Cycling and walking in Dublin - how is it for you?

arybvtcw0eolkf

panda100 wrote: »

That has to be the most overbearing,pompous posts I have ever read on boards.

How awful for you that you have to see Irelands vast social problems with your own eyes. :rolleyes:
What gives you the right to sneer at those who've been dealt a harder hand in life?

No point in directing any further posts to Rb, he's permanently banned from this forum.

delta_bravo

Rb wrote: »

Indeed, they come and post questions pretending they're opening a discussion and then never bother to respond.

THats not really what I meant. They are inviting you to make a submission to the development plan, it cant be done via boards. You must do it online on the DCC site.

arybvtcw0eolkf

delta_bravo wrote: »

THats not really what I meant. They are inviting you to make a submission to the development plan, it cant be done via boards. You must do it online on the DCC site.

For everyone's attn.

Gavin

DCC Planning Secretariat wrote: »

We’re encouraging Dubliners to look at the Draft Plan, discuss any issues on these boards and make a comment directly to Dublin City Council via the online submission form.

Seems relevant.

BostonB

I'd love to see them get a couple of high profile people to do a useful commute route in Dublin and film the problems they have, especially highlighting the difficult junctions.

City center to Blanchardstown, to Lucan, to Tallaght etc.

Wishbone Ash

Make it a requirement that all DCC staff, especially those in planning department, must walk, cycle or use public transport to get to to work. Close the car park in the Civic Offices on Wood Quay immediately.

I'm in full support of the 30kph limit. 20kph would be even better (for vehicles with an internal combustion engine) except for buses. Any motorists including taxis that aren't happy, stay away from the city centre.

Enforce the running of amber light offence. Amber means STOP!

Do something about that ridiculous cycle lane on the North Wall. Do DCC seriously expect cyclist to continually mount and dismount as it begins and ends.

Pedestrians not giving way to cyclists! Just because no vehicles are coming, it doesn't mean you can walk across in front of a bike!

jelly&icecream wrote: »

Enforcement of the existing policies like the 5 axle ban and the bus gate would be good. These are excellent policies but they are still being flouted

The 5 axle ban isn't being flouted as much as some people think. Many trucks are exempt from it, e.g. those who are delivering within the ban area and those that orginate from within the ban area.

Aldito wrote: »

and lights should be mandatory for cyclists.

They are (during lighting up hours)!

Some posters have referred to cars parked on 'cycle lanes'. There is a difference between a cycle lane and a cycle track. Many of what people refer to as 'cycle lanes' are actually 'cycle tracks' and only in operation during the stated times. Outside of these times vehicles may legally park on them.

JuliusCaesar

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Many of what people refer to as 'cycle lanes' are actually 'cycle tracks' and only in operation during the stated times. Outside of these times vehicles may legally park on them.

Which means that after 7pm a lot of cycle lanes become parking spaces....

Wishbone Ash

JuliusCaesar wrote: »

Which means that after 7pm a lot of cycle lanes become parking spaces....

No - cycle tracks become parking spaces. Cycle lanes are in operation 24 hrs and have a continuous white line seperating them from the road.

I'm not agreeing with it - merely pointing out that it is not illegal.

RandolphEsq

There's too many taxis! Like parasites roaming the city centre streets at night

nomdeboardie

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

No - cycle tracks become parking spaces. Cycle lanes are in operation 24 hrs and have a continuous white line seperating them from the road.

I'm not agreeing with it - merely pointing out that it is not illegal.

Re "lane" vs. "track" - I thought the terminology was the reverse, then looked at the current ROTR booklet, where they seem to use the words interchangably, but adding "mandatory" or "non-mandatory" to refer to the continuous-line or broken-line or versions respectively. Going off on a tangent, and just to confuse things further, it seems that the mandatory version won't be mandatory for cyclists to use soon (cos the powers that be have realised they are actually crap in many places; they'll still be mandatory for motor vecihles to keep out of, though, I naievely presume).

seamus

One problem with "mandatory" cycle lanes is that it is permitted for vehicles to stop or park in the lanes under certain circumstances during the hours that the lane is mandatory for bicycles. Which effectively meant that you are forcing bikes to use the lanes and they are not allowed to overtake vehicles stopped there.

The same issue occurs with hazards and poor lane conditions. The overriding rule of the road is that you should not put yourself or anyone else in danger, but the poor state of most cycle lanes means that it is necessary to remove yourself from the lane in order to minimise the danger to yourself.

nomdeboardie

-or in order to pass slower moving cyclists (with due care), as human-powered traffic necessarily covers a huge range of speeds

bobbysands81

DCC Planning Secretariat wrote: »

In order to make the city centre more attractive for pedestrians and cyclists, the City Council has introduced major initiatives such as the construction of the Liffey boardwalk, the widening of footpaths (e.g. O’Connell Street), the 5-Axle ban, a decrease in speed limits and the dublinbikes scheme.

What other initiatives / changes would you like to see happen in the city that would further improve the pedestrian and cyclist experience?

Chapter 5 of the Development Plan is called “Connecting & Sustaining the City's Infrastructure.” It outlines the approach and proposed actions the city will take regarding transport and services infrastructure over the next six years. You can read a short summary of the chapter or download the original here.

If you'd like to make a written submission to the Council on the subject, you can do so using the online submission form here.

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Dublin City Council's 'Draft Development Plan, 2011-2017' is currently open for public consultation. The plan explains City Council strategy on everything from allotments and accommodation for artists to new economic corridors, new neighbourhoods, green spaces and low rise buildings.

We’re encouraging Dubliners to look at the Draft Plan, discuss any issues on these boards and make a comment directly to Dublin City Council via the online submission form.

You can find out more at www.dublincitydevelopmentplan.ie, where there are videos, text summaries and an interactive map of Dublin in 2017. All feedback will be reviewed before the plan is adopted by the City Council at the end of the year.

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Turn the Boardwalks into a travelator. Therefore people will get around the city quicker and the hundreds of junkies that hang out there will be automatically moved on by the Travelator! It's a win-win situation.

The Boardwalks are beautiful and a wonderful addition to the City but they badly need cleaning up from all the junkies that hang out on them.

WindSock

2 lanes on footpaths (where wide enough) Inside is for slow moving window shoppers and outside for people in a hurry

Or maybe 3, another for cyclists.

Also, rules for cyclists need more enforcement. They must be visable, especially at night time. And not break lights. I swear to god one of these evenings I am going to pull out in front of one without seeing them. I just got my car cleaned so I think neither of us want that to happen.

As primarily a motorist in the city, I actually think the 30k rule is good. Saying that, I don't drive through much of the enforced areas but I did just subscribe to dublinbikes and I am hoping the limit will make cycling more relaxing.

Oh. Also, is it possible to have the green man go on without pressing the button? So many times I see people standing like dopes when the button hasn't been pressed and the man is red, even though they could easily walk across.

panda100

WindSock wrote: »

2 lanes on footpaths (where wide enough) Inside is for slow moving window shoppers and outside for people in a hurry
.

Oh that would be so good. I always manage to get stuck behind the king of the slow sloths when ever Im in a real hurry,its so annoying!

DCC Planning Secretariat

Thanks to everyone who’s responded (and continues to respond) to this thread. As the authority behind the process, DCC cannot engage in active debate on the plan. However we can offer clarification on some points:

A common theme raised in Public Consultation is the quality of existing cycle routes. The Draft Plan takes a multi-pronged approach to this issue. This includes the development of a cycle linkage system both on and off road, the improvement of existing cycleways and bicycle priority measures throughout the city and the general calming of the city centre to allow pedestrian, cycle and vehicular interaction in a more controlled manner. The recently introduced 30kph speed restriction in parts of the city could be seen as one element of this approach. It has received a mixed reaction since its introduction, with opinion divided between cyclists and motorists. People with longer memories may recall a similar controversy following plans to pedestrianise Dublin’s Grafton Street. It is worthwhile to note that the Draft Plan includes a specific objective promoting the 30kph speed restriction. This may be an area of the Draft Plan you feel strongly about and wish to make your views know to the Council.

The recently introduced ‘dublinbikes’ scheme has been an overwhelming success with usage exceeding even the most optimistic estimates. It is worthwhile to remember the very negative portrayal of the Council’s proposals at the time from some vocal commentators. The scheme at present is sometimes a victim of its own success with demand exceeding capacity at busy times. The Council is aware of this issue and is working hard to overcome the problem. In terms of the Draft Development Plan it is a specific objective (SIO16) to expand the ‘dublinbikes’ scheme to the entire city over the life of the plan and beyond. It would be very helpful to hear more views on where future bike stands could be located.

Several posts have identified problems with crime, anti-social behaviour, enforcement of road regulations, cycling on the footpath, etc. Unfortunately these issues are generally beyond the remit of the Draft Plan although they are noted as very important issues, key to the enjoyment and experience of Dublin City for residents and visitors. Through the Draft Plan, Dublin City Council seeks to influence the design and location of certain types of development to ensure, as far as practical, that safety and security considerations are incorporated in future development proposals. Appendix 19 sets out safety and security guidelines that should be followed in the design stage of any development proposals. A key element of the guidelines is the encouragement of consultation with An Garda Siochana Crime Prevention Office where deemed appropriate.

It is clear from the consultation to date that there are often divergent and sometimes competing views when it comes to the various topic areas in the Draft Plan, for example, the needs of cyclists versus the needs of motorists. The Draft Plan has the difficult task of reconciling these divergent views in a balanced, reasoned and factual way. We encourage submissions from all viewpoints to help gauge if a consensus has been reached or if in fact further refinement is needed. The Development Plan is your plan for Dublin City until 2017 and your input is needed.

While the detailed management of road traffic junctions and traffic light sequencing is a traffic management issue beyond the remit of the Draft Development Plan, the Plan seeks to highlight certain areas where improvements could be made. In particular, it is a specific objective of the Plan (SIO22) to seek to create and support a network of pedestrian infrastructure to promote and facilitate walking. This will involve providing improved levels of priority for pedestrians including safe crossing points at vehicular intersections. Further improvements will be identified in tandem with emerging public transport and vehicular networks. This will include widening of footpaths. It is hoped that such improvements, in addition to facilitating movement, will also provide the space to encourage social interaction in an attractive environment.

Finally, there has been some question of the use of these discussion boards versus written submissions on the Plan. The traditional, standard method of providing feedback to the Council is via a written submission. As part of this consultation programme, for the first time, you can make a written submission online. As always, you can also provide one in person or by post – the details for all types of submission can be found here. The online discussion boards are a useful indication of the level of interest in various issues and challenges facing the city. They help to illuminate what are the real issues for people living and working in the city and also help to generate public debate on issues.

It is important to emphasise that the contents of an on-line discussion or post on the boards does not constitute a statutory submission on the Draft Development Plan. To ensure that your issue is taken into consideration as part of the legal process of development plan-making, it is necessary to make a written submission. The details and contents of each submission will then be summarised and considered by the City Council.

We’ll continue to post topics of relevance to the Plan and of interest to Dubliners throughout the public consultation period. All comments – whether here or via written submissions – are welcome and appreciated.

Regards,
Development Plan Team

DCC Planning Secretariat

The closing date for receipt of submissions on the Draft Development Plan was last Friday, March 12th. We’d like to thank everyone who got involved in the discussion and especially those who posted replies or made submissions about the plan.

The next step is the preparation of a report on the submissions/observations received. This will be submitted to members of the City Council who will consider it until mid-August 2010. Any material amendments agreed to the Draft Plan will then be put on public display for four weeks. It is envisaged that this display will take place during September.

We’ll post notification of the dates closer to the time. In the meantime, keep an eye on www.dublincitydevelopmentplan.ie and www.dublincity.ie for updates on what’s happening.

Regards,
The Development Plan Team

Micilin Muc

DCC, was it proposed that any of the pedestrian crossings in the city centre be widened?


The pedestrian crossings in Patrick Street in Cork are a good example of good, wide crossings that don't block up the pavement and make the pedestrian experience a lot more enjoyable. The junction of Dame Street and George's Street could do with wider crossings, I believe they were designed for one person crossing the street at one time!