Mayor launches traffic woes talking shop

snubbleste

Anyone with a suggestion on how to improve the congestion engulfing Galway City is being urged to contribute to a major new think tank launched last night in a bid to create new solutions to the traffic woes.The forum is conducting a general online survey over a seven week period from now until January 21. http://www.galwaynews.ie/22941-mayor-launches-think-tank-bid-solve-galway-traffic-crux
The website for Galway Transport Forum can be accessed at www.galwaytf.com

You'd think she'd log on here and get all the ideas she needs for a permanent solution

Sponge Bob

She'd end up clattered by a bicycle in no time the poor woman.

What'll we call the talking shop ??? Ochón Ochón Ochón comes to mind.

antoobrien

I don't think (some of)) my opinions would help matters

1) don't listen to anything galway cycling campaign say (I've never agreed with anything they have to say, bunch of serial whingers that make Conor Faughnan look reasonable and unbaised towards cars)

2) no traffic lights on major junctions if it's possible to have pedestrian bridges (plenty of spots it is, unfortunately more that it isn't)

but the biggest one of all

the traffic corp should actually do their jobs and police junctions

Not act as traffic control ala race week or operation goslow freeflow in dublin (not in operation since the edit Port Tunnel opened, evidence of the necessity of a proper bypass if I ever sat it) but to pull people up for breaking the rules of the road.

xflyer

The survey questions are a joke.

If you could think of one easy to implement measure that might help in alleviating the traffic problems, what would it be?

My answer would be to fire everyone involved in traffic planning and hire somebody competent.

Do you think that a major promotional campaign could be used to get people to shift away from cars and towards more sustainable forms of transport?

That means get people on bicycles which is the default solution to all traffic problems for unimaginative.

The fact that they even have to resort to asking people on line to solve the traffic problems simply illustrates the sheer lack of imagination and skill among the so called traffic experts in this town.

Next they'll be asking how to run the hospitals better.

galwaycyclist

xflyer wrote: »

The survey questions are a joke. My answer would be to fire everyone involved in traffic planning and hire somebody competent.

Thats an excellent idea - at least for the incompetent examples - the problem is they can't be fired so what is your plan B?

antoobrien

galwaycyclist wrote: »

Thats an excellent idea - at least for the incompetent examples - the problem is they can't be fired so what is your plan B?

transfer them to rosmuc by bus and leave them there

ciotog

antoobrien wrote: »

1) don't listen to anything galway cycling campaign say (I've never agreed with anything they have to say, bunch of serial whingers that make Conor Faughnan look reasonable and unbaised towards cars)

Could you put up specific examples of what you see as serial whinging and bias against cars from the campaign. I'm part of the campaign and genuinely do want the feedback.

ciotog

xflyer wrote: »

The survey questions are a joke. My answer would be to fire everyone involved in traffic planning and hire somebody competent.

That means get people on bicycles which is the default solution to all traffic problems for unimaginative.

The fact that they even have to resort to asking people on line to solve the traffic problems simply illustrates the sheer lack of imagination and skill among the so called traffic experts in this town.

Next they'll be asking how to run the hospitals better.

In fairness it's coming from a councillor rather than city officials i.e. the transportation unit. The transportation unit which would contain the traffic experts isn't accountable to the electorate.

Sponge Bob

Let me see, items 1 2 and 3 should be Bypass Bypass and Bypass....in that order.

Reducing the buslanes on the SQR from 24 hour to peak only would be around 4th.

antoobrien

ciotog wrote: »

Could you put up specific examples of what you see as serial whinging and bias against cars from the campaign. I'm part of the campaign and genuinely do want the feedback.

Never said that you had an anti car bias, just that I don't agree with pretty much anything I hear you lot come out with.

As somebody who spent 6 years cycling along BNT between Briarhill & NUIG, whom my neighbours knew was a regular cyclists, I did my best to distance myself from anything you lot came out with because it's just totally counter intuitive - and no at the time I did not have a driving license.

Take this example (I remember falling off the barstool when my neighbour told me about this one) - remove the cycle lane markings on the Parkmore Road because grit from the road is building up there. News flash - grit has always built up on the side of that road - it's not just because the cycle lanes are there.

You spend years campaigning for cycle lanes and the best ones provided are derided with crap like this.

I cycle to work regularly in Dublin, I hate with a passion any shared paths like the QB - the on road/bus lane cycle tracks are by far and away the best ones available to cyclists.

antoobrien

Sponge Bob wrote: »

Let me see, items 1 2 and 3 should be Bypass Bypass and Bypass....in that order.

Reducing the buslanes on the SQR from 24 hour to peak only would be around 4th.

There was a question about car pooling - let car poolers use the bus lanes. There are similar schemes in the US where there's a lane set aside on freeways for car pooling.

Of course then we'd have to train the traffic corps to spot the difference between people and mannequins....

ciotog

antoobrien wrote: »

Never said that you had an anti car bias, just that I don't agree with pretty much anything I hear you lot come out with.

Sorry, read the Conor Faughnan bit wrong!

As somebody who spent 6 years cycling along BNT between Briarhill & NUIG, whom my neighbours knew was a regular cyclists, I did my best to distance myself from anything you lot came out with because it's just totally counter intuitive - and no at the time I did not have a driving license.

Take this example (I remember falling off the barstool when my neighbour told me about this one) - remove the cycle lane markings on the Parkmore Road because grit from the road is building up there. News flash - grit has always built up on the side of that road - it's not just because the cycle lanes are there.

Okay, the issue there is that when a cycle lane like that is provided it's mandatory for a cyclist to use it even when it's unsafe i.e. due to grit build up or other lack of maintenance. The logic behind seeking the removal of the cycle lane is so that the cyclist wouldn't be legally required to cycle where it was unsafe.

galwaycyclist

antoobrien wrote: »

You spend years campaigning for cycle lanes and the best ones provided are derided with crap like this.

I suspect some trolling but I better respond. Who exactly are you alleging has been campaigning for cycle lanes? If you are alleging its the Galway Cycling Campaign then you haven't a clue what you are talking about.

antoobrien wrote: »

Take this example (I remember falling off the barstool when my neighbour told me about this one) - remove the cycle lane markings on the Parkmore Road because grit from the road is building up there. News flash - grit has always built up on the side of that road - it's not just because the cycle lanes are there.

News flash - if it is a road with significant build up of grit then it is not a suitable location for a substandard (1m) cycle lane.

antoobrien wrote: »

I cycle to work regularly in Dublin, I hate with a passion any shared paths like the QB - the on road/bus lane cycle tracks are by far and away the best ones available to cyclists.

Cyclists have been expressing concerns about the design of the cycle paths in the QB from the day it opened. It was pointed out to the engineers at the time and repeatedly over the last ten years that the design was unworkable. If you want to blame someone for the design you are barking up the wrong tree with the Cycling Campaign.

What would be great is if they were able to dedicate roads to car pools, where you could only use them if you had 3 or more people in your car. Unfortunately, this will probably never happen.

Sponge Bob

antoobrien wrote: »

There was a question about car pooling - let car poolers use the bus lanes. There are similar schemes in the US where there's a lane set aside on freeways for car pooling.

Minimum 3 adults over 18 or people will take the piss. I did advocate that long ago ...search this forum for 'pool' or 'pooling' . You will find that someone will set up a website to mate cars and poolers in no time.

Obviously if buses EVER appear at a decent frequency the car pool quota can be upped to 4 adults minimum.

Of course then we'd have to train the traffic corps to spot the difference between people and mannequins....

They will only pull easy targets...same as ever.

antoobrien

galwaycyclist wrote: »

I suspect some trolling

Stop being trowing the toys out of the pram because there's somebody who's willing to speak against the crap that has been peddled on behalf of Galway cyclists.

galwaycyclist wrote: »

Who exactly are you alleging has been campaigning for cycle lanes? If you are alleging its the Galway Cycling Campaign then you haven't a clue what you are talking about.

Seeing as how their own website doesn't have a reasonable archive it'll be hard but I will dig up links for your amusement (eventually).

galwaycyclist wrote: »

News flash - if it is a road with significant build up of grit then it is not a suitable location for a substandard (1m) cycle lane.

News flash from a local, Grit has been on the road in question for the 20 or so years I've been cycling on it - a long time before it was resurfaced and realigned too I might add. Hell it used to help fill in the cracks, bumps and potholes.

Get off my bandwagon.

Btw, 1m is the width of the majority of on road (i.e. not part of bus lane) cycle lanes on the north side of Dublin, so it's not sub standard.

galwaycyclist wrote: »

Cyclists have been expressing concerns about the design of the cycle paths in the QB from the day it opened.

I know, I spent the first 3 years of my college commute going in through Woodquay to avoid it - until the CC decided to put traffic lights at the plots, at which stage I had to use it.

galwaycyclist wrote: »

If you want to blame someone for the design you are barking up the wrong tree with the Cycling Campaign.

I suggest you go read my post again - I never claimed they were responsible, so get off your high horse. However I seem to recall the campaign complaining about the design of the on road lanes out on the Western Distributer road - saying that they shouldn't be on road. When the only other alternative is QB style lanes, I'm content in ignoring the cycling campain.

ciotog

antoobrien wrote: »

Seeing as how their own website doesn't have a reasonable archive it'll be hard but I will dig up links for your amusement (eventually).

There's an archive of a previous incarnation of the site at http://www.oocities.org/galwaycyclist/ - if it isn't on that one I'll see if I can bring the Drupal one back up (just the files for factsheets, etc. were carried over).

ciotog

antoobrien wrote: »

Btw, 1m is the width of the majority of on road (i.e. not part of bus lane) cycle lanes on the north side of Dublin, so it's not sub standard.

It's substandard by National Transport Authority standards: http://www.nationaltransport.ie/downloads/archive/provision_of_cycling_facilities_ch3_2006.pdf for example, see page 30 of that doc.

galwaycyclist

antoobrien wrote: »

Seeing as how their own website doesn't have a reasonable archive it'll be hard but I will dig up links for your amusement (eventually).

Then please allow me to be of assistance in your search

http://www.oocities.org/galwaycyclist/index.html


10/10/04 Galway Cyclists welcome amendments to city development plan
http://www.oocities.org/galwaycyclist/news.html#story8

The Galway Cycling Campaign have expressed delight with the amendments made to the City Development Plan during the debates at city hall over the past two weeks. On Sunday night, last minute amendments, such as replacing cycle lanes with hard-shoulder markings more suitable for Galway's roads, were carried. Other key improvements made included an acknowledgement that roundabouts pose difficulties for pedestrians and cyclists and provision for two-way access for cyclists on one-way streets.

2/12/02 Cork, Galway Cycle Campaigns call for state embargo on cycle track funds.
http://www.oocities.org/galwaycyclist/news3.html#story6

The cycle campaigners are concerned that the use of dangerous cycle track/cycle lane designs has served to compound the problems which Irish cyclists were already facing as a result of long criticised road designs. This has resulted in the ludicrous situation in which, in many cases, it is the cycle facilities themselves, which are the biggest obstacles to that Irish cyclists face on their journey to work or college.

antoobrien wrote: »

Btw, 1m is the width of the majority of on road (i.e. not part of bus lane) cycle lanes on the north side of Dublin, so it's not sub standard.

<snip>

I suggest you go read my post again - I never claimed they were responsible, so get off your high horse. However I seem to recall the campaign complaining about the design of the on road lanes out on the Western Distributer road - saying that they shouldn't be on road. When the only other alternative is QB style lanes, I'm content in ignoring the cycling campain.

Again please allow me to refresh your memory


16/9/02 Safety warning issued over "cycle lane" markings on Western Distributor Road
http://www.oocities.org/galwaycyclist/news3.html#story3

The standard advice for an adult cyclist who encounters a cycle lane is to "try not to let its presence affect your behaviour". It is recommended that cyclists should position themselves as if the lane were not there, although more caution is required because of the complicating factor of the cycle lane. Where narrow cycle lanes are encountered, the recommended defensive action is to ride along the lane stripe

November 2001: GCC contacts Garda Commissioner over red lane markings on Western Distributor Road
http://www.oocities.org/galwaycyclist/news1.html#story2

The red road markings have been measured at just 1.2m wide putting them well outside the recommended minimum of 2m for such devices. It has been shown that on cycle lanes less than 2m wide many cyclists will be receiving less clearance from overtaking motorists than if there were no markings, a lane width of 1.2m represents a safety hazard on its own right. The presence of prominent drainage grates on the road means that in places the effective lane width is actually less than the design width of a bicycle plus rider. The standard safe cycling advice in such situations is to ignore the cycle lane and ride along the outside edge markings. In order to ensure cyclists safety the GCC has asked the Garda commissioner to exercise his powers under the roads act and seek the removal of the road markings on grounds of traffic hazard.

biko

Has everyone in this thread done the survey already?
http://galwaytf.com/?page_id=84
The Mayor('s people) probably won't read the comments here so please put them where they will have an impact.

Sponge Bob

antoobrien wrote: »

Stop being trowing the toys out of the pram because there's somebody who's willing to speak against the crap that has been peddled on behalf of Galway cyclists.

Galwaycyclist would not be known for being a cyclist who throws out crap Anto, perhaps you are confusing him/her/it with someone else ??

biko

Just do the survey, this regularly occurring fight is over.