Morning commute from Newbridge to Dublin

Bobokerr

Hi all, I work in Swords Dublin and currently live 20 mins drive from there.
However I am considering moving back home to Newbridge Kildare for family reasons.

Does anyone drive the morning commute from Newbridge to Dublin?
Just how bad is the N7 / Newlands Cross / Red Cow etc?
Is it a practical drive? How long doeas it take on average? Would you recommend against it?

work hours are roughly 9-5 with a bit of flexi-time either side.

Thanks!

Not

In decent weather, and in the absense of any accidents screwing things up, its reasonably ok, inbound at least. Normally, the traffic flows freely from Newbridge all the way to the Newlands queue, and there wont normally be more than 5 -10 minutes waiting at Newlands, unless theres an accident, or a problem on the M50, in which case you could be there a long time. Sometimes during the Summer you can even get through Newlands without stopping !

At the moment, if you leave Newbridge (Curragh race course junction) at 8:30am you could expect to be through Newlands by 9ish. If you leave earlier, it would probably take a bit longer. That's not taking into consideration time extracting yourself from Newbridge, which is a traffic blackspot, to get to the motorway.

Once you get past Newlands the traffic normally flows 'freely' onto the M50 via the Red Cow interchange, although the flow is a bit turbulent due to only one lane being assigned to the M50 on the approach to the Red Cow and most traffic wanting to use that so you get a lot of it queue skipping up the middle lane and cutting in at top resulting in frequent sudden braking in the flow further back.

Newlands doesnt seem to be so efficient in the evenings, so the outwards journey I think you will find more time consuming, how much more so I dont know as I dont go that way back, but the odd time I have had occassion to go south on the M50 in the evening I usually see the N7 severely backed up onto the M50.

Obviously, with the greater distance, you would be clocking up more mileage, and therefore your pocket will be taking a greater hit for fuel bills.

Lastly, I would not drive that M7 in thick fog - the traffic still drives at 120 km/h even when there's only 10 feet of visibility - complete and utter insanity:rolleyes:. The Curragh section of the motorway is prone to bad fog, however for some reason this year there has thankfully been very little of it .

Bobokerr

Thanks for the detailed reply!
I've driven from Swords to Newbridge on a few Friday afternoons 4-5pm and hit some major traffic at Red Cow / Newlands. So its good to know that the opposite direction in the morning might be a little better.
I hadn't factored in getting out of Newbridge so thats another consideration. I wonder what would the journey be like if leaving at 7am?
Either way the 8.30 leaving time might suit better and be more practical.

The mileage costs would be easily offset by childcare cost savings. And quality of life would better in every other way except for the additional travel time; but that time would add up to at least an hour extra each day, so its not an easy decision. Such is life! Thanks for your answer.

TheBazman

At that time it can be dodgy some mornings heading up to Newlands. My missus switched from driving to the train and loves it. I drive but much earlier.

foodaholic

I leave at 6.30 - the odd time at 7 when I'm running late and never have any problems even in the fog. Just be wary of the gatso van after the red house - always there during winter

Stheno

I used commute from Portlaoise and hit Newbridge at 6:45 and then Dublin city centre at 8:15

Newlands took up to twenty minutes to clear.

The M50 these days is pretty clear, however on the way back if I were you, I'd go down the M50 and cut across at Celbridge to Sallins and then onto Newbridge to avoid the Red Cow/newlands in the evening.

That was my preferred route in the evenings, saved a fair chunk of time

Leaving Newbridge at 8:30, getting out of the mess that is the school run there, and getting to Swords, wouldn't see you in Swords before 10am in my opinion (did the reverse commute, Swords to Newbridge until about a year ago )

L1011

The Newlands Cross grade-seperation works are *meant* to start October 10th, and they are invetebly going to cause some delays. Although when similar was done with the (lower traffic flow but similar junction layout) Newcastle Road things actually got better than they had been before after a short period of the traffic management.

So expect the commute times to get a bit worse for an unspecified period then hopefully better than current.

Not

MYOB wrote: »

The Newlands Cross grade-seperation works are *meant* to start October 10th, and they are invetebly going to cause some delays. Although when similar was done with the (lower traffic flow but similar junction layout) Newcastle Road things actually got better than they had been before after a short period of the traffic management.

So expect the commute times to get a bit worse for an unspecified period then hopefully better than current.

Thanks for the heads up MYOB, I've been dreading those works starting. Should be good when it's done, but it could be a nightmare while it's being done.

budhabob

MYOB wrote: »

The Newlands Cross grade-seperation works are *meant* to start October 10th, and they are invetebly going to cause some delays. Although when similar was done with the (lower traffic flow but similar junction layout) Newcastle Road things actually got better than they had been before after a short period of the traffic management.

So expect the commute times to get a bit worse for an unspecified period then hopefully better than current.

are they? I didn't realise they were pencilled to start that soon....disaster.

Bobokerr

Cheers to all for the info. Obviously the best thing to do is wait and see if newlands cross upgrade is a success. Any idea of the planned completion date?

Not

Bobokerr wrote: »

I wonder what would the journey be like if leaving at 7am?

This morning, not a great one weather wise, 07:15 Newbridge/Curragh junction, was on M50 by 07:45.

regedit

Bobokerr wrote: »

Cheers to all for the info. Obviously the best thing to do is wait and see if newlands cross upgrade is a success. Any idea of the planned completion date?

My understanding is that it should be finished in 2 years but more than likely sooner. If it starts getting busy, I envisage M50 southbound traffic taking the kingswood exit and joining M50 at the Tallaght roundabout and the Northbound traffic probably taking the kingswood-outer ring road-Liffey valley and then merging on M50. People will probably change commuting pattern to avoid q.

Noel Dempseys Den

Where are you working? Depending on where you are, public transport could be an option.

Bobokerr

I work in Swords, public transport aint an option.
Ah I think i'll just try it sometime. I was talking to someone who lives a few mins north of Newbridge, who makes his way up to the M4 to get on the M50 and then M1 to Swords. He says it generally works.

Shane Fitz

Bobokerr wrote: »

I work in Swords, public transport aint an option.
Ah I think i'll just try it sometime. I was talking to someone who lives a few mins north of Newbridge, who makes his way up to the M4 to get on the M50 and then M1 to Swords. He says it generally works.

Hi OP, can you be specific with that route please, as I will be doing the same commute (Kildare town to Swords) starting this Monday 8th and it would be nice to have another option other than M7, M50, M1
Many Thanks

STForSale

From Kildare town you'd have a few options for hitting the M4 / M50.
My preffered route would be :
Kildare town / Prosperous / Kilcock /M4
Road from Kildare town to prosperous isn't great but from prosperous to the R407 is ok and dead straight. R407 is a good road and your on the motorway using the link road without going near Kilcock Village.
Depending on travel time, M4 inbound can be sticky around celbridge west.

Kildare town / Prosperous / Clane / Straffan / Maynooth /M4 is another good option.

Not

STForSale wrote: »

From Kildare town you'd have a few options for hitting the M4 / M50.
My preffered route would be :
Kildare town / Prosperous / Kilcock /M4
Road from Kildare town to prosperous isn't great but from prosperous to the R407 is ok and dead straight. R407 is a good road and your on the motorway using the link road without going near Kilcock Village.
Depending on travel time, M4 inbound can be sticky around celbridge west.

Kildare town / Prosperous / Clane / Straffan / Maynooth /M4 is another good option.

Been there, done that (because I work in Meath and was continuing cross country to the N3), only useful as an 'if all else fails' alternative, avoid these as a regular routes. They are not very direct to the M50 and involve $h|tty country roads, and I could write a lot about the hazards and consequences they introduce to your commute. It would take a lot longer to get to the M50 (and to Meath even though it's more direct) than using the M/N7 to M50

If you want to avoid Newlands take the outer ring road off the Naas Road to the N4 at Lucan. That's a dual carraigeway, and you dont have to go into Lucan to join the N4. I would only rate the more westerly crossing routes to the M/N4 if the Newlands upgrade works seriously screws up traffic way past the outer ring road junction on a regular basis, or if they were needed to get around some problem with the M7.

Not

MYOB wrote: »

The Newlands Cross grade-seperation works are *meant* to start October 10th, and they are invetebly going to cause some delays. Although when similar was done with the (lower traffic flow but similar junction layout) Newcastle Road things actually got better than they had been before after a short period of the traffic management.

So expect the commute times to get a bit worse for an unspecified period then hopefully better than current.

For those interested but have not yet found it there is a relevant thread in the Roads sub forum of the Infrastructure forum. Don't hold your breaths on this one.