Lay Bys on The M6

dixiefly

Just after driving the m6 eastbound and we wanted to swap just after Galway. Unfortunately we missed a lay-by about 5k before the toll. However we kept our eyes peeled for another and the next one was at Kilbeggan!! which must have been about 80km away. Then after that there were 3 lay bys in about 10km of road.

On top of that the lay by we pulled into was very small, probably take about 5 or 6 cars at most and not a chance of a lorry. Also a very poor lead in back into the road which meant that we could not build up speed reentering the road as you would do from a side road.

I remember three or more lay bys going westbound from Enfield to Galway but I am not sure how well spaced out they are.

Surely there must be some maximum distance that cant be exceeded without having a lay by?? There are losts of signs for food, petrol etc in towns that are being by-passed. Surely there wouldnt have been lobbying from vested interests in the bypassed towns to prevent lay-bys near their exits thus reducing the need for people to drive into the towns or am I attributing some level of reasoning to this?

plodder

Some motorways don't have them at all (eg the M1). I think the M6 might well be one of few that does have them. What's the problem with just leaving at the next exit?

richdee

There is layby just before Moate, which is approx 40kms from toll booth near Loughrea. you wer'nt paying great attention to the road if you missed that

dixiefly

richdee wrote: »

There is layby just before Moate, which is approx 40kms from toll booth near Loughrea. you wer'nt paying great attention to the road if you missed that

Thanks for your response regarding that location and neither me nor my wife saw it. I will look out next time, the subsequent ones had big "P" signs in advance and we did not see them at that earlier point. It was dark but I am very surprised if I missed the signs for that one. Are there signs for it?

As an aside, no need for the "you wer'nt paying great attention to the road" dig - it could have been because I was watching traffic that I missed it.

dixiefly

plodder wrote: »

Some motorways don't have them at all (eg the M1). I think the M6 might well be one of few that does have them. What's the problem with just leaving at the next exit?

We could but I thought it was a given that motorways have lay bys.

Sam Russell

The M6 (East - Kinnegad to Athlone) did not start off life as a motorway. The layby was intended for tired cyclists. It was originally the N6.

Why are there no toilets provided?

BeardySi

dixiefly wrote: »

We could but I thought it was a given that motorways have lay bys.

Almost never (in the UK and Ireland at any rate). Encouraging people to stop and leave their vehicles at the side of a motorway is generally frowned upon.

You can always pull off at an exit and stop once you're off the motorway.

n97 mini

Having driven extensively in the US there is a Rest Area every 40 miles or so, all with toilets and a lot with drinking water and a phone. Often with scenic views too. These were a godsend on long journeys, and something we could do with here.

road_high

They're one of the most bizarre inconsistent things on our road network! No logic as to where and distances apart, it's like as if some contractors put them and some didn't bother...also, are closed now? Can't remember but I think on the M8 I've seen them closed lately?

coylemj

They're very inconsistently scattered all over the place with no discernible pattern. It would be helpful if they were signposted beginning about 20 kms in advance with step down distance signs every 5 kms after that so that you knew when to expect them, that might stop idiots from pulling over for a leak (or to help a child to do so) at any old place they choose to.

elperello

n97 mini wrote: »

Having driven extensively in the US there is a Rest Area every 40 miles or so, all with toilets and a lot with drinking water and a phone. Often with scenic views too. These were a godsend on long journeys, and something we could do with here.

Agree with you about the rest areas in the US.
The reason we don't have them is the fear of them being taken over by overnight campers.

n1ey

elperello wrote: »

Agree with you about the rest areas in the US.
The reason we don't have them is the fear of them being taken over by overnight campers.

How about the issue of the Government not desiring them or mandating them?
In American every tollway and highway department included rest stops in the design. The local governments or tollway owners collect the rents from the vendors.

Bill

Carawaystick

Did the OP miss Athlone? where they could stop and park along the hard shoulder wherever they wanted, as its not motorway.

The nra also built a services are between Athlone and Moate, but it's not open due to a legal dispute between the proposed operator and a wannabe operator

dixiefly

Carawaystick wrote: »

Did the OP miss Athlone? where they could stop and park along the hard shoulder wherever they wanted, as its not motorway.

The nra also built a services are between Athlone and Moate, but it's not open due to a legal dispute between the proposed operator and a wannabe operator

I am not in the habit of parking and getting out in the hard shoulder unless really necessary which in our case it wasnt. Whether or not it was "officially" a motorway was not really in my mind as the road was quite busy last evening.

I think my query has been answered. Thanks all.

munchkin_utd

road_high wrote: »

They're one of the most bizarre inconsistent things on our road network! No logic as to where and distances apart, it's like as if some contractors put them and some didn't bother...also, are closed now? Can't remember but I think on the M8 I've seen them closed lately?

There's plenty of logic behind it.
Any sections which have lay-bys were originally intended to be classed as a dual
Carriageway, and in the U.K. Dual carriageways have lay-bys, which is the standard that Ireland has adopted with slight modifications

All lay-bys are to be eventually closed off once proper services and rest areas are built.

As for why there's a lack of proper services.
Official reason was to curb "anti social behaviour".
Real reason was local politicans along the route lobbying for the local businesses, often many miles offline, to stop any online services being planned in the hope that people dieing for a pee would make a 20minute diversion to their local businesses. The sham of the current brown signs showing a dozen or more amenities of towns offline is directly connected to this wishful thinking.

coylemj

Sam Russell wrote: »

The M6 (East - Kinnegad to Athlone) did not start off life as a motorway. The layby was intended for tired cyclists. It was originally the N6.

That section of the M6 did start life as a motorway, it's a brand new road which was built in sections and incorporates none of the old N6 east (Kinnegad to Athlone) which still lives on as the R446.

jocmilt

Is this another one of those 'dogging' threads?

monument

Moved from Commuting and Transport.

marno21

coylemj wrote: »

That section of the M6 did start life as a motorway, it's a brand new road which was built in sections and incorporates none of the old N6 east (Kinnegad to Athlone) which still lives on as the R446.

Yes, it's true that it's an offline/new build.

But that stretch of road opened 2006-2008 as the N6 dual carraigeway, before it was retrospectively designated M6. The lay-bys are there as a result of it being planned as an all purpose dual carraigeway, and not a motorway.

knotknowbody

munchkin_utd wrote: »

There's plenty of logic behind it.
Any sections which have lay-bys were originally intended to be classed as a dual
Carriageway, and in the U.K. Dual carriageways have lay-bys, which is the standard that Ireland has adopted with slight modifications

All lay-bys are to be eventually closed off once proper services and rest areas are built.

The M3 has a lay-by here:

https://www.google.ie/maps/@53.5596766,-6.5575706,167m/data=!3m1!1e3

I don't believe it was ever planned to be HQDC, so I was very surprised to see it.

TheRiverman

Exit 14 Ballinasloe West,off,change over back on Motorway again 2 mins max.

Truckermal

Why in God's name would you want to stop in one of these unless of course you badly need a sleep, they are filthy with rubbish, faeces and stink of urine!

Sam Russell

Why were the laybys put in without toilets? It would appear to be pointless to have them without having toilets.

Truckermal

Sam Russell wrote: »

Why were the laybys put in without toilets? It would appear to be pointless to have them without having toilets.

That's creating another problem like on the old N6 where the toilets at a layby were used for various activities!