Road barrier threatens future of 22 jobs in LK

inode

http://www.donegaldaily.com/2011/09/02/road-barrier-plan-threatens-future-of-22-jobs-at-letterkenny-store/

This is a disgrace, surly if they really need the barrier up they can put in a slip road!

GetWithIt

Management at the store say the move will cut its business by 50% and they will be left with no option but to close its doors.

So you're coming from Derry/Lifford/Sligo, there's an Esso directly in front of you on the left but instead you slam on the brakes after coming off the roundabout, stop in the middle of the road to cut across 2 lanes of traffic and use a petrol station. To exit that station and proceed on your journey you then need to repeat the manouvre or go left back around the roundabout, finally passing the Esso you could have entered in the first place.

And these brave souls constitute 50% of their business? No wonder they're in trouble.

Any chance they just want some compensation?

And don't call me surly.

Pique

GetWithIt wrote: »

So you're coming from Derry/Lifford/Sligo, there's an Esso directly in front of you on the left but instead you slam on the brakes after coming off the roundabout, stop in the middle of the road to cut across 2 lanes of traffic and use a petrol station. To exit that station and proceed on your journey you then need to repeat the manouvre or go left back around the roundabout, finally passing the Esso you could have entered in the first place.

And these brave souls constitute 50% of their business? No wonder they're in trouble.

Any chance they just want some compensation?

And don't call me surly.

lol brilliant and accurate. Well done.

Some of the comments on the linked webpage are obviously written by the "please think of the children" brigade and those who see no problem in driving across 2 lanes of 100kph traffic to get petrol priced exactly the same as everywhere else nearby.

50% is having a laugh. 5-10% would be more accurate.

2moreMinutes

Nonsense that this could cost them 50% of their business. However, also nonsense that this barrier is actually needed.

retalivity

smacks of ****e to get more attention to something which, regardless if really required,
does not affect the business (miniscule)

+1 previous 3 comments

homer simpson

This to me looks like the dry arch station is ripping because the clanree station will now get some of the business they were getting but its nowhere near the 50% quoted in that "article" above...

2moreMinutes wrote: »

Nonsense that this could cost them 50% of their business. However, also nonsense that this barrier is actually needed.

Disagree with that the barrier really is needed, the amount of people I have seen make silly silly manouvers to cross that road is crazy. Just yesterday i seen someone come out of kee's place and cross onto the cross-hatchings and sat there have on half off the fast lane causing a lorry to nearly side swipe a van (me) in the slow lane. All that to save what 45 seconds to go to the roundabout and do it the legal way!

henke

I think the 50% figure quoted is rubbish really to be honest. It will have a minimal affect on business I believe.

Also, I think the barrier probably is needed, in an ideal world where he didn't have stupid and senseless drivers we wouldn't need a barrier and the money could go towards improving the state of some of our roads, unfortunately though we do have these kind of drivers so safety has to come before a few less potholes.

Jamesy2011

first of all, putting up a barrier where there has never been a serious accident is stupid, a concrete barrier will cause a serious accident, concrete will not absorb the energy caused in accident, a car will basically be crashing into a wall… 2nd of all the business man is not against a barrier going up what he is asking for is a slip way put in through the barrier to allow traffic to enter in which case pedestrians will of course be able to cross everywhere else…3rd of all lorries who cross over will now instead have to go go past the polestar roundabout and while turning down the lorry will take up the 2 lanes of traffic, the angle either causing either jams or another car will try and pass and get crushed against the wall…4th the speed limit is coming down on that road anyway!!!!! Its hard enough to stay affloat without having to fight to stay in business with your own council fighting to put you out of business. People giving this holyier than thou attitude about safety coming first, get of your soap box because nobody thinks that business is more important than safety, they are just asking for common sense to be used which doesn’t in anyway effect the safety of pedestrians or motorists so before you climb back up on the soap box engage your brain!!!

Jamesy2011

GetWithIt wrote: »

So you're coming from Derry/Lifford/Sligo, there's an Esso directly in front of you on the left but instead you slam on the brakes after coming off the roundabout, stop in the middle of the road to cut across 2 lanes of traffic and use a petrol station. To exit that station and proceed on your journey you then need to repeat the manouvre or go left back around the roundabout, finally passing the Esso you could have entered in the first place.

And these brave souls constitute 50% of their business? No wonder they're in trouble.

Any chance they just want some compensation?

And don't call me surly.

not at all accurate as another user put it. The people that come out of that esso station then CROSS ALL FOUR LANES then to go back to the Dry Arch roundabout, i see it several times a day! Alot of these people coming from Lifford/Derry head onto Ballybofey/Sligo so it is much safer to cross two lanes to go to the Dry Arch service station than it is FOUR LANES gettin back out to the roundabout! and that does happen everyday!!! think for feck sake!

also most people here obviously dont live in the area and rely on that shop as there local!

muffler

Hang on here Jamesy2011. You're new here so I will cut you some slack but if you intend posting again just tone the lingo down a bit and drop the personal abuse from your posts.

Comments such as "engage your brain" and "think for feck sake" arent acceptable or welcome on this forum. Please read the forum charter before you post again.

GetWithIt

Jamesy2011 wrote: »

first of all, putting up a barrier where there has never been a serious accident is stupid, a concrete barrier will cause a serious accident, concrete will not absorb the energy caused in accident, a car will basically be crashing into a wall… 2nd of all the business man is not against a barrier going up what he is asking for is a slip way put in through the barrier to allow traffic to enter in which case pedestrians will of course be able to cross everywhere else…3rd of all lorries who cross over will now instead have to go go past the polestar roundabout and while turning down the lorry will take up the 2 lanes of traffic, the angle either causing either jams or another car will try and pass and get crushed against the wall…4th the speed limit is coming down on that road anyway!!!!! Its hard enough to stay affloat without having to fight to stay in business with your own council fighting to put you out of business. People giving this holyier than thou attitude about safety coming first, get of your soap box because nobody thinks that business is more important than safety, they are just asking for common sense to be used which doesn’t in anyway effect the safety of pedestrians or motorists so before you climb back up on the soap box engage your brain!!!

Andi says:
September 3, 2011 at 6:02 pm
first of all, putting up a barrier where there has never been a serious accident is stupid, a concrete barrier will cause a serious accident, concrete will not absorb the energy caused in accident, a car will basically be crashing into a wall… 2nd of all the business man is not against a barrier going up what he is asking for is a slip way put in through the barrier to allow traffic to enter in which case pedestrians will of course be able to cross everywhere else…3rd of all lorries who cross over will now instead have to go go past the polestar roundabout and while turning down the lorry will take up the 2 lanes of traffic, the angle either causing either jams or another car will try and pass and get crushed against the wall…4th of all you people saying this cronyism…USE YOUR BRAIN, what about the 22 people with mortgages, children that this effecting…5th the speed limit is coming down on that road anyway!!!!! Its hard enough to stay affloat without having to fight to stay in business with your own council fighting to put you out of business. People giving this holyier than thou attitude about safety coming first, get of your soap box because nobody thinks that business is more important than safety, they are just asking for common sense to be used which doesn’t in anyway effect the safety of pedestrians or motorists so before you climb back up on the soap box engage your brain!!!

Hmmm.

muffler

Where did you find the 2nd comment?

GetWithIt

muffler wrote: »

Where did you find the 2nd comment?

A comment from the original link.

Cee-Jay-Cee

I think a barrier is so badly needed along that road but not to prevent people coming from derry/ballybofey direction crossing to the dry arch station but to stop the mindless idiots coming out of the first exit of Clanree on a blind corner and crossing over to the other side to head towards derry. I travel into letterkenny from ballybofey direction every morning/day and the amount of times i've been met with some mindless idiot exiting the hotel is frightening.

I can however see how businesses and individuals will be upset at it and especially those living up the cullion road who will now have to go out as far as the dry arch roundabout and come all the way back in.

I can also see Shapla restaurant suffering badly as the majority of their business comes from the town direction and having to travel out as far as the dry arch now may put punters off and send them elsewhere.

However given all the arguments i am in agreement with a barrier being erected down the centre, there are far too many people taking stupid risks crossing the road and then are those who dont even use the filter lanes provided and stop on the actual road/carriageway waiting to turn right. It will effect a lot of people (including me) but for a safety point of view i thinks its necessary and besides once its finished and people have no choice but to take detours or travel a bit further there will be no more about it and people will just get on with it.

Jamesy2011

CJC999 wrote: »

I think a barrier is so badly needed along that road but not to prevent people coming from derry/ballybofey direction crossing to the dry arch station but to stop the mindless idiots coming out of the first exit of Clanree on a blind corner and crossing over to the other side to head towards derry. I travel into letterkenny from ballybofey direction every morning/day and the amount of times i've been met with some mindless idiot exiting the hotel is frightening.

I can however see how businesses and individuals will be upset at it and especially those living up the cullion road who will now have to go out as far as the dry arch roundabout and come all the way back in.

I can also see Shapla restaurant suffering badly as the majority of their business comes from the town direction and having to travel out as far as the dry arch now may put punters off and send them elsewhere.

However given all the arguments i am in agreement with a barrier being erected down the centre, there are far too many people taking stupid risks crossing the road and then are those who dont even use the filter lanes provided and stop on the actual road/carriageway waiting to turn right. It will effect a lot of people (including me) but for a safety point of view i thinks its necessary and besides once its finished and people have no choice but to take detours or travel a bit further there will be no more about it and people will just get on with it.

i agree completely up until the end, it DOES mean closure for some businesses, mainly the Dry Arch service station. i also see people making stupid mistakes everyday as i travel that road every day and your right people dont use the filter lanes properly, but if the barrier was properly done they would have to use the filter lanes properly, or end up in the barrier. crossing two lanes is perfectly safe, i do it every day, crossing four lanes is just not acceptable so if they did the barrier properly they can stop people crossing all lanes and still have safe filter lanes.

Jamesy2011

GetWithIt wrote: »

Hmmm.

yes i did copy and paste that! its a good argument!

homer simpson

CJC999 wrote: »

I think a barrier is so badly needed along that road but not to prevent people coming from derry/ballybofey direction crossing to the dry arch station but to stop the mindless idiots coming out of the first exit of Clanree on a blind corner and crossing over to the other side to head towards derry. I travel into letterkenny from ballybofey direction every morning/day and the amount of times i've been met with some mindless idiot exiting the hotel is frightening.

I can however see how businesses and individuals will be upset at it and especially those living up the cullion road who will now have to go out as far as the dry arch roundabout and come all the way back in.

I can also see Shapla restaurant suffering badly as the majority of their business comes from the town direction and having to travel out as far as the dry arch now may put punters off and send them elsewhere.

However given all the arguments i am in agreement with a barrier being erected down the centre, there are far too many people taking stupid risks crossing the road and then are those who dont even use the filter lanes provided and stop on the actual road/carriageway waiting to turn right. It will effect a lot of people (including me) but for a safety point of view i thinks its necessary and besides once its finished and people have no choice but to take detours or travel a bit further there will be no more about it and people will just get on with it.

Re the bit in bold, as far as i know that is the only road that will still have a turn off, all the other roads won't have one.

On the arguement on will the business / won't the business close as a direct result of the new barrier I will eat my hat if it does! Its pretty much a pointless arguement, saying they get 50% of their business by means of people crossing the road on their way into the town I cannot see that.

Fact is people tend to go to whichever place is handier, I tend to go to Martin's because its handy to get in and out of with it being on the roundabout but have used both other shops / petrol stations at the dry arch if its handier to do so.

Jamesy2011

Re the bit in bold, as far as i know that is the only road that will still have a turn off, all the other roads won't have one.

i've seen the proposed map, they will not include the turn off for the cullion road, which does mean, HGV'S will no longer be able to turn up it, they will have to enter either from Lurgybrack or Lower Dromore.

Cee-Jay-Cee

Well there ya go....I have travelled in and out that road all my life and have only ever came across accidents at the cullion road junction. I know there have been others but the cullion road junction seems to be the one place i would have thought SHOULD have been closed off as its a ridiculous junction.

But anyway i agree that the Dry Arch wont close because of the barrier, i'd guesstimate their business crossing the road at maybe 20-25% and even with a barrier if people want to specifically get fuel or whatever then they will travel as far as the port bridge and come back out again. I however wouldnt be bothered and will use Martins or the Esso place on the inward bound lane.

Jamesy2011

I however wouldnt be bothered and will use Martins or the Esso place on the inward bound lane.

point made then, some business lost already

martblue

To be honest its about time that road was sorted out, been saying it for years. whats the hardship in going up and around the roundabout?? You see these type of barriers in many other towns/cities, specially in the uk. That barrier should have been built when they updated the road in the first place. They had a temporary one in place when the fleadh cheoil was on and it worked fine. As for the business's loosing out dont think it will make much difference to be honest.

yourpics

CJC999 wrote: »

I think a barrier is so badly needed along that road but not to prevent people coming from derry/ballybofey direction crossing to the dry arch station but to stop the mindless idiots coming out of the first exit of Clanree on a blind corner and crossing over to the other side to head towards derry. I travel into letterkenny from ballybofey direction every morning/day and the amount of times i've been met with some mindless idiot exiting the hotel is frightening.

I can however see how businesses and individuals will be upset at it and especially those living up the cullion road who will now have to go out as far as the dry arch roundabout and come all the way back in.

I can also see Shapla restaurant suffering badly as the majority of their business comes from the town direction and having to travel out as far as the dry arch now may put punters off and send them elsewhere.

However given all the arguments i am in agreement with a barrier being erected down the centre, there are far too many people taking stupid risks crossing the road and then are those who dont even use the filter lanes provided and stop on the actual road/carriageway waiting to turn right. It will effect a lot of people (including me) but for a safety point of view i thinks its necessary and besides once its finished and people have no choice but to take detours or travel a bit further there will be no more about it and people will just get on with it.

It will be possible to cross over to head up the Cullion Road, not sure about Shapla though.

92 DL SAM

Ye canney please everywaaaan

ootbitb

always thought that speed was the biggest issue on that stretch.

100kph always seems too fast here as there are so many exits/entrances on both sides of the road.

just as well there aren't too many walkers there as it's suicidal to cross.

danniemcq

ootbitb wrote: »

always thought that speed was the biggest issue on that stretch.

100kph always seems too fast here as there are so many exits/entrances on both sides of the road.

just as well there aren't too many walkers there as it's suicidal to cross.

try venturing out there on a bike! nightmare!

yourpics

I read in The Donegal News recently that this barrier will not now go ahead. The local elected representatives (bar one) voted against it.

In the short term this will mean no employment constructing the barrier and in the long term it will lead to road safety issues, although it is now proposed to reduce the speed limit on this road. I think it will be hard to reduce and enforce a 60kph limit on this stretch of road and could also restrict the free flow of traffic on a particularly busy road. Perhaps 80 kph would be more suitable.

I would have thought that we (the people) elected local representatives to represent all of the people rather than just the business owners!
An independent survey would need to be carried out to see if the customer base of the various businesses involved would no longer use said businesses because they could not cross the road. I honestly do not think the barrier would make any difference as most of the businesses are not reliant on a passing trade. For example, if you are heading to Mr. Windscreen, its unlikely you will continue on to the next windscreen centre because you cannot cross the road! The only business it might affect would be the Dry Arch Filling Station. However, on a busy road like this, I think most people will go for the filling station that is most convienent!

danniemcq

yourpics wrote: »

I would have thought that we (the people) elected local representatives to represent all of the people rather than just the business owners!

well theres your problem

GetWithIt

The 60kph limit seemed like the most sensible compromise (though knowing the way these things go, somebody will object to that and ultimately everything will be left as it originally was)

The point the NRA seemed to make was that the alternative suggestions were fine, it's just nobody raised an objection or came up with an alternative till they had gone completely down the barrier route. I don't know how true that is. It does seem pretty ridiculous for the County - Planners and Councillors - to be continually flip-flopping on pretty serious decisions. Is there no analysis done to justify these decisions?

The Outside Agency

It should never have been constructed in the first place.

Who approved the construction of a petrol station right beside a round about??

homer simpson

nivekd wrote: »

It should never have been constructed in the first place.

Who approved the construction of a petrol station right beside a round about??

Which was there first though? The roundabout or the petrol station / pub / shop?

GoldenGreen

Think the Dry arch pub is there a long long long time

yourpics

homer_simpson wrote: »

Which was there first though? The roundabout or the petrol station / pub / shop?

The hotel (then known as The Three Ways Motel) was there before the roundabout anyway

Cee-Jay-Cee

yourpics wrote: »

...although it is now proposed to reduce the speed limit on this road. I think it will be hard to reduce and enforce a 60kph limit on this stretch of road and could also restrict the free flow of traffic on a particularly busy road. Perhaps 80 kph would be more suitable.

I agree...without speed bumps/traffic calming islands or speed cameras then there is no way of enforcing a 60kph speed limit. They'll throw up a load of signs and expect people to obey them which wont happen.

I honestly dont see why they want to reduce the speed limit on the road, there are very very few speed related accidents on that stretch, accident that i know about are as a result of people crossing the road.

IMO because they have now shelved the barrier then they also need to scrap the idea of lowering the speed limit, it will achieve nothing and create more conjection at the roundabouts and junctions.

The Outside Agency

homer_simpson wrote: »

Which was there first though? The roundabout or the petrol station / pub / shop?

The dry arch pub was there alright but the access road was far enough away from the roundabout...I don't remember any shop being there (except for last one on left before entering dual carriage way to derry) until the petrol station was constructed.

The station in question was definitely built after the roundabout because it seemed odd to me at the time being so close to the existing station there since the 80s.

I could provide anecdotal evidence why the construction was approved but it's against the forum rules.

yourpics

nivekd wrote: »

I could provide anecdotal evidence why the construction was approved but it's against the forum rules.

Can you PM it?

GetWithIt

CJC999, your post makes very little sense - to me anyway.

CJC999 wrote: »

I agree...without speed bumps/traffic calming islands or speed cameras then there is no way of enforcing a 60kph speed limit. They'll throw up a load of signs and expect people to obey them which wont happen.

It's very easy to enforce a 60K speed limit. Slap the mobile speed camera there for a couple of days and people will get the message pretty quickly.

CJC999 wrote: »

I honestly dont see why they want to reduce the speed limit on the road, there are very very few speed related accidents on that stretch, accident that i know about are as a result of people crossing the road.

So they should place a barrier to stop people doing so? Or reduce the speed limit in recognition that it's a commercial/residential area?

Pick one.

CJC999 wrote: »

IMO because they have now shelved the barrier then they also need to scrap the idea of lowering the speed limit, it will achieve nothing and create more conjection at the roundabouts and junctions.

If safety is an issue then you have to do one OR the other. They were never going to reduce the limit AND build a barrier.

yourpics

CJC999 wrote: »

...without speed bumps

Speed bumps are a disaster for regulating traffic flow, some people fly over them like they are driving in a rally, others creep over them, others mount low points on the footpath to avoid them.
They are a bit like an inverted pothole! The worst thing is if you are driving over them carefully and someone is tailgating or even attempts to pass you :mad:

The introduction of speed bumps on an open road like the one in question would hinder traffic flow.

Cee-Jay-Cee

GetWithIt wrote: »

CJC999, your post makes very little sense - to me anyway.

It's very easy to enforce a 60K speed limit. Slap the mobile speed camera there for a couple of days and people will get the message pretty quickly.

Maybe you should read it again....I did say that speed cameras are needed if they want to reduce the speed of cars! Speed camera vans only work when theyre there, theyre not a permanent solution and they cant be there all the time.

GetWithIt wrote: »

So they should place a barrier to stop people doing so? Or reduce the speed limit in recognition that it's a commercial/residential area?

Pick one.

If safety is an issue then you have to do one OR the other. They were never going to reduce the limit AND build a barrier.

As far as i know the plan was to build a barrier AND reduce the speed limit, if you can point out where its said this wasn't the case then i will stand corrected.

homer simpson

CJC999 wrote: »

Maybe you should read it again....I did say that speed cameras are needed if they want to reduce the speed of cars! Speed camera vans only work when theyre there, theyre not a permanent solution and they cant be there all the time.

In fairness when I first read your post I thought the same thing as GetWithIt.... guess the 2 of us just misread it

CathySpark

I work down the road going to Tinney Oils and often come out of the top of that road onto the main road, go round the roundabout and head back into the town. I am always amazed at the number of people that try to turn straight back into the town across the four lanes of traffic.

I know a barrier would stop this but I still dont think jobs should be risked just because some people are too daft to obey the rules of the road. Put cameras up for speeding and at main junctions and it would soon stop and the jobs of people who obey the rules of the road would not be at risk.

yourpics

CathySpark wrote: »

I know a barrier would stop this but I still dont think jobs should be risked just because some people are too daft to obey the rules of the road. Put cameras up for speeding and at main junctions and it would soon stop and the jobs of people who obey the rules of the road would not be at risk.

But will jobs be risked?? An independent survey of the various customer bases would need to be carried out to determine this.
Very few of the businesses affected rely on a passing trade ie if you are going to buy a lawnmower from Robert Kee an extra bit of driving around the roundabout isn't going to force you to go to the next garden machinery place!
What about the potential construction jobs lost?