Clonsilla Train Station

central

I have been living in the Clonee area for a few months now. I use the train to get to work in the City each day. I cycle / drive to the station, well I used to cycle until my bike was stolen. It had been locked with 2 locks that were cut right through and bike gone :-(

Anyway I then began driving and parking either outside the station on the road or in the housing estate called Porters Gate. Since parking here for the past 6/8 months things have happened to my car. My wipers have been stolen (yes stolen, clipped off and robbed), my tyre has been damaged and I received a ticket on my car for apparently breaking the law but when I called the Gardai to question it they told me it was cancelled and I shouldn't have been given one.

I appreciate the residents of the estate don't want people parking outside their houses but where else are we meant to park? There is no carpark available and from what I gather there are no plans to build one.

I am just posting this to see if anyone else has had their car damaged or things stolen from there? I even had a row with a guy one day because I parked outside his house. I was not blocking his driveway, I was not parked on the footpath, I was not breaking the law in any way. I told him I pay my road tax and I am entitled to park where I want provided it is legal. He does not own the street and it is "free public parking". Needless to say he was not happy.

Has anyone had similar experiences here or is it just me that is "unfortunate" and has had "bad luck" (As the gardai keep telling me)

January

Portersgate is a private estate. You are not entitled to park there if you so wish. Walk to the train station or drive to the nearest station with a carpark which is Coolmine.

central

adrienne_x - I think you'll find I am actually entitled to park there, it is a public road, while a person's driveway isn't I think you'll find the road outside their house is.

eth0_

How about getting one of those folding bikes that you can take on the train?

fletch

Had my bike stolen from Clonsilla train station a number of years ago....they're obviously still not bothering to stop thieves.

matsy1

I agree... Clonsilla train station is probably one of the busiest suburban stations and its been so neglected.. Only up until recently you had to walk across a busy 200 year old narrow bridge to get to it, nearly being squashed by cars!! It needs a car park! For god sake sutton train station is nowhere nearly as busy and has a huge car park!!

Kind of off topic but I have to share it.
I parked at Clonsilla only a few times and on one occasion I returned to my car only to find a woman waiting for me to give out that my car had no NCT! I told her to mind her own business and she stood in front of my car as she called the guards. I can only imagine what the guard told her!

Rafa1977

central wrote: »

I have been living in the Clonee area for a few months now. I use the train to get to work in the City each day. I cycle / drive to the station, well I used to cycle until my bike was stolen. It had been locked with 2 locks that were cut right through and bike gone :-(

Anyway I then began driving and parking either outside the station on the road or in the housing estate called Porters Gate. Since parking here for the past 6/8 months things have happened to my car. My wipers have been stolen (yes stolen, clipped off and robbed), my tyre has been damaged and I received a ticket on my car for apparently breaking the law but when I called the Gardai to question it they told me it was cancelled and I shouldn't have been given one.

I appreciate the residents of the estate don't want people parking outside their houses but where else are we meant to park? There is no carpark available and from what I gather there are no plans to build one.

I am just posting this to see if anyone else has had their car damaged or things stolen from there? I even had a row with a guy one day because I parked outside his house. I was not blocking his driveway, I was not parked on the footpath, I was not breaking the law in any way. I told him I pay my road tax and I am entitled to park where I want provided it is legal. He does not own the street and it is "free public parking". Needless to say he was not happy.

Has anyone had similar experiences here or is it just me that is "unfortunate" and has had "bad luck" (As the gardai keep telling me)

While I dont condone anybody damaging your car I have no sympthaty whatsoever for you, a lot of people park in that area NOT because the car park is full bet because they are to tight to pay for the couple of euro for parking. I get the train at 8.30 and while sometimes the car park is full, this is not always the case. You say you appreciate the residents of the estate don't want people parking outside their houses, SO WHY DO YOU DO IT???. Why not park in Blanchardstown shopping centre, which is free, and then either walk down to the station or get the bus to the station. Personally I have a pain in my face with cars on the side of the road, it would be long until there is a serious accident. As for the damage done to your car it was more likely to be some scumbag with nothing better to do.

matsy1

Rafa1977 wrote: »

While I dont condone anybody damaging your car I have no sympthaty whatsoever for you, a lot of people park in that area NOT because the car park is full bet because they are to tight to pay for the couple of euro for parking. I get the train at 8.30 and while sometimes the car park is full, this is not always the case. You say you appreciate the residents of the estate don't want people parking outside their houses, SO WHY DO YOU DO IT???. Why not park in Blanchardstown shopping centre, which is free, and then either walk down to the station or get the bus to the station. Personally I have a pain in my face with cars on the side of the road, it would be long until there is a serious accident. As for the damage done to your car it was more likely to be some scumbag with nothing better to do.

Clonsilla train station doesnt have a car park. Do you know how far a walk it is to a train station from Blanchardstown centre? In that case you may aswell get the bus and close down clonsilla train station altogether.

Rafa1977

matsy1 wrote: »

Clonsilla train station doesnt have a car park. Do you know how far a walk it is to a train station from Blanchardstown centre? In that case you may aswell get the bus and close down clonsilla train station altogether.

Apologies my mistake, thought OP said Portersfield, not Portersgate. Yes you are right people should get the bus, and not be parking all over the side of the road causing obstructing to residents and cars driving up and down the road.

matsy1

Rafa1977 wrote: »

Apologies my mistake, thought OP said Portersfield, not Portersgate. Yes you are right people should get the bus, and not be parking all over the side of the road causing obstructing to residents and cars driving up and down the road.

But the buses are jammed and frequently drive past you because of this, the traffic is too bad and can take 3 hours to get to town where there is no parking. If motorists or residents are sick of cars parking around the station its tough. Build a carpark, im sure the farmer who owns the vast amount of land beside the station has a price.

athtrasna

central wrote: »

adrienne_x - I think you'll find I am actually entitled to park there, it is a public road, while a person's driveway isn't I think you'll find the road outside their house is.

Are you sure it's a public road? Unless the estate has been taken in charge by the council then there's every chance it's a private road.

Roads in our estate are private and only residents and their guests are entitled to park on them. We have a clamping company to help enforce this. It also means people can't put election posters up in the estate as it's private property.

Zambia

I'm with the OP that whole train station area is a nightmare.

Sadly I think your best bet is to buy another bike. And a decent lock. I once bought a decent bike off Buy & Sell for €30. It did not seem to be hot.

Zambia

athtrasna wrote: »

Are you sure it's a public road? Unless the estate has been taken in charge by the council then there's every chance it's a private road.

Roads in our estate are private and only residents and their guests are entitled to park on them. We have a clamping company to help enforce this. It also means people can't put election posters up in the estate as it's private property.

Do you pay a management fee to live there?

The_Conductor

Moved to the D15 forum......

Shane

Rafa1977

matsy1 wrote: »

But the buses are jammed and frequently drive past you because of this, the traffic is too bad and can take 3 hours to get to town where there is no parking. If motorists or residents are sick of cars parking around the station its tough. Build a carpark, im sure the farmer who owns the vast amount of land beside the station has a price.

So tough to the residents???? Really, well now I am happy that the people that park here get their cars damaged with an attitude like that. Commuters have no right to be parking here, and please dont give me the bull of ITS A PUBLIC ROAD BLA BLA speech. These are the homes of people, and everyday they have to put up with this.

Gaspode

If its a public road, then anyone can park on it provided they are not causing an obstruction or parked in a dangerous spot. Cars parked in such a manner should be reported to the police.
If it's a private road, then the residents should be making sure that the managment company clamp/remove all unauthorised cars from the estate.

As for the OP you have been unfortunate, and its perhaps time to find somewhere else to park?

Enii

I feel your pain OP - Clonsilla station has no satisfactory public parking for commuters.

Think a poster gave you a good suggestion about getting a fold up bike - or buy a strong U-lock.

Probably best to get back on the bike again - healthier option for you and better for parking

central

Thanks to all posters for your comments. I NEVER park my car illegally, nor do I park on the main road outside of Porters Gate. I don't get down there on time to get one of those spots. I wish I could leave earlier and get to the station earlier but I have other commitments stopping me from getting there at 6am to get a "good, legal?" spot.

Again, my commitments require me to have a car or a bike and while I had 2 locks (good ones) on the bike I had it still managed to be stolen. I would have no problem in paying for parking if it was provided. I agree the place badly needs one but as my OP states, I don't think it is being done.

I DO know how the residents feel as my family home is 4 doors away from a pub WITH a carpark but on a Friday evening (Or big match day) my family and I have to put up with cars parked all up our street and illegally at that. The Guards agree with me that provided I park legally and do not obstruct anyone then so be it. I guess I posted this to see if others were having the same issues as I am and do you think there is anything that can be done?

Matsy1 - I cannot believe that woman, how weird, none of her business is right, unreal

ohanloj3

Why don't you drive the xtra 5minutes to coolmine and pay the parking??

matsy1

ohanloj3 wrote: »

Why don't you drive the xtra 5minutes to coolmine and pay the parking??

At that hour your looking at 30 mins.. But I agree its probably worth cycling to coolmine, secure parking for bikes with cctv.. Typical. The nicer areas have proper security.

January

matsy1 wrote: »

At that hour your looking at 30 mins.. But I agree its probably worth cycling to coolmine, secure parking for bikes with cctv.. Typical. The nicer areas have proper security.

Clonsilla is one of the nicest areas in Dublin 15...

matsy1

adrieanne__x wrote: »

Clonsilla is one of the nicest areas in Dublin 15...

Sorry i should not have said coolmine is nicer coz it really isnt.. Im from Clonsilla, as are my parents, grandparents... A few bad eggs have spoiled it a bit though.

amdublin

That Portersgate is pretty bad alright. There is a woman who has all her three wheely bins on the road outside her house so no one can park there.

I think I'd rather a car than looking at my rubbish bins!

However, saying that. Apparently there have been times when the bin truck cannot get through the estate to collect the bins so can imagine how frustrating that is.

And imagine if that was an ambulance or a fire engine rather than just a bin lorry.

Enii

The Portersgate Residents Newsletter refers to the estate as "The premier Dublin 15 Estate" - think the cars parked there during the day is a serious minor point to it being the "premier" estate!

It's a nice aspiration tho

joolsveer

amdublin2 wrote: »

That Portersgate is pretty bad alright. There is a woman who has all her three wheely bins on the road outside her house so no one can park there.

I think I'd rather a car than looking at my rubbish bins!

However, saying that. Apparently there have been times when the bin truck cannot get through the estate to collect the bins so can imagine how frustrating that is.

And imagine if that was an ambulance or a fire engine rather than just a bin lorry.

I live in the estate and the bin lorry rarely gets up my road because of all the cars parked (at least half of the cars do not belong to residents). I have no objection to anyone parking provided they do not cause an obstruction. Fingal County Council and the guards are not very good at ensuring that obstructions are cleared.

amdublin

joolsveer wrote: »

I live in the estate and the bin lorry rarely gets up my road because of all the cars parked (at least half of the cars do not belong to residents). I have no objection to anyone parking provided they do not cause an obstruction. Fingal County Council and the guards are not very good at ensuring that obstructions are cleared.

Well that seems reasonable.

Putting your wheely bins to block the patch in front of your house does not.

Enii

amdublin2 wrote: »

Well that seems reasonable.

Putting your wheely bins to block the patch in front of your house does not.

Well you don't own the public spot outside your home so don't have the right to prevent anyone parking there - even with your wheelie bins!

Pineapple stu

Would you like someone to abandon their cars outside your house all day everyday? You visitors, doctor , ambulance , fire service etc having difficulty parking outside your house or gaining access.
Its up to people to show some respect to residents of these estates and not to be selfish when they abandon their cars for the day.
Any damage , thefts etc to cars and bikes is out of order but you leave them where you do at your own risk .
All this talk about no car park at clonsilla station and people having problems with parking there but you have known this for years yet you still abandon your cars there and complain about it. There isnt anywhere to put a car park or one would have been put there years ago.
Its simple, you know there isnt a safe place to park there so DONT park there or STOP complaining when something has happened to your car when it was your fault in parking there in the first place.

amdublin

I am not talking about abandoning a car.

I am not talking about blocking an estate and meaning that emergency services/bin services cannot through.

I am not talking about blocking the entrance to your house.

I am talking about parking on the road outside your house (in a safe manner and not blocking anything) which I am entitled do.

You don't own that part of the road - even though it is outside your house. It is public property.

Pineapple stu

You do abandon cars
You do block visitors
you do make it diffficult for residents to park.

Show some respect to the residents and stop being selfish and then complain if your car gets damaged.

You are not allowed to abandon your cars in a private estate for the day unless you have business to be there. If your car gets damaged or go on fire for whatever reason then why should i have that outside of my house until you decide to come home from work?
Stick it out on the main road instead of expecting us to look after it for you seeing thats why you park there in the first place because you think it will be safer.

amdublin

Pineapple stu wrote: »

You are not allowed to abandon your cars in a private estate for the day unless you have business to be there.

In relation to Portersgate (which is the estate that was mentioned in relation to Clonsilla stn) this statement is incorrect.

The houseowner does not own the road outside their house.

Sorry!

amdublin

Btw I don't think people are parking their car in Portersgate because it is safer - sure it doesn't sound safer with the damage that is happening to their cars.

They are parking there because there are no parking spaces available elsewhere.

Enii

One has to wonder what could happen to a car in the "Premier Dublin 15 Estate" that an owner would find broken wipers on their return to their car.

Shame on the person that causes this damage.

Pineapple stu

amdublin2 wrote: »

In relation to Portersgate (which is the estate that was mentioned in relation to Clonsilla stn) this statement is incorrect.

The houseowner does not own the road outside their house.

Sorry!

I didnt say anything about them owning it.

Pineapple stu

amdublin2 wrote: »

Btw I don't think people are parking their car in Portersgate because it is safer - sure it doesn't sound safer with the damage that is happening to their cars.

They are parking there because there are no parking spaces available elsewhere.

They should go and park where there is proper parking. A lack of parking doesnt give you the right to just abandon your car anywhere you wish.

Enii

Pineapple stu wrote: »

They should go and park where there is proper parking. A lack of parking doesnt give you the right to just abandon your car anywhere you wish.

Anyone has the right to park on public roads in estates.

amdublin

Pineapple stu wrote: »

I didnt say anything about them owning it.

So why do you think you are entitled to dictate that people cannot park there then?

Pineapple stu wrote: »

A lack of parking doesnt give you the right to just abandon your car anywhere you wish.

Why are you going on about "abandoning" cars? *People are parking their cars on the road as they are entitled to. What is your problem with this?


*NB! Different scenario if they are parking on the road and causing an obstruction. Different scenario altogether!

matsy1

Pineapple stu wrote: »

There isnt anywhere to put a car park or one would have been put there years ago.

You obviously dont know Clonsilla!

Pineapple stu

You couldnt be more wrong

Now please tell me where one can be placed.

Pineapple stu

Enii wrote: »

Anyone has the right to park on public roads in estates.

Park yes, leaving it there and going into town for the day NO if you dont live there. I bet you would be the first to complain if a few cars,vans etc parked outside your house all day every day . If the residents are getting a bit of work done on the house and need a skip or getting deliveries then how is the skip lorry ment to unload the skip outside if you are parked there and how is the delivery truck ment to pull up outside if you are parked there? Does it have to park in the middle of the road and block other cars that may be wanting to pass just because you want to park there and have a less walk to the train?
Its selfish .

Zaph

Pineapple stu wrote: »

Park yes, leaving it there and going into town for the day NO if you dont live there.

Legally they do, whether you like it or not. All public roads are open to the public, which means that anyone can park their car there. Only if they're causing an obstruction can any legal action be taken against them.

Pineapple stu wrote: »

Its selfish .

Maybe so, but that's a different matter entirely. Being selfish isn't illegal, so the cars can still be parked there. Despite your protestations really your argument is based purely on it being a selfish act and its impact on the residents. I do sympathise, I used to live in a cul de sac right beside a DART station that was turned into a car park by commuters, but as long as it is a public road there's little the residents can do about it. Although you could try asking the council to put double yellow lines near the entrance to the estate, it worked in the place I lived in.

matsy1

Pineapple stu wrote: »

You couldnt be more wrong

Now please tell me where one can be placed.

Enii

Pineapple stu wrote: »

. If the residents are getting a bit of work done on the house and need a skip or getting deliveries then how is the skip lorry ment to unload the skip outside if you are parked there and how is the delivery truck ment to pull up outside if you are parked there? Does it have to park in the middle of the road and block other cars that may be wanting to pass just because you want to park there and have a less walk to the train?
Its selfish .

You don't own the space outside of your home. You can not expect it to be available for your own personal use - even if you are expecting deliveries or unloading a skip in your garden.

I don't know why you are referring to me personally parking in this particular estate and then heading to the train station. I have never done this ever.

On the other hand I have called up to my best friend who lives in Portersgate and I have seen all the houses as you enter the estate with their unsightly wheelie bins out on the road. For some reason these house owners think that they have the right to prevent cars being parked on the public space outside of their house.

Pineapple stu

Zaph wrote: »

Legally they do, whether you like it or not. All public roads are open to the public, which means that anyone can park their car there. Only if they're causing an obstruction can any legal action be taken against them.





Maybe so, but that's a different matter entirely. Being selfish isn't illegal, so the cars can still be parked there. Despite your protestations really your argument is based purely on it being a selfish act and its impact on the residents. I do sympathise, I used to live in a cul de sac right beside a DART station that was turned into a car park by commuters, but as long as it is a public road there's little the residents can do about it. Although you could try asking the council to put double yellow lines near the entrance to the estate, it worked in the place I lived in.

I didnt say it was illegal

Zaph

Pineapple stu wrote: »

I didnt say it was illegal

True, what you actually said was this:

Pineapple stu wrote: »

You are not allowed to abandon your cars in a private estate for the day unless you have business to be there.

So if you're "not allowed", who is enforcing this rule? The residents have no right to block cars from parking on the road, so it can't be them. And if it's not them, then it must be the Gardaí, which would therefore suggest it was somehow an illegal act.

Pineapple stu

matsy1 wrote: »

Thats an old picture with the bottom bit now being a park.
Irish Rail dont have any land there to put a car park in. It might get better when the Hansfield station opens with those from ongar opting to use that one.

The top bit belongs to the garden place and have been in dispute with irish rail in the past. Its not a case of " lets stick a car park in that green bit over there ". People would still park on the other side on the road because they would say its an inconvinience for them because they still would have to go to the booking office for their tickets.

Pineapple stu

Enii wrote: »

You don't own the space outside of your home. You can not expect it to be available for your own personal use - even if you are expecting deliveries or unloading a skip in your garden.

I don't know why you are referring to me personally parking in this particular estate and then heading to the train station. I have never done this ever.

On the other hand I have called up to my best friend who lives in Portersgate and I have seen all the houses as you enter the estate with their unsightly wheelie bins out on the road. For some reason these house owners think that they have the right to prevent cars being parked on the public space outside of their house.

Im not referring to you personally .

On the second bit, you dont have an issue with people from outside the area leaving their cars for the day outside some persons house yet you have an issue with the residents putting out their wheelie bin outside their own house, why? do you look down on people who have wheelie bins? going by that remark i would guess you live in an apartment where your bins are locked away from view.
Why should our estates have to deal with the extra traffic and the fumes that come with it just because a person is too lazy to find a proper parking place or pay for parking. How far away do these people actually live that they need to bring their cars to the station? Why not get the bus to it instead? Or walk if in distance.

Gaspode

Guys, interesting discussion, but dont fall into the trap of getting personal please.

Enii

Pineapple stu wrote: »

Im not referring to you personally .

On the second bit, you dont have an issue with people from outside the area leaving their cars for the day outside some persons house yet you have an issue with the residents putting out their wheelie bin outside their own house, why? do you look down on people who have wheelie bins? going by that remark i would guess you live in an apartment where your bins are locked away from view.
Why should our estates have to deal with the extra traffic and the fumes that come with it just because a person is too lazy to find a proper parking place or pay for parking. How far away do these people actually live that they need to bring their cars to the station? Why not get the bus to it instead? Or walk if in distance.

You are making a lot of assumptions in your post.

I don't live in an apartment. I live in a house. I bring my wheelie bins in to my back garden every time they have been picked up by the bin men.

The person who lives next door to me runs a business from home. Every day I have people parking outside my house (some for hours on end).

I could choose to leave my wheelie bins out to prevent these people parking outside of my space. I don't do this because of many reasons, namely
1. I don't own the public road outside of my house - I don't have the right to prevent people parking there
2. I think wheelie bins are unsightly and I don't want to spoil the look of my estate

Pineapple stu

No personal abuse posted.

On the issue of bikes getting robbed, if there is a high number getting stolen or damaged then those affected could maybe get together and campaign to Irish rail for better security for their bikes. Cctv is not a deterrent to all but maybe some sort of newer bike rack where once you put your bike in a slot it gets locked in and you get issued a key to get it out in the same way lockers are used in gyms etc. Once you put the bike in the slot it gets locked in and releases a key for you to bring with you. Once you put the key back in it releases the bike and the key gets locked in until its used again. I would imagine the green party would give it their backing and it may encourage more people to cycle to work via the train. People might complain they have to pay to park their bikes but what would you prefer, your bike to be there when you get back or the possibility of it not being there when you get back?

Enii

Pineapple stu wrote: »

No personal abuse posted.

On the issue of bikes getting robbed, if there is a high number getting stolen or damaged then those affected could maybe get together and campaign to Irish rail for better security for their bikes. Cctv is not a deterrent to all but maybe some sort of newer bike rack where once you put your bike in a slot it gets locked in and you get issued a key to get it out in the same way lockers are used in gyms etc. Once you put the bike in the slot it gets locked in and releases a key for you to bring with you. Once you put the key back in it releases the bike and the key gets locked in until its used again. I would imagine the green party would give it their backing and it may encourage more people to cycle to work via the train. People might complain they have to pay to park their bikes but what would you prefer, your bike to be there when you get back or the possibility of it not being there when you get back?

This sounds like a good idea. Perhaps a reuseable token could be bought as a one off and then reused - this cut down costs for the user.

Have you see this system in use anywhere?