Cyclists in the bus lane on the Chapelizod Bypass

kidneyfan

Folks it is time to ban cyclists from the Chapelizod bypass. I can't count the number of times I have seen a bus driving BEHIND a cyclist up the hill there. Does Mr I don't pay road tax EVER get out of the Buses way?

NOT on YOUR NELLY!

Time to BAN cyclists from the bypass and make them go through Chapelizod.

galljga1

kidneyfan wrote: »

Folks it is time to ban cyclists from the Chapelizod bypass. I can't count the number of times I have seen a bus driving BEHIND a cyclist up the hill there. Does Mr I don't pay road tax EVER get out of the Buses way?

NOT on YOUR NELLY!

Time to BAN cyclists from the bypass and make them go through Chapelizod.

Would that be a high nelly?
Why not ban them from all roads? The friggers block lanes everywhere.

listermint

kidneyfan wrote: »

Folks it is time to ban cyclists from the Chapelizod bypass. I can't count the number of times I have seen a bus driving BEHIND a cyclist up the hill there. Does Mr I don't pay road tax EVER get out of the Buses way?

NOT on YOUR NELLY!

Time to BAN cyclists from the bypass and make them go through Chapelizod.

Perplexed as to how you know they don't pay Road tax.

I have a bike but also oay pay 1811 a year in car tax and 80 tax on a motorbike. I'd imagine paying more Road tax than you and cycling anyway must annoy you?

listermint

Actually does that "entitle me" to use more Road than you with your half arsed Road tax payments.... Lulz

Avatar MIA

OP,

When using the bus you're paying the exact same amount of road tax as the cyclist.

Poor car drivers, can't catch a break with all the freeloaders :pac:

godtabh

kidneyfan wrote: »

Folks it is time to ban cyclists from the Chapelizod bypass. I can't count the number of times I have seen a bus driving BEHIND a cyclist up the hill there. Does Mr I don't pay road tax EVER get out of the Buses way?

NOT on YOUR NELLY!

Time to BAN cyclists from the bypass and make them go through Chapelizod.

What's road tax?

theteal

As you may have gleaned from the responses Op, nobody pays road tax

savagethegoat

galljga1 wrote: »

Would that be a high nelly?
Why not ban them from all roads? The friggers block lanes everywhere.

maybe we should ban buses too then we wouldn't need the bus lanes at all

no I think the real problem on the roads is too many cars. Buses and bikes both contribute to free up road space, not block it

tabbey

I also pay tax on two cars. I occasionally use my bike, which is friendly to the environment and to the freeflow of traffic. I would cycle more if the laws were respected by other road users.
The problem with buses being held up on the Chapelizod bypass as elsewhere, is that motorists, including truck drivers, do not allow buses to overtake the cyclists.
The solution is to give buses priority, and give the bus right of way to overtake, once the bus has indicated for a couple of seconds, and it is safe to allow the bus move into the middle lane. The bus could then overtake without delaying the other traffic. It is really a matter of civilised behaviour being given statutory recognition.
The same right of priority should be given to buses pulling out from bus stops.

LXFlyer

The problem with the Chapelizod bypass bus lanes, is not one caused primarily by cars or bicycles, it is rather one of design. The bus lanes are simply just not wide enough!

StreetLight

lxflyer wrote: »

The problem with the Chapelizod bypass bus lanes, is not one caused primarily by cars or bicycles, it is rather one of design. The bus lanes are simply just not wide enough!

Something which is being rectified as we speak. There are currently large swathes of the bypass being re-surfaced. The lanes being repainted are reducing the width of the general traffic lanes and giving a lot more width to the bus lanes.

Beersmith

StreetLight wrote: »

Something which is being rectified as we speak. There are currently large swathes of the bypass being re-surfaced. The lanes being repainted are reducing the width of the general traffic lanes and giving a lot more width to the bus lanes.

What idiots! The obvious solution is just to ban cyclists. Have a garda stationed there 24/7

LXFlyer

StreetLight wrote: »

Something which is being rectified as we speak. There are currently large swathes of the bypass being re-surfaced. The lanes being repainted are reducing the width of the general traffic lanes and giving a lot more width to the bus lanes.

At long last - this is long overdue.

Beersmith wrote: »

What idiots! The obvious solution is just to ban cyclists. Have a garda stationed there 24/7

The bus lanes on that road are not wide enough to deal with current day buses and coaches before you even take cyclists into account.

They were designed based on the older vehicles which were narrower. Modern day buses are wider as they have to allow wheelchairs on board.

This needs to happen irrespective of whatever issues with cyclists are perceived to exist as the current lanes leave very little wriggle room for buses to pass inside traffic.

L1011

The outbound carriageway is now fully relined with a wider bus lane

foggy_lad

StreetLight wrote: »

Something which is being rectified as we speak. There are currently large swathes of the bypass being re-surfaced. The lanes being repainted are reducing the width of the general traffic lanes and giving a lot more width to the bus lanes.

L1011 wrote: »

The outbound carriageway is now fully relined with a wider bus lane

Call me a cynic but I'm thinking the only reason the bus lanes were widened/moved out from the kerb is to put a separate cycle lane onto the side of the bus lanes!

L1011

They'd have done that already if that was the case

cython

kidneyfan wrote: »

Folks it is time to ban cyclists from the Chapelizod bypass. I can't count the number of times I have seen a bus driving BEHIND a cyclist up the hill there. Does Mr I don't pay road tax EVER get out of the Buses way?

NOT on YOUR NELLY!

Time to BAN cyclists from the bypass and make them go through Chapelizod.

Based on the bolded can we ban buses from the bus lanes on the quays in Dublin too? :pac: I've lost count of the number of times I've been stuck behind one of them while cycling, after all......

Realistically, this is one of the most ridiculous proposals on this forum in a while, which is saying something!

cdebru

kidneyfan wrote: »

Folks it is time to ban cyclists from the Chapelizod bypass. I can't count the number of times I have seen a bus driving BEHIND a cyclist up the hill there. Does Mr I don't pay road tax EVER get out of the Buses way?

NOT on YOUR NELLY!

Time to BAN cyclists from the bypass and make them go through Chapelizod.

Buses don't use the chapelizod bypass bus lane, except usually for the last couple of hundred metre before the lights at ballyfermot. Unless the traffic is.very bad but I have never seen them stuck behind cyclists on that road
, I think you are talking *****

cdebru

foggy_lad wrote: »

Call me a cynic but I'm thinking the only reason the bus lanes were widened/moved out from the kerb is to put a separate cycle lane onto the side of the bus lanes!

What difference does it make, the lane is currently for buses and cyclists if it is wider it is better for both irrespective of why they did it.

Carawaystick

There's 3 lanes on this road. Surely the bus can just use one of the other 2 lanes to pass the cyclists.

What's that, the other 2 lanes are full of cars blocking the bus overtaking cyclists?
Why not ban the cars, they're holding up busses....

:rolleyes:

Spanish Eyes

The biggest problem is going West, coming up to Palmerstown in the evening rush. Although it can happen going East into town too on the bypas. The bus lane is very narrow alright, and the vegetation while lovely is really overgrown now in places.

I have been in a bus on that bypass for years, and ONE cyclist can hold up the whole lane for ages on the way out of town. There is an opportunity for the cyclist to turn into the garage opposite Stewarts Hospital, and let the bus go by (five seconds), but no. That really grates me, the sense of entitlement the cyclist has to hold up a bus carrying a huge number of passengers.

And also the car traffic is so slow, there would be no problem with a cyclist moving into the traffic lane for a few seconds just to let the bus go by, but no. Sense of entitlement again. BTW I have seen a few cyclists do this, and I would love to give them a box of roses for their generosity!

Glad to see the lane is being widened. When did it start or when WILL it start!

ted1

kidneyfan wrote: »

Folks it is time to ban cyclists from the Chapelizod bypass. I can't count the number of times I have seen a bus driving BEHIND a cyclist up the hill there. Does Mr I don't pay road tax EVER get out of the Buses way?

NOT on YOUR NELLY!

Time to BAN cyclists from the bypass and make them go through Chapelizod.

I cycle to work and pay just under a grand a year motor tax. A bus pays 50 euro a year and it's journey are subsidiesed

Spanish Eyes

ted1 wrote: »

I cycle to work and pay just under a grand a year motor tax. A bus pays 50 euro a year and it's journey are subsidiesed

I use the bus to commute, and pay my fares. My Opel Insignia Eco costs me €180 pa tax.

You either have a few cars, or own a big non eco friendly car. €1,000 pa in car tax :eek:

Either way, doesn't matter, we all have to share the road space.

The subject of the thread relates to cyclists who can hold up a bus carrying many passengers. But TBH only a minority are selfish pr!icks. Many do divert into the car lane or a garage etc. to allow the bus to carry on and not be held up during rush hour.

cdebru

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

The biggest problem is going West, coming up to Palmerstown in the evening rush. Although it can happen going East into town too on the bypas. The bus lane is very narrow alright, and the vegetation while lovely is really overgrown now in places.

I have been in a bus on that bypass for years, and ONE cyclist can hold up the whole lane for ages on the way out of town. There is an opportunity for the cyclist to turn into the garage opposite Stewarts Hospital, and let the bus go by (five seconds), but no. That really grates me, the sense of entitlement the cyclist has to hold up a bus carrying a huge number of passengers.

And also the car traffic is so slow, there would be no problem with a cyclist moving into the traffic lane for a few seconds just to let the bus go by, but no. Sense of entitlement again. BTW I have seen a few cyclists do this, and I would love to give them a box of roses for their generosity!

Glad to see the lane is being widened. When did it start or when WILL it start!

The problem is not cyclists it is a poorly designed bus lane that is far too narrow.
If less people were sitting in cars blocking 2 lanes the bus would easily pass any cyclist

Spanish Eyes

cdebru wrote: »

The problem is not cyclists it is a poorly designed bus lane that is far too narrow.
If less people were sitting in cars blocking 2 lanes the bus would easily pass any cyclist

FGS cars are not blocking two lanes, they are commuting aswell!

I agree that the bus lane is very narrow, hopefully that will be fixed soon. Have you heard anything about that?

Please have an open mind as to how this can be solved. But in the meantime the reluctance of SOME cyclists to move over where it can be done is baffling to me.

Spanish Eyes

StreetLight wrote: »

Something which is being rectified as we speak. There are currently large swathes of the bypass being re-surfaced. The lanes being repainted are reducing the width of the general traffic lanes and giving a lot more width to the bus lanes.

Hi, where is that happening? I haven't seen much work on the Chzod by pass apart from the dedicated cycle and pedestrian way from Palmerstown to Chapelizod down the back road by the West Co. Hotel.

But I can often snooze on my way in and out of the city, so I may have missed it!

cython

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

FGS cars are not blocking two lanes, they are commuting aswell!

I agree that the bus lane is very narrow, hopefully that will be fixed soon. Have you heard anything about that?

Please have an open mind as to how this can be solved. But in the meantime the reluctance of SOME cyclists to move over where it can be done is baffling to me.

Cyclists are probably also commuting rather than simply "blocking" a bus lane, or does this reasoning only apply when it suits an agenda you are trying to push? You can't have it every way here.

I take it you don't cycle yourself, but speaking as a cyclist (and driver and pedestrian, for that matter) if I had to pull over on every poorly designed road where some motorist thought it could and thus should be done, I'd spend far too much time stopped. Not to mention that there's every chance that these same cyclists are held up by buses heading into town on the quays in the morning, so it's not really fair to expect the cyclists to lose out/give up every time either.

markpb

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

FGS cars are not blocking two lanes, they are commuting aswell!

I'm confused. Car drivers are commuting so they're okay. Bus passengers are commuting so they're okay. Cyclists are.....?

Spanish Eyes

markpb wrote: »

I'm confused. Car drivers are commuting so they're okay. Bus passengers are commuting so they're okay. Cyclists are.....?

Cyclists are commuting too. But a car is only in a queue with another queue of cars behind.

The bus is on bus lane and is supposed to have priority.

A cyclist is a commuter too, but if you think a busload of passengers is in any way impressed when a cyclist holds up that busload of passengers, (when there is an alternative of moving into a very slow moving car lane, or diverting into a garage forecourt off the buslane).... well you are mistaken. That is just being selfish for the sake of it.

I totally understand that where cyclists and buses share a lane, a bus can be held up by a cyclist through no fault of the cyclist, but when there is the opportunity to move over and let the bus pass where is it feasible and safe to do so, why don't they?

Many do. Many more refuse to do so. And in the process hold up hundreds of passengers in a couple of buses plodding behind them.

It's common sense and manners on the road.

markpb

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

The bus is on bus lane and is supposed to have priority.

Nope. They're in a shared bus and cycle lane, same as almost every bus lane in the city.

when there is the opportunity to move over and let the bus pass where is it feasible and safe to do so, why don't they?

I've never cycled there so I can't speak for them but in my own experience, any time I stopped to let a bus pass, two things happened: firstly, I most momentum and had to work hard to get it back, something that non-cyclists can't understand and secondly I'd catch up with the bus less than a minute later when it stopped at the next bus stop.

Amirani

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Cyclists are commuting too. But a car is only in a queue with another queue of cars behind.

The bus is on bus lane and is supposed to have priority.

A cyclist is a commuter too, but if you think a busload of passengers is in any way impressed when a cyclist holds up that busload of passengers, (when there is an alternative of moving into a very slow moving car lane, or diverting into a garage forecourt off the buslane).... well you are mistaken. That is just being selfish for the sake of it.

I totally understand that where cyclists and buses share a lane, a bus can be held up by a cyclist through no fault of the cyclist, but when there is the opportunity to move over and let the bus pass where is it feasible and safe to do so, why don't they?

Many do. Many more refuse to do so. And in the process hold up hundreds of passengers in a couple of buses plodding behind them.

It's common sense and manners on the road.

Move over? To where exactly?

alias no.9

An interesting solution might be improving the access onto the riverbank path between Chapelizod and the War Memorial Gardens, and its continuation through Clancy Quay and a bridge over the Pheonix Park Tunnel tracks to allow cyclists come up the side of Heuston and out onto the quays. A riverbank cycle beats cycling on a bypass every day of the week in my mind.

Spanish Eyes

Amirani wrote: »

Move over? To where exactly?

On this stretch of road that we are discussing there is a garage forecourt directly off the buslane. Often two or three cyclists are slowly going up the hill in front of the bus, or buses, holding them up for a while.

So there is the garage forecourt, ideal place for the bikes to nip into and let the buses pass. But no. Also because car traffic is practically at a standstill on that stretch too, it is easy for a cyclist to move into the car lane for the few seconds it would take for the bus to pass.

I have said in earlier posts that a lot of cyclists are very kind and do this. However many do not and I just think that is a bit selfish of them. If it is safe to do so, it only takes about five seconds.

But I am afraid that SOME cyclists just will not compromise. Most do, it is those who don't because they will "lose momentum" while a hundred bus passengers are crawling behind them that just take the proverbial biscuit.

A bit of give and take is all that is required, where it is safe and feasible to do so.

And for cyclist's sake, I hope they manage to widen the bus lane for all our sakes. That is the nub of the problem admittedly.

cython

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

On this stretch of road that we are discussing there is a garage forecourt directly off the buslane. Often two or three cyclists are slowly going up the hill in front of the bus, or buses, holding them up for a while.

So there is the garage forecourt, ideal place for the bikes to nip into and let the buses pass. But no. Also because car traffic is practically at a standstill on that stretch too, it is easy for a cyclist to move into the car lane for the few seconds it would take for the bus to pass.

I have said in earlier posts that a lot of cyclists are very kind and do this. However many do not and I just think that is a bit selfish of them. If it is safe to do so, it only takes about five seconds.

But I am afraid that SOME cyclists just will not compromise. Most do, it is those who don't because they will "lose momentum" while a hundred bus passengers are crawling behind them that just take the proverbial biscuit.

A bit of give and take is all that is required, where it is safe and feasible to do so.

And for cyclist's sake, I hope they manage to widen the bus lane for all our sakes. That is the nub of the problem admittedly.

One of the last things a motorist in a petrol station expects is probably a cyclist "nipping" across the forecourt, so I would commend any cyclist who does not divert in there, as doing so is actually putting themselves at greater risk! Certainly it is far from ideal if the idea is given even 10 seconds of thought. If car traffic is moving so slowly, is it fair to expect the cyclists to change lane and potentially stop either? Again, most motorists will not necessarily be expecting this, especially if not near a right turn that the cyclist might want to take. Given the idiotic level of driving I frequently observe, once again I commend any cyclist who elects not to mingle with the average driver.

This is speaking as someone who has only ever driving this road, by the way, so I'm not one of the cyclists you feel is delaying you, before you suggest I'm being defensive of my own actions.

Ultimately it all comes down to this excerpt: "I just think that is a bit selfish of them" - you have not considered it from any other perspective, and since you view it as an inconvenience of course it must be selfishness :rolleyes:

Spanish Eyes

alias no.9 wrote: »

An interesting solution might be improving the access onto the riverbank path between Chapelizod and the War Memorial Gardens, and its continuation through Clancy Quay and a bridge over the Pheonix Park Tunnel tracks to allow cyclists come up the side of Heuston and out onto the quays. A riverbank cycle beats cycling on a bypass every day of the week in my mind.

I wonder how access could be improved though?

There is a new cycle and pedestrian path from Palmerstown to the West Co. Hotel on the Old Lucan Road. Then the road goes into the village. There is a bit of a buslane alright but comes to a shuddering halt approaching the bridge.

It would be good alright, it is a really nice path along the river and is already set up for cycling and walking.

cdebru

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

FGS cars are not blocking two lanes, they are commuting aswell!

I agree that the bus lane is very narrow, hopefully that will be fixed soon. Have you heard anything about that?

Please have an open mind as to how this can be solved. But in the meantime the reluctance of SOME cyclists to move over where it can be done is baffling to me.

The cyclists are moving the buses are moving the cars aren't that is the blockage not the cyclists, funny that you think cars are perfectly entitled to sit blocking 2 lanes but the cyclists are the problem.
Personally I wouldn't advise any cyclist to move into the traffic lanes or into the garage, the cyclist mybe momentarily delaying the bus but the bus will stop at Palmerston and the cyclists will disappear of in front again.
Again cyclists aren't the problem too many private cars are the problem, the vast majority of those cycling also own a car if they weren't cycling they would probably be sitting in their car being part of the problem rather than part of the solution.
Open your mind to where the real problem is, its to the right of the bus not the left.

Spanish Eyes

cython wrote: »

One of the last things a motorist in a petrol station expects is probably a cyclist "nipping" across the forecourt, so I would commend any cyclist who does not divert in there, as doing so is actually putting themselves at greater risk! Certainly it is far from ideal if the idea is given even 10 seconds of thought. If car traffic is moving so slowly, is it fair to expect the cyclists to change lane and potentially stop either? Again, most motorists will not necessarily be expecting this, especially if not near a right turn that the cyclist might want to take. Given the idiotic level of driving I frequently observe, once again I commend any cyclist who elects not to mingle with the average driver.

This is speaking as someone who has only ever driving this road, by the way, so I'm not one of the cyclists you feel is delaying you, before you suggest I'm being defensive of my own actions.

Ultimately it all comes down to this excerpt: "I just think that is a bit selfish of them" - you have not considered it from any other perspective, and since you view it as an inconvenience of course it must be selfishness :rolleyes:

It is not a dangerous manoevre, many cyclists (god bless them) do it. The access to the forecourt has a lane to the right where there are no pumps, so a quick in, and then out again.

https://www.google.ie/maps/@53.35325,-6.36407,3a,75y,131.26h,76.2t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s9sH9ANw27iMY5S8Yn-CxdQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Merrion

Why is the bus using the bypass? - surely the bus needs to go through as many residential areas as possible for the dropping off and picking up of people?

RobFowl

kidneyfan wrote: »

Folks it is time to ban cyclists from the Chapelizod bypass. I can't count the number of times I have seen a bus driving BEHIND a cyclist up the hill there. Does Mr I don't pay road tax EVER get out of the Buses way?

NOT on YOUR NELLY!

Time to BAN cyclists from the bypass and make them go through Chapelizod.

cython

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

It is not a dangerous manoevre, many cyclists (god bless them) do it. The access to the forecourt has a lane to the right where there are no pumps, so a quick in, and then out again.

https://www.google.ie/maps/@53.35325,-6.36407,3a,75y,131.26h,76.2t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s9sH9ANw27iMY5S8Yn-CxdQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

It is more dangerous than remaining on the road. Even in the street view image you have linked, the safest place for the cyclist at the exit from the forecourt on the road is the rightmost part of the bus lane due to the shocking condition of the surface! Now maybe that has been rectified since the images were taken, but the fact remains that while it may not be inherently dangerous to enter the forecourt (and I did not suggest it was, if you re-read my post), it is riskier than maintaining their course on the road in the bus lane. There are far too many road users out there that expect cyclists to marginalise themselves as they personally view cyclists as though they were some subhuman class of road user, and this suggestion of yours is more of the same.

Spanish Eyes

Merrion wrote: »

Why is the bus using the bypass? - surely the bus needs to go through as many residential areas as possible for the dropping off and picking up of people?

Certain buses do go through Chapelizod. There is precious little residential between Islandbridge and Palmerstown apart from Chapelizod to be fair.

The Phoenix Park and the River Liffey on opposite sides of the road to a large extent result in little or no residential areas on that stretch really.

Spanish Eyes

cython wrote: »

It is more dangerous than remaining on the road. Even in the street view image you have linked, the safest place for the cyclist at the exit from the forecourt on the road is the rightmost part of the bus lane due to the shocking condition of the surface! Now maybe that has been rectified since the images were taken, but the fact remains that while it may not be inherently dangerous to enter the forecourt (and I did not suggest it was, if you re-read my post), it is riskier than maintaining their course on the road in the bus lane. There are far too many road users out there that expect cyclists to marginalise themselves a, s they personally view cyclists as though they were some subhuman class of road userand this suggestion of yours is more of the same.

I really don't think you need to be so defensive. I do not and never did view cyclists as subhuman, and I think it's a bit hysterical of you to say that.

But anyway, we have to share the road. Cyclists nowadays are (slowly I know) being very well catered for with cycle lanes and so on.

It's a long road (pun), but we will get there eventually.

alias no.9

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

I wonder how access could be improved though?

There is a new cycle and pedestrian path from Palmerstown to the West Co. Hotel on the Old Lucan Road. Then the road goes into the village. There is a bit of a buslane alright but comes to a shuddering halt approaching the bridge.

It would be good alright, it is a really nice path along the river and is already set up for cycling and walking.

The bit they've done has turned out better than I expected, they've provided a decent width there.

A cycle track sidestepping the lights at the Lucan Road / Kylemore Road is an obvious first step.

Altering the sequence of lights to allow cyclists more time straight through the lights from the Lucan road onto St Lawrences Road near the bridge would be a significant help. This needs to be done without increasing the access for cars onto St Lawrences Road because its a pinch point. Maybe ban cars going from Lucan Road onto St Lawrences for morning rush hour.

Cyclists have to dismount at a kissing gate at the Chapelizod entrance to the cycle path and a stupid barrier arrangement when the path enters the War Memorial Gardens. There's another barrier in the War Memorial Gardens but that can be sidestepped through the carpark. Redesigning these three points to allow cyclists to cycle through then without dismounting would be another big improvement.

That leaves the big gap, the currently non existent section from the exit of the War Memorial Gardens to Heuston.

ted1

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

I use the bus to commute, and pay my fares. My Opel Insignia Eco costs me €180 pa tax.

You either have a few cars, or own a big non eco friendly car. €1,000 pa in car tax :eek:

If your insignia was early 08 or older it would also be close to a grand.
For the relative low mileage it does changing it would not be environmental friendly. You may pay your fare but busses still receive state subsidies . The true cost of your fare is higher than what you pay

Spanish Eyes

ted1 wrote: »

If your insignia was early 08 or older it would also be close to a grand.
For the relative low mileage it does changing it would not be environmental friendly. You may pay your fare but busses still receive state subsidies . The true cost of your fare is higher than what you pay

Well it's obviously not pre '08 if I only pay €180.

I've been paying taxes all my life and if motorways have been built to cater for car users (including myself of course!), then it's only fair that public transport should be subsidised through taxation too.

Everyone gets a similar deal that way, both car users and PT users.

The cyclists were the forgotten, but not anymore!

Spanish Eyes

alias no.9 wrote: »

The bit they've done has turned out better than I expected, they've provided a decent width there.

A cycle track sidestepping the lights at the Lucan Road / Kylemore Road is an obvious first step.

Altering the sequence of lights to allow cyclists more time straight through the lights from the Lucan road onto St Lawrences Road near the bridge would be a significant help. This needs to be done without increasing the access for cars onto St Lawrences Road because its a pinch point. Maybe ban cars going from Lucan Road onto St Lawrences for morning rush hour.

Cyclists have to dismount at a kissing gate at the Chapelizod entrance to the cycle path and a stupid barrier arrangement when the path enters the War Memorial Gardens. There's another barrier in the War Memorial Gardens but that can be sidestepped through the carpark. Redesigning these three points to allow cyclists to cycle through then without dismounting would be another big improvement.

That leaves the big gap, the currently non existent section from the exit of the War Memorial Gardens to Heuston.

The bit in bold was what I was thinking about as being a bit of a problem alright. The gates and barriers that you mention could be sorted quickly enough.

I cannot think of any solution regarding Heuston, unless a cycle lane could be put in left at the exit of Memorial Gardens down to Islandbridge and right on to Conyngham Road. I'm thinking out loud here, so I could be way off the mark!

It would be a shame not to make full use of the cycle track along the Liffey. It's already in place.

cdebru

Merrion wrote: »

Why is the bus using the bypass? - surely the bus needs to go through as many residential areas as possible for the dropping off and picking up of people?

Some buses uses chapelizod some use the bypass there is residential areas the far side of the bypass that wouldn't be served if all buses used chapelizod.

alias no.9

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

The bit in bold was what I was thinking about as being a bit of a problem alright. The gates and barriers that you mention could be sorted quickly enough.

I cannot think of any solution regarding Heuston, unless a cycle lane could be put in left at the exit of Memorial Gardens down to Islandbridge and right on to Conyngham Road. I'm thinking out loud here, so I could be way off the mark!

It would be a shame not to make full use of the cycle track along the Liffey. It's already in place.

There's already a route through the Clancy Quay development on the opposite side of the SCR from the exit of the War Memorial Gardens that comes to the west siide of the tracks entering the Phoenix Park Tunnel, a bridge across the tracks could connect with the existing road from the east side of the tracks up to the front of Heuston.

The quid pro quo could be the use of the bridge to also allow a platform on the west side of these tracks in order to allow the future Kildare Route Trains entering the Phoenix Park Tunnel serve Heuston to some degree and the American owners of Clancy Quay get what would effectively be an on site train station.

roverrules

cython wrote: »

Cyclists are probably also commuting rather than simply "blocking" a bus lane, or does this reasoning only apply when it suits an agenda you are trying to push? You can't have it every way here.

I take it you don't cycle yourself, but speaking as a cyclist (and driver and pedestrian, for that matter) if I had to pull over on every poorly designed road where some motorist thought it could and thus should be done, I'd spend far too much time stopped. Not to mention that there's every chance that these same cyclists are held up by buses heading into town on the quays in the morning, so it's not really fair to expect the cyclists to lose out/give up every time either.

However,normally cars aren't in the bus lane

Qualitymark

The condition of the road surface is often the reason for cyclists having to stay out. For example, in Leinster Road, linking Rathmines and Harold's Cross, the surface has been degenerating for many months, meaning that cyclists have to weave between tyre-grabbing slits and deadly potholes, to the frustration of drivers whose car tyres deal better with a surface like something you'd find on a safari.

cython

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

I really don't think you need to be so defensive. I do not and never did view cyclists as subhuman, and I think it's a bit hysterical of you to say that.

But anyway, we have to share the road. Cyclists nowadays are (slowly I know) being very well catered for with cycle lanes and so on.

It's a long road (pun), but we will get there eventually.

That's the key point you take from my posts?! Seems like a case of the pot calling the kettle black to be accusing me of being defensive really. Rather than address my reasoning behind why your suggestion is a bad idea you squirrel my words to claim something I never actually did! I never claimed that was your personal attitude, but simply that your suggestion was certainly in line with a commonly held attitude along those lines. Admittedly subhuman may be hyperbolic (not hysterical by any means though) on my part but certainly cyclists are the lowest class of road users in the eyes of many other groups.

As for your last sentence, this doesn't really add up - if cyclists were so well catered for now, speed of same would be irrelevant, so clearly they're not that well catered for now but things just happen to be improving. Of course what this overlooks is that so many pieces of cycling infrastructure are so half-baked from inception to implementation that plenty of cyclists would prefer they not exist and thus they not get grief for not using substandard and indeed less safe facilities.