New lay-bys on the motorways

dabfan

Hi,
I've noticed alot of new "emergency vehicle" lay-bys are being developed on the motorways around the country, marked with hi-vis signs, and electrical supply junction box and a perforated concrete based for them to drive on, these are at the same level as the road/hard shoulder - not like the older type of Garda ramps.
Does anyone know if these are soley for Garda speed vans or are they going to allow the GoSafe vans to start checking speeds on the motorways?

Thanks!

DF

Silvera

dabfan wrote: »

Hi,
I've noticed alot of new "emergency vehicle" lay-bys are being developed on the motorways around the country, marked with hi-vis signs, and electrical supply junction box and a perforated concrete based for them to drive on, these are at the same level as the road/hard shoulder - not like the older type of Garda ramps.
Does anyone know if these are soley for Garda speed vans or are they going to allow the GoSafe vans to start checking speeds on the motorways?

Thanks!

DF

If the sign states 'Emergency Vehicle' then the lay-bys must be for Garda, Ambulance or Fire Brigade vehicles...Go-Safe vans would not be classed as emergency vehicles.

The motorway from Dublin to Galway is very interesting in this regard too, it's the only Irish motorway that I have seen to-date which has several gated exits along each side of the motorway for ambulance/fire brigade/garda vehicles to access the motorway in emergency situations. Very well designed system of access imho!

Then on the other extreme, the N9 motorway (Dublin to Waterford) is the only motorway I have ever seen which has several gateways specially-built off the hard shoulder to allow local farmers enter and exit their fields??!! WTF!

pred racer

The M7 has those gated lay byes too, there is one right before the roscrea exit

GerardKeating

pred racer wrote: »

The M7 has those gated lay byes too, there is one right before the roscrea exit

As does the M4

RustyNut

Only a guess but they are probably set up for multi agency checkpoints. They can set up weigh bridges for trucks, power vans with computers to check social welfare status, immigration status, customs checks etc. Just like other country's.

slimjimmc

Silvera wrote: »

If the sign states 'Emergency Vehicle' then the lay-bys must be for Garda, Ambulance or Fire Brigade vehicles...Go-Safe vans would not be classed as emergency vehicles.

The motorway from Dublin to Galway is very interesting in this regard too, it's the only Irish motorway that I have seen to-date which has several gated exits along each side of the motorway for ambulance/fire brigade/garda vehicles to access the motorway in emergency situations. Very well designed system of access imho!

Then on the other extreme, the N9 motorway (Dublin to Waterford) is the only motorway I have ever seen which has several gateways specially-built off the hard shoulder to allow local farmers enter and exit their fields??!! WTF!

I'd be amazed if they're for the farmer's convenience. I know of one roadside gate but it has an overgrown dirt track leading back to the old road.

dabfan

These lay-bys are only big enough for a car/van, sorry I was probably unclear on that. Im not on about the proper tarmac'ed lay-bys -where you sometimes see customs doing dip checks.

DF

langdang

dabfan wrote: »

These lay-bys are only big enough for a car/van, sorry I was probably unclear on that. Im not about the proper tarmac'ed lay-bys -where you sometimes see customs doing dip checks.

DF

Also interested in these (the small, semi grassy ones with electricity). I recall a "no parking, authorises vehicles only" kinda blurb rather than "emergency vehicles only". Strange to see them next to the hard shoulder without being raised or having a barrier. I've heard people suggest charging points for electric vehicles, but I doubt it - looks like a liability to have Joe Public topping up at one of these spots on a motorway.

My guess is something unmanned. Cameras? Info signs?

mgbgt1978

Halting/Parking sites maybe.....for the Sulky Racing Chaps.

dabfan

Sorry, I could be wrong on what I thought the signage said.
I'm wondering if were going to see Garda vans and Gosafes on the motorway.
At the moment Gosafes dont check on the motorway (I dont think the Garda vans do either, only the traffic corp cars/bikes/jeeps)- but thats probably only because its not safe to be on a hard shoulder.

DF

slimjimmc

I'm a little puzzled about these lay-bys, perhaps someone could clarify
a) what function would an emergency vehicle lay-by serve (do the authorities plan to deploy emergency crews waiting along the motorway network)?
b) why would a lay-by for emergency vehicles have an "electrical supply junction box"?


I wonder are they actually "emergency lay-bys" like in the UK for use by any motorist as a refuge in case of a emergency (e.g break down)
http://www.dft.gov.uk/ha/standards/dmrb/vol6/section3/td6907.pdf

mgbgt1978

Most (if not all) of them have a signpost stating "official vehicles only".
Probably speed cameras, mobile or fixed.

Berty

They are only legal parking spaces for the electricity junction boxes and the concrete is the legal pathway that had to be constructed for its use.

Not for Emergency vehicles or for Gatsos. It is for working on the boxes themselves.

Also, people are getting confused by the lay bys on the Motorways. These are not the lay bys that trucks are in or the ones that say "Authorised Vehicles Only". The only reasons the Authorised Vehicles Only ones exist is because some bright spark didn't make a run in lane long enough for a HGV to build up enough speed to join the carraigeway so they had to close them off to parking vehicles.

Odyssey 2005

There are too many of these lay by's popping up. They are all on motorways or very straight dual carriageways/bypasses. They have to be for the revenue collection vans that are mascarading as go safe vans. I recon the leccie boxes are for running the computers and air conditioning in the vans to keep the ba####ds in the back comfy.:mad::mad:

Mycroft H

Speed traps. No many other reasons.

Plenty of people speed on the motorway so it could be a nice little rrevenue stream for them. Just wait until they bring in averages speed cameras

The Royal Scam

dabfan wrote: »

Sorry, I could be wrong on what I thought the signage said.
I'm wondering if were going to see Garda vans and Gosafes on the motorway.
At the moment Gosafes dont check on the motorway (I dont think the Garda vans do either, only the traffic corp cars/bikes/jeeps)- but thats probably only because its not safe to be on a hard shoulder.

DF

At the start of the M7 after the ball in Naas there is a Gatso / Speed check icon sign on the motorway . Have never seen them on it though. They are increasingly using the on ramp of motorway exits to check for speeders ( can't easily be seen and therefore oncoming motorist warned) There is a bike that does this on the M9 at exits 2 and 3.

awec

This post has been deleted.

langdang

awec wrote: »

Saw a Garda parked in one of these on the Galway - Dublin motorway with the hairdryer pointed out his driver window.

Sneaky chap.

Silly chap if he was using what the OP was talking about. He should have been using one of the raised platforms. I wouldn't sit in one of these laybys for very long if I had a choice!

Also, can't say they are all on nice straight stretches of motorway or dual carriage way. There is one on the brow of a hill coming out of a dip on the cork-limerick cattletrack.

BeerBaron, if the reason the laybys/parking spots exist is to service the junction boxes - what are the junction boxes for?

pa990

langdang wrote: »

BeerBaron, if the reason the laybys/parking spots exist is to service the junction boxes - what are the junction boxes for?

They are for the little weather station that is (or will be) installed next to it.


http://www.nratraffic.ie/weather/default.asp?RegionId=0

leeomurchu

Instead of putting in new speed check point ramps weigh bridges I wish they'd start investing in some sort of proper lay bys with garages restaurants toilets truck parks etc. It still amazes me that there's no such thing over here. They've a great setup on the motorways in the uk with Little chef restaurants.

A great opportunity for this would be on the M9 where they have a purpose built pull in area they could easily expand as it's surrounded by fields and they're directly opposite one another.

The mentality of our government is baffling, Gaybo ya really need to get your finger out

Markcheese

pa990 wrote: »

langdang wrote: »

BeerBaron, if the reason the laybys/parking spots exist is to service the junction boxes - what are the junction boxes for?

They are for the little weather station that is (or will be) installed next to it.


http://www.nratraffic.ie/weather/default.asp?RegionId=0

Doubt if they're weather stations .. There are 3 of them within 400 meters of each other on N25 in Carrigtohil ... All the ones in cork have a solar panel and a wind generator powering them...

langdang

Markcheese wrote: »

Doubt if they're weather stations .. There are 3 of them within 400 meters of each other on N25 in Carrigtohil ... All the ones in cork have a solar panel and a wind generator powering them...

Agreed, there's little weather stations all over the place without any need for these laybys.

awec

This post has been deleted.

leeomurchu

awec wrote: »

That's what the applegreen ones are.

Car fuel, truck fuel, burger king, costa coffee, some other deli place, a cafe, and a shop.

I'm yet to see one of them on the M7/M8/M9 I've seen one on the N7 alright hardly an ideal spot it's only out the road from Dublin

paconnors

leeomurchu wrote: »

I'm yet to see one of them on the M7/M8/M9 I've seen one on the N7 alright hardly an ideal spot it's only out the road from Dublin

By right it should have been in Athlone have way point for Galway - Dublin, and one halfway from Sligo - Dublin would make more since.

leeomurchu

paconnors wrote: »

By right it should have been in Athlone have way point for Galway - Dublin, and one halfway from Sligo - Dublin would make more since.

They should be dotted about all our motorways. I still don't know of any on an actual motorway. It's normally a case of pulling off the motorway to a small town grab a bite in a local pub and back to the motorway easy if you're in a car can't imagine it'd be as easy in an artic.

miller50841

These lay by's are for service vehicles as in anything from drain service vehicles, motorway repair vehicles, sign repair vehicles communication vehicles and motorway/ highway service vehicles.

Most of these are been put in close to service terminals and LED road signs as a safety issue to keep the vehicles and staff off the hard shoulder.

Saw some are designed to let the grass grow up so looks the same as the rest of the grass verge

Carawaystick

paconnors wrote: »

By right it should have been in Athlone have way point for Galway - Dublin, and one halfway from Sligo - Dublin would make more since.

here is one at Athlone

leeomurchu

Carawaystick wrote: »

here is one at Athlone

That looks like the kinda thing I'm talkin about although it's not on a Motorway and seems to be more of a retail park is there some ridiculous law preventing stops like this on our motorways?

The Royal Scam

Markcheese wrote: »

Doubt if they're weather stations .. There are 3 of them within 400 meters of each other on N25 in Carrigtohil ... All the ones in cork have a solar panel and a wind generator powering them...

I used to work on weather stations and it measures wind speed instead of generating power and the solar panels may be light detectors

http://www.nratraffic.ie/weather/default.asp?weatherstation=IR74&RegionId=0&view=location

ofcork

There are a few after popping up on the N71 outside cork.

dabfan

Beer Baron - I think your correct - I drove to Dublin today and looking at them now I see that it seems to be for safe parking for service crews - for the new weather stations which are currently being rolled out, access for ESB mini pillars for power for LED traffic signs on the overhead gantry and so on.

My worry was that Gosafe were looking at generating revenue on the motorways.

Phew!

Thats very interesting what you said about the proper lay-bys, I always wondered why some were "locked up" with a barrier!

DF

L1011

leeomurchu wrote: »

That looks like the kinda thing I'm talkin about although it's not on a Motorway and seems to be more of a retail park is there some ridiculous law preventing stops like this on our motorways?

Lack of money is all that's stopping them - we have online services on the M1 and M4 already.