Luas Cross City (Line BX/D) [now open]

LXFlyer

MJohnston wrote: »

Im going to assert something with only my observational evidence behind it, but I suspect most private cars turning left onto OCS are going for the Arnotts car park, and not much else. I cycle north on OCS every day at rush hour, and there's barely any private traffic at the north end, its all Abbey Street or Arnotts Car Park bound.

Even then, the volume that turns left there compared to the volume that is heading east down the quays, or right across OCB, is tiny.

I think the bus/Luas mix will end up causing more issues, OCS just isn't wide enough for the way some of the tour buses and coaches park themselves.

Clearly there will have to be a realignment of bus stops and tour bus stops on OCS - that was contained in the EIS for the LUAS.

serfboard

serfboard wrote: »

Might one then ask whether there was lobbying by Arnotts which resulted in ...

After all, when a decision is made, one can ask the question - Cui bono? (Who profits?)

I've found out since I posted this that:

RTE wrote:

Cars would be allowed to turn left from Bachelor's Walk to O'Connell St to allow access to Arnott's car park

After all, transport planning must not come at a cost to car park owners ... :rolleyes:

Reuben1210

Luas splitters being installed, by Turgidson

I'd love to see a tram try to pass those points in their current configuration!

Carawaystick

lxflyer wrote: »

Clearly there will have to be a realignment of bus stops and tour bus stops on OCS - that was contained in the EIS for the LUAS.

SmartAlek would point out there needs to be a realignment of where the tour busses actually stop also...

LXFlyer

Carawaystick wrote: »

SmartAlek would point out there needs to be a realignment of where the tour busses actually stop also...

Well I think that's a given - and I suspect you mean AlekSmart!

MJohnston

The situation with coaches/tour buses on Lower Abbey Street just off OCS is getting ridiculous. Today (around 9am) they were parked two deep, and lots of Dublin Buses were unable to turn left off OCS because of this.

LXFlyer

Well as far as the coaches are concerned, a second dedicated bus station is badly needed - they should not be loading up on-street.

AngryLips

The vacant lot beside Jervice Luas stop would be a perfect location

McAlban

AngryLips wrote: »

The vacant lot beside Jervice Luas stop would be a perfect location

Nowhere near big enough I'd say and there is one way access to this site aswell (because coaches won't fit down Strand Street).

Judging by the fiasco of getting AMD/Busaras built it will probably be difficult enough to build a second bus station.

MJohnston

Imo, Broadstone would be perfect for use as a coach/tour bus station.

jamo2oo9

MJohnston wrote: »

Imo, Broadstone would be perfect for use as a coach/tour bus station.

Might be handy for tourists but it's a bit of a trek for them to get to Broadstone. Even with the LUAS

MJohnston

It's only about 0.6km walk to Ilac from Broadstone, and the Luas will stop right at Broadstone and right at OCS. Lots of space at Broadstone, existing beautiful buildings that could do with being re-used, good connections to the N1 for the airport. Could be possible!

jamo2oo9

MJohnston wrote: »

It's only about 0.6km walk to Ilac from Broadstone, and the Luas will stop right at Broadstone and right at OCS. Lots of space at Broadstone, existing beautiful buildings that could do with being re-used, good connections to the N1 for the airport. Could be possible!

Fairly certain that most of the buildings in Broadstone is for either DIT Grangegorman or CIE? I could be wrong or I'm probably looking at a different set of buildings?

I know that Western Way, the road between Parnell Square and Broadstone is used for private coach parking.

LXFlyer

jamo2oo9 wrote: »

Might be handy for tourists but it's a bit of a trek for them to get to Broadstone. Even with the LUAS

Actually Broadstone is no further from the GPO than Connolly Station.

It might seem further.

Unfortunately for that idea though, Broadstone is remaining as both a Bus Eireann depot and a Dublin Bus depot. The LUAS will run around the outside of the depot area.

MJohnston

Yeah I didn't think it was realistically likely to be used as a station, but I do think it'd be a really good spot for one.

Dardania

MJohnston wrote: »

Yeah I didn't think it was realistically likely to be used as a station, but I do think it'd be a really good spot for one.

really cool idea - I'd be worried though that the finishing touch of having integrated ticketing to enable the tourists etc. get straight on to the Luas would be missed, or signage would be unclear - just some hiccup that fails to consider the people suing itt

nowecant

lxflyer wrote: »

It might seem further.

I walk this route regularly, it only seems further because its uphill on the way there. There is also less business and activity in the area than Connolly which make it seem further away.

cgcsb

I always thought the block containing the now defunct screen cinema, Hawkins House and Apollo House would be a good spot for a bus station at Ground level and about 20 floors of office use above that. The site is very central and there's easy connection to Tara st DART and Trinity luas stop + future Metro access can be built into the foundations.

LXFlyer

cgcsb wrote: »

I always thought the block containing the now defunct screen cinema, Hawkins House and Apollo House would be a good spot for a bus station at Ground level and about 20 floors of office use above that. The site is very central and there's easy connection to Tara st DART and Trinity luas stop + future Metro access can be built into the foundations.

+ 1

BowWow

cgcsb wrote: »

I always thought the block containing the now defunct screen cinema, Hawkins House and Apollo House would be a good spot for a bus station at Ground level and about 20 floors of office use above that. The site is very central and there's easy connection to Tara st DART and Trinity luas stop + future Metro access can be built into the foundations.

Post 56 in this thread - http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=97640837

McAlban

And Tara House (An Equally ugly building across from Apollo,) is going to be redeveloped too..

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/commercial-property/ci%C3%A9-seeks-partner-to-build-office-block-in-tara-street-dublin-1.2133771

medoc

cgcsb wrote: »

I always thought the block containing the now defunct screen cinema, Hawkins House and Apollo House would be a good spot for a bus station at Ground level and about 20 floors of office use above that. The site is very central and there's easy connection to Tara st DART and Trinity luas stop + future Metro access can be built into the foundations.

Great idea. In some other cities the transport authorities or government buy the sights and build the station. Then sell the space above it for private development either during initial construction or after. Helps with the costs.

serfboard

cgcsb wrote: »

I always thought the block containing the now defunct screen cinema, Hawkins House and Apollo House would be a good spot for a bus station at Ground level and about 20 floors of office use above that.

Any plan that would involve demolishing Hawkins House would certainly get my approval ...

cgcsb

medoc wrote: »

Great idea. In some other cities the transport authorities or government buy the sights and build the station. Then sell the space above it for private development either during initial construction or after. Helps with the costs.

I'd imagine the state would stand to make a tidy profit from selling/letting a 20 storey office in that location given that the state already owns the land. The bus station wouldn't cost a huge amount to build it's just a high ceiling ground floor with a tarmac floor in parts. You could even put coach parking in the basement to save the pedestrians of Nassau street a bit of hassle.

Pete_Cavan

We are getting a temporary depot for private coaches beside Docklands train station after ABP slapped down Johnny Ronan and PWC;

http://www.independent.ie/business/commercial-property/developer-johnny-ronan-and-pwc-fail-to-block-docklands-bus-depot-plan-34750967.html

Broadstone would be a good location for a permanent facility, it is for parking up empty buses who have offloaded passengers in the city centre so distance out is not an issue. A station for loading/offloading passengers only is needed in the city centre with the empty buses should be parked up elsewhere.

MJohnston

Docklands train station is not a bad idea either actually, it'd join the Luas and commuter rail services, it's close to the Port Tunnel, near the Port too.

LXFlyer

That depot is purely for coaches laying over between trips.

It will not be used by passengers.

What's needed as well is a second city centre bus station for passengers so that the ever shrinking amount of on-street space can be used by the city bus service and proper facilities provided for waiting passengers.

Idbatterim

http://www.newstalk.com/Luas-new-trams-Cross-City-Green-line-Citadis-Paschal-Donohoe

I was just reading about the new longer trams coming into service at the end of 2017. Can the existing trams be increased in length?

LXFlyer

Idbatterim wrote: »

http://www.newstalk.com/Luas-new-trams-Cross-City-Green-line-Citadis-Paschal-Donohoe

I was just reading about the new longer trams coming into service at the end of 2017. Can the existing trams be increased in length?

Of course they can - the trams on the Red line have already been lengthened once.

The plan is for certainly some (if not all) of the existing Green Line trams to be lengthened.