Threadneedle Road junction?

galah

Hi all,

just wondering, couldn't find anything in the search - has anyone here actually ever complained to the council about the stupid light sequence at the Threadneedle Road junction/Taylor's Hill?

I usually go through there early enough not to encounter issues - however, last week I had to be in UHG for an appointment at 8.30 am, left the house way before 8 am, and it took me 45 minutes for a 15 km journey (barely made it in on time) ! And it was just those poxy lights that were holding everyone up - the sequence is way too short to let enough people coming from the Barna side through (no tailbacks on any of the 3 other directions, but traffic was all the way back to Joyce's...).

Would it be that hard for the council to extend the green light in the mornings?There must be enough people sitting iin traffic everyday to warrant that change? or has noone actually said anything to the council?

gordongekko

They have allocated funds to improve the junction in this years budget. But ya they are a joke.

Col200sx

They're a disaster if anybody is turning right coming up Taylors Hill too. Backs up the whole row of traffic.

I read that there was to be an outlaw by the Council on "right turns" with this junction mentioned, but haven't heard anything since about it

JillyQ

Col200sx wrote: »

They're a disaster if anybody is turning right coming up Taylors Hill too. Backs up the whole row of traffic.

I read that there was to be an outlaw by the Council on "right turns" with this junction mentioned, but haven't heard anything since about it

Thought they were going to ban right turns coming up from Threadneedle Road side. Mind you they could do with an arrow there on those lights for that right turn.

gordongekko

The simple solution coming from bearna would be to get rid of the left hand turn filter lane. Have the left lane for traffic turning left or going straight on and the right lane for traffic turning right.

galah

that would make perfect sense (and would be easy to implement also). But even extending the green light by just a few seconds would probably help matters a lot - not many cars make it across that junction even if noone is turning right.

I shall write to the council and enquire (so far, they have always been quick to forward my mails to the 'relevant engineer' but then nothing in terms of response. Maybe I'm lucky this time though ;-)).

Iwannahurl

galah wrote: »

...last week I had to be in UHG for an appointment at 8.30 am, left the house way before 8 am, and it took me 45 minutes for a 15 km journey (barely made it in on time) !

No help to you now OP, perhaps, but if you were me you might go via the Western Distributor Road instead, especially at that hour.

In my experience traffic starts to build up on the Kingston Road quite early, whereas it's still quite manageable on the WDR before 8:30am.

Or perhaps you could even try this 10 km route?

inisboffin

Iwannahurl wrote: »

No help to you now OP, perhaps, but if you were me you might go via the Western Distributor Road instead, especially at that hour.

In my experience traffic starts to build up on the Kingston Road quite early, whereas it's still quite manageable on the WDR before 8:30am.

Or perhaps you could even try this 10 km route?

Yikes, that stretch down to the right turn from Rahoon Rd out to BOD road can be an absolute nightmare though

spurscormac

inisboffin wrote: »

Yikes, that stretch down to the right turn from Rahoon Rd out to BOD road can be an absolute nightmare though

Agreed, think this is the route required to avoid all the crap traffic in the morning

zarquon

spurscormac wrote: »

Agreed, think this is the route required to avoid all the crap traffic in the morning

That section is also chaotic in the morning as the narrow roads cannot support the level of cars on it. All it takes is one or 2 vehicles coming the opposite direction to the traffic flow to create a major traffic jam.

The traffic has gotten worse over the last few weeks on this section. It seems that people are avoiding routes they would formally have taken coming from barna direction.

Paddyfield

That junction is worse at school times but it is not ideal at any other time either. I live on the same side of town but I avoid the junction as often as possible.

The road between Knocknacarra Cross and Blackrock is slow moving between 8.15 and 9am but then it moves reasonably quick from Blacrock onwards.

spurscormac

zarquon wrote: »

That section is also chaotic in the morning as the narrow roads cannot support the level of cars on it. All it takes is one or 2 vehicles coming the opposite direction to the traffic flow to create a major traffic jam.

The traffic has gotten worse over the last few weeks on this section. It seems that people are avoiding routes they would formally have taken coming from barna direction.

To be honest, the only time I've noticed a "major" traffic jam on that route is when a bus or truck decides to come in the opposite direction at morning rush hour, show impatience & plough on to a narrow section, blocking the road.
Only seen it a handful of times and I'm using the route for years.

what_traffic

spurscormac wrote: »

Agreed, think this is the route required to avoid all the crap traffic in the morning

That is one serious rat run.

what_traffic

Iwannahurl wrote: »

Or perhaps you could even try this 10 km route?

Should any car traffic accept local traffic be on majority of stretches of this route?

irisheddie85

what_traffic wrote: »

Should any car traffic accept local traffic be on majority of stretches of this route?

On public roads paid for and maintained by everyone's tax money. Pretty sure anyone is entitled to use them yes.
I would have thought rat runs usually refer to driving through housing estates at stupid speeds not on public roads where admittedly I don't think you could safely hit the speed limit

Iwannahurl

inisboffin wrote: »

Yikes, that stretch down to the right turn from Rahoon Rd out to BOD road can be an absolute nightmare though

Even at 8am or thereabouts?

Iwannahurl

what_traffic wrote: »

Should any car traffic accept local traffic be on majority of stretches of this route?

Fair point. I have been feeling a bit guilty since suggesting it!

irisheddie85 wrote: »

On public roads paid for and maintained by everyone's tax money. Pretty sure anyone is entitled to use them yes.
I would have thought rat runs usually refer to driving through housing estates at stupid speeds not on public roads where admittedly I don't think you could safely hit the speed limit

In truth, though, these are narrow rural roads adjacent to suburban areas. My first thought was that it would be a useful back road for the OP to take for a specific trip. Unfortunately if thousands of people think the same, the result is a network of rat runs.

At the end of the day the fundamental problem is too much traffic, on any and every road.

Mrs OBumble

Iwannahurl wrote: »

Fair point. I have been feeling a bit guilty since suggesting it!

It's well enough known, though even without your help I had colleagues (not locals either) who regularly used in back in 2007/8.

Iwannahurl wrote: »

At the end of the day the fundamental problem is too much traffic, on any and every road.

I actually think it's not enough jobs or schools located close enough to where people live

what_traffic

irisheddie85 wrote: »

On public roads paid for and maintained by everyone's tax money. Pretty sure anyone is entitled to use them yes.
I would have thought rat runs usually refer to driving through housing estates at stupid speeds not on public roads where admittedly I don't think you could safely hit the speed limit

True - everybody pays for the upkeep of public roads. Rat run's do not usually refer to driving through housing estates. If car traffic is diverting from National and Regional roads/routes to avoid car traffic, then that is Rat Running.
Why does one have to "hit" the speed limit?
Speed limits are that - limits, not targets.

zarquon

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

I actually think it's not enough jobs or schools located close enough to where people live

Bingo. In particular as a local resident of the rat run in question i can attest that the majority of the traffic on this run between 8.00 am and 8.45 happens to be school going. When the schools are off, it takes me 15 mins to get across town. When the schools are open it takes 35 minutes for the same journey :mad:

Paddyfield

Most schools were built for a different generation in a small town called Galway when kids walked or cycled to school.

As an example, in Salthill, Scoil Ide was built in a residential cul-de-sac. I'd wager that there isn't a pupil in that school who lives within a 500 meter radius of the main gate. All of the neighbours are mature and their kids have left home.

Every day, that neighbourhood becomes a bottleneck at drop-off time and pick-up time.

McTigs

Paddyfield wrote: »

Most schools were built for a different generation in a small town called Galway when kids walked or cycled to school.

As an example, in Salthill, Scoil Ide was built in a residential cul-de-sac. I'd wager that there isn't a pupil in that school who lives within a 500 meter radius of the main gate. All of the neighbours are mature and their kids have left home.

Every day, that neighbourhood becomes a bottleneck at drop-off time and pick-up time.

any kid living within a few miles of their school should be making their own way to school be it walking, cycling or taking the bus. I know galway isn't as compact as it once was but i reckon most kids are still within a 2-3 mile radius of their school.

irisheddie85

what_traffic wrote: »

Why does one have to "hit" the speed limit?
Speed limits are that - limits, not targets.

sorry i meant these roads have too high of a speed limit not that some one should try and hit it. maybe that didnt come across through text.

what_traffic

irisheddie85 wrote: »

sorry i meant these roads have too high of a speed limit not that some one should try and hit it. maybe that didnt come across through text.

Ah OK. I would agree limits on these boreens are set far to high.

Iwannahurl

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

I actually think it's not enough jobs or schools located close enough to where people live

What's "close enough" though?

Nationally, almost 40% of all trips to school/college are less than 2 km in length, and half of these trips are by car. Overall, 2 in 3 school/college trips are made by car either as a driver or passenger. Source: National Household Travel Survey, 2012. http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/car-remains-favourite-form-of-transport-for-irish-people-1.1552888

The proportion of kids walking to school in Galway City declined 2006-2011, while the percentage travelling by car went up. The locations of jobs and schools did not change in that period.

zarquon wrote: »

When the schools are off, it takes me 15 mins to get across town. When the schools are open it takes 35 minutes for the same journey :mad:

That invites a discussion that many people just do not want to engage in.

McTigs wrote: »

any kid living within a few miles of their school should be making their own way to school be it walking, cycling or taking the bus. I know galway isn't as compact as it once was but i reckon most kids are still within a 2-3 mile radius of their school.

That's around 3-5 km in metric units. According to the Smarter Travel documentation, 47% of the population in the "Galway Metropolitan Smarter Travel Area" travel 4 km or less to work and education.

Paddyfield wrote: »

Most schools were built for a different generation in a small town called Galway when kids walked or cycled to school.

As an example, in Salthill, Scoil Ide was built in a residential cul-de-sac. I'd wager that there isn't a pupil in that school who lives within a 500 meter radius of the main gate. All of the neighbours are mature and their kids have left home.

Every day, that neighbourhood becomes a bottleneck at drop-off time and pick-up time.

My child cycles 3 km to Senior Infants, and every morning most other children we encounter are being driven the same distance or less to the same school, to other schools in the same area, and to schools even closer to home than that.

Neighbours of ours are driving 800 metres to the local primary school, and 400 metres to a creche.

Iwannahurl

A cyclist was hit by a car at this junction this morning. When I arrived the bike was stuck under the front wheel of a vehicle that had been turning right from Taylor's Hill onto Bishop O'Donnell Road. The female cyclist was shocked but uninjured. Her partner, who was there at the time of the incident and was taking their child to school, also by bike, said that she had been travelling towards Taylor's Hill when the collision occurred.

It's a dodgy junction for cyclists and pedestrians at the best of times, and the sooner layout modifications and safety improvements are carried out the better.

Let's all be careful out there.

dilallio

I used to live next to this junction and there are accidents on this junction every week.
From my own experience, most of these were due to cars turning right into the path of oncoming traffic.
The council's proposal is to get rid of right hand turns for traffic on Taylors Hill Rd & Kingston Rd.

what_traffic

dilallio wrote: »

The council's proposal is to get rid of right hand turns for traffic on Taylors Hill Rd & Kingston Rd.

Not for cyclists though.

http://www.galwaycity.ie/GeneralNews/010813_03.html
"
The prohibition on Right Turns at both of these locations will not apply to Cyclists.
"

Does anybody have an idea when this change will occur? Or will it occur at all?

dilallio

I only know a bit of history going back to June.

It was raised by the city manager at the end of the June Council meeting. He was asking the city councillors to rubberstamp the proposal with a view to carrying out the work in the subsequent 4-6 weeks. This was despite the fact that these changes had not been communicated to the councillors, nevermind the public.

There were a number of subsequent proposals put forward afterwards such as allowing bicycles & buses to turn right (buses leaving the Ardilaun can only turn left so they would have to travel as far as Knocknacarra / Clybaun Rd / Western Distr. Rd. to travel East). There was also a proposal to erect bollards on the footpath to prevent cars on Kingston Rd. from mounting the pavement to turn left onto Bishop O'Donnell Rd.

Not sure what the latest is though.

hal9000

The sooner right hand turns from Taylors and Kingston direction are stopped the better, its a mess! One car holds up the entire light sequence to turn right then 3 other cars rush after them and break the lights, just when the opposite pedestrian light is green!

jkforde

there were council engineers out today with theodolites marking the road around the junction and down to the Deane roundabout, anyone know what the plan is?

emptybladder

jkforde wrote: »

there were council engineers out today with theodolites marking the road around the junction and down to the Deane roundabout, anyone know what the plan is?

They're banning right turns from Kingston Road onto Theeadneedle Road and from Taylor's Hill into BO'D Road. It was in the paper that it will be introduced before the end of the year.

3fullback

I wonder how this will actually be done ??

JillyQ

emptybladder wrote: »

They're banning right turns from Kingston Road onto Theeadneedle Road and from Taylor's Hill into BO'D Road. It was in the paper that it will be introduced before the end of the year.

Great that will quiet possibly mean more traffic turning left onto threadneedle road from Blackrock.

Cleahaigh

3fullback wrote: »

I wonder how this will actually be done ??

With no right turn signs and road markings.

Iwannahurl

jkforde wrote: »

there were council engineers out today with theodolites marking the road around the junction and down to the Deane roundabout, anyone know what the plan is?

emptybladder wrote: »

They're banning right turns from Kingston Road onto Theeadneedle Road and from Taylor's Hill into BO'D Road. It was in the paper that it will be introduced before the end of the year.

I presume they're working on the planned "improvements" to the junction of Threadneedle Road, Kingston Road and Taylor's Hill. Link below, but no drawings available online unfortunately (I wonder why that is?).

http://www.galwaycity.ie/GeneralNews/010813_03.html

Interesting that they should be surveying that far down Bishop O'Donnell Road. Perhaps the plans include some sort of modifications to that link. No harm either -- the stretch between the Deane roundabout and the top of Threadneedle is not conducive for cycling to school especially.

I also wonder how they are going to facilitate an exemption for cyclists from the prohibited right turn. A separate phase of the traffic signals perhaps?

JillyQ wrote: »

Great that will quiet possibly mean more traffic turning left onto threadneedle road from Blackrock.

Why might that happen?

BTW, I can also envisage a situation in which motorists wishing to access Threadneedle Road from Kingston will turn left onto Bishop O'Donnell Road and then come back via the Deane roundabout. That would not be a good outcome, as it would exacerbate the existing congestion and take even more space away from children travelling to school on foot or by bike.

Cleahaigh

How would it take space away from pedestrians? And why should cyclists be exempt from a right turn ban?

JillyQ

Iwannahurl wrote: »

I presume they're working on the planned "improvements" to the junction of Threadneedle Road, Kingston Road and Taylor's Hill. Link below, but no drawings available online unfortunately (I wonder why that is?).

http://www.galwaycity.ie/GeneralNews/010813_03.html

Interesting that they should be surveying that far down Bishop O'Donnell Road. Perhaps the plans include some sort of modifications to that link. No harm either -- the stretch between the Deane roundabout and the top of Threadneedle is not conducive for cycling to school especially.

I also wonder how they are going to facilitate an exemption for cyclists from the prohibited right turn. A separate phase of the traffic signals perhaps?






Why might that happen?

BTW, I can also envisage a situation in which motorists wishing to access Threadneedle Road from Kingston will turn left onto Bishop O'Donnell Road and then come back via the Deane roundabout. That would not be a good outcome, as it would exacerbate the existing congestion and take even more space away from children travelling to school on foot or by bike.

Those travelling in from the Barna Road area for the schools may turn right at knocknacarra cross.

Iwannahurl

Cleahaigh wrote: »

How would it take space away from pedestrians? And why should cyclists be exempt from a right turn ban?

Do you really need to ask?

The Deane roundabout is already clogged with motorised traffic in the morning as children and their parents are travelling to school on foot or by bike. The "courtesy crossings", which have little or no meaning in life, cannot be used by pedestrians when traffic is stalled, because vehicles (including buses and HGVs) are straddling them. Motorised traffic has continuous priority on roundabouts, and when vehicles are moving pedestrians, who do not have priority, cannot cross unless motorists decide to let them. Increased traffic on this link will certainly not improve that situation.

The reason for the ban on right turns for motorised vehicles is that the manoeuvre causes traffic congestion at the junction and on the roads leading to it, and is also dangerous (there have been collisions, and a cyclist was knocked down there only recently). Cyclists should be exempted from a ban on right turns for the simple reason that by cycling instead of driving they are causing no traffic congestion and are in fact alleviating it. Also, making cyclists take a long detour to access schools on Threadneedle Road from Kingston or return home to Bishop O'Donnell Road from school in Taylor's Hill would make a complete mockery of the utility of cycle commuting. Would we want that, even in Galway?

Right-turn and one-way exemptions for cyclists have for decades been a perfectly routine provision in cycle-friendly countries such as the Netherlands, and thirteen years into the 21st Century is not too soon for Ireland to start noticing the value of such measures. I can only hope that the City Council will implement the measure properly in this instance.

JillyQ wrote: »

Those travelling in from the Barna Road area for the schools may turn right at knocknacarra cross.

Would that be a bad thing, necessarily?

Cleahaigh

Iwannahurl wrote: »

Do you really need to ask?

The Deane roundabout is already clogged with motorised traffic in the morning as children and their parents are travelling to school on foot or by bike. The "courtesy crossings", which have little or no meaning in life, cannot be used by pedestrians when traffic is stalled, because vehicles (including buses and HGVs) are straddling them. Motorised traffic has continuous priority on roundabouts, and when vehicles are moving pedestrians, who do not have priority, cannot cross unless motorists decide to let them. Increased traffic on this link will certainly not improve that situation.

The reason for the ban on right turns for motorised vehicles is that the manoeuvre causes traffic congestion at the junction and on the roads leading to it, and is also dangerous (there have been collisions, and a cyclist was knocked down there only recently). Cyclists should be exempted from a ban on right turns for the simple reason that by cycling instead of driving they are causing no traffic congestion and are in fact alleviating it. Also, making cyclists take a long detour to access schools on Threadneedle Road from Kingston or return home to Bishop O'Donnell Road from school in Taylor's Hill would make a complete mockery of the utility of cycle commuting. Would we want that, even in Galway?

Right-turn and one-way exemptions for cyclists have for decades been a perfectly routine provision in cycle-friendly countries such as the Netherlands, and thirteen years into the 21st Century is not too soon for Ireland to start noticing the value of such measures. I can only hope that the City Council will implement the measure properly in this instance.





Would that be a bad thing, necessarily?

Having the roundabout all clogged up actually makes it easier to cross. The could stick a pelican on one of the arms (WD or BOD) I suppose.

It's difficult to see how a right turn exemption for cyclists could be safely implemented. They could probably just turn right during the pedestrian phase I suppose.

what_traffic

Iwannahurl wrote: »

I also wonder how they are going to facilitate an exemption for cyclists from the prohibited right turn. A separate phase of the traffic signals perhaps?

Excellent posts Iwannahurl.

I suspect it will be using the HOOK turn method. Like they have on the N6/R338.
https://maps.google.com/?ll=53.282086,-9.065555&spn=0.000013,0.012392&t=m&z=17&layer=c&cbll=53.281944,-9.06542&panoid=Mhucld-6faIKnHBXH61cxg&cbp=12,322.12,,0,0.06

The streetview does not show the new layout, but has a similar right turn ban for motorised vechicles who are travelling on the N6 and the R338.
Threadneedle will only be on the R337

The Council should have an information campaign on the these HOOK turn's as they are popping up on all the new N6 junctions.

serfboard

JillyQ wrote: »

Those travelling in from the Barna Road area for the schools may turn right at knocknacarra cross.

Iwannahurl wrote: »

Would that be a bad thing, necessarily?

Those travelling in from the Barna Road area will now either have to turn right at Knocknacarra Cross or turn left at the junction and loop back up around the roundabout.

And even though I'm in favour of the new no-right-turn rule, this will lead to more congestion either on the Deane roundabout, or on the Salthill Road.

Previously, traffic was backed up from Blackrock as far back as the Knocknacarra Road - I can now see it being backed up as far back as Knocknacarra Cross.

At least now there will be more movement at the Taylor's Hill junction.

dastardly00

serfboard wrote: »

Those travelling in from the Barna Road area will now either have to turn right at Knocknacarra Cross or turn left at the junction and loop back up around the roundabout.

And even though I'm in favour of the new no-right-turn rule, this will lead to more congestion either on the Deane roundabout, or on the Salthill Road.

Previously, traffic was backed up from Blackrock as far back as the Knocknacarra Road - I can now see it being backed up as far back as Knocknacarra Cross.

At least now there will be more movement at the Taylor's Hill junction.

It's hard to predict what the knock-on effect will be for the surrounding junctions.
Alot of people use Salthill road because they are avoiding the Threadneedle road junction. When the new rules are introduced, those people might revert back to using the Threadneedle road junction.

Iwannahurl

Cleahaigh wrote: »

Having the roundabout all clogged up actually makes it easier to cross. The could stick a pelican on one of the arms (WD or BOD) I suppose.

It's difficult to see how a right turn exemption for cyclists could be safely implemented. They could probably just turn right during the pedestrian phase I suppose.

There is something in what you say. Unfortunately, when traffic is heavy there may be no way across. When pushing a buggy or wheelchair, or when accompanying one or more children who are walking or cycling, "courtesy crossings" are actually worse than useless. Pedestrians need to be able to cross at junctions in a safe, straightforward and predictable manner.

See here for examples of the way roundabouts present barriers to pedestrian convenience and safety: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=86480422&postcount=43

Raised zebra crossings on all arms of a roundabout would be one possible solution, but for some reason Galway City Council seem to be allergic to them (to quote one elected representative).

I don't know the technical solution to cyclist exemptions at traffic signals, but I sincerely hope it's done right. I don't want to see a continuance of the current situation, which has cyclists travelling on the footpaths in all directions.

Iwannahurl

dastardly00 wrote: »

It's hard to predict what the knock-on effect will be for the surrounding junctions.
Alot of people use Salthill road because they are avoiding the Threadneedle road junction. When the new rules are introduced, those people might revert back to using the Threadneedle road junction.

Another solution would be for the substantial proportion of children living within 3-4 km of their school to travel by other means.

This will require further intervention (engineering, enforcement and education) by the City Council and other relevant authorities.

I had a very brief chat with one of the surveyors (mentioned above) this morning. Turns out they are surveying all the way from the Deane roundabout to Blackrock. If the Council want more people to walk, cycle and take the bus to schools in the Salthill area, then they will have to provide safe and conducive routes for children to do so. Hopefully the surveying is an early sign of change in the right direction.

serfboard

Iwannahurl wrote: »

Another solution would be for the substantial proportion of children living within 3-4 km of their school to travel by other means.

A bus lane (inward) on Kingston would help a lot but there's no room (unless you CPO some land off the Golf club ).

Or, the Western Distributor should have been built (or should now be modified) C2 + B2 (or C2 + B1 inward might suffice). Then run a bus service along it all the way from the Cappagh Road to Parkmore/Ballybrit/Mervue for workers, to Salthill/Taylors Hill for schools and to UHG/NUIG for workers, patients/visitors and students.

10,000 residents and insufficient public transport is a recipe for more car usage and congestion.

Iwannahurl

From the end of the Western Distributor Road to the general vicinity of several schools in the Salthill area is just over 4 km.

I agree that the WDR needs bus lanes, and the roundabouts have to be removed or substantially modified.

However, distances of 4 km and less are suitable for cycling, and 1-2 km is not too far to walk. Despite these manageable distances, and the allegedly intolerable traffic congestion, large numbers of Knocknacarra residents continue to use the car for the school run.

I know I'm repeating myself (again ) but my child cycles 3 km to Senior Infants most days, and the main barriers along the way are issues such as speeding, congested junctions, roundabouts, unsafe or absent pedestrian crossings, illegal parking and poor quality cycle lanes. Meanwhile, neighbours of ours are driving 800 metres to the local school and 400 metres to the local creche, and parking up on footpaths and cycle lanes while doing so. I know one parent who drives two kids (aged 10-12 or thereabouts) to different schools less than 4 km away in two separate trips every morning. When they were in primary school they were driven less than 500 metres, literally around the corner, to the bus stop!

Lack of infrastructure, such as bus lanes, is clearly a deficiency in transportation policy, with predictable consequences. But it's far from being the whole story.

serfboard

Iwannahurl wrote: »

my child cycles 3 km to Senior Infants most days

That's great. Your child is an exception, though. Most parents won't let their primary-school-going children cycle to school because the roads are too dangerous, leading to more cars on the road making them more dangerous ...

Iwannahurl wrote: »

neighbours of ours are driving 800 metres to the local school and 400 metres to the local creche, and parking up on footpaths and cycle lanes while doing so. I know one parent who drives two kids (aged 10-12 or thereabouts) to different schools less than 4 km away in two separate trips every morning. When they were in primary school they were driven less than 500 metres, literally around the corner, to the bus stop!

Years ago, we used to laugh at the Yanks for doing exactly this sort of thing. Now, we're just as bad.

Iwannahurl wrote: »

Lack of infrastructure, such as bus lanes, is clearly a deficiency in transportation policy, with predictable consequences. But it's far from being the whole story.

I said to myself that I'd leave out the bit about cycle lanes from my last post to see how long it would take you to mention them!

In advocating a C2 + B1 (if we can't have C2+B2) along the distributor road, I'd envisage something along the lines of what was done on the SQR (obviously at far less cost per km) - i.e. putting in proper bus and cycle lanes.

jkforde

Iwannahurl wrote: »

Another solution would be for the substantial proportion of children living within 3-4 km of their school to travel by other means.

This will require further intervention (engineering, enforcement and education) by the City Council and other relevant authorities.

I had a very brief chat with one of the surveyors (mentioned above) this morning. Turns out they are surveying all the way from the Deane roundabout to Blackrock. If the Council want more people to walk, cycle and take the bus to schools in the Salthill area, then they will have to provide safe and conducive routes for children to do so. Hopefully the surveying is an early sign of change in the right direction.

The Transportation Unit in the Council have had plans for the stretch for a while - I emailed them via Clr. Donal Lyons a good while ago re. the mudbaths/grass verge on the footpaths and they said plans were being drafted to remedy that specific issue while at the same time improving the sustainability transport options for schools in the area. that's all they were willing to say, hence the question here with the surveyors out.

galwaycyclist

serfboard wrote: »

A bus lane (inward) on Kingston would help a lot but there's no room (unless you CPO some land off the Golf club ).

Given the population of schoolchildren trying to get from Knocknacarra to Salerno/Endas. I cant see why a path could not be put inside the wall of the golf course to get kids cycling and walking to and from Threadneedle road.

what_traffic

galwaycyclist wrote: »

Given the population of schoolchildren trying to get from Knocknacarra to Salerno/Endas. I cant see why a path could not be put inside the wall of the golf course to get kids cycling and walking to and from Threadneedle road.

Excellent idea - also could provide a pedestrian/cyclist Toucan crossing at entrance to Manor Drive to link in with Millar's Lane.