Forum.

McSpud

Anan1 wrote: »

I suppose if the idea is to provide alternative transport solutions to free up traffic, who better to ask than people stuck in traffic jams?

As suggested in that Times article they could usew the telephone. maybe they could setup a website where people would enter their start & end points of their commute.

Do we have traffic planners in this country? Would they ever act on findings or will they just file away with all the other reports?