Royal Canal Greenway

magicbastarder

FWIW my father used to be on the resident's association in delwood and left because of some lunatics on it. that was decades ago, though.

IIRC some of them were trying to pass a motion that the kids from the cul de sacs (of which i was one) were not allowed play on delwood green.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119548477#Comment_119548477

Its not 4k. Gross exaggeration.

It makes no sense to complain about having to walk when the whole point is going for walk in the first place. Its seriously not that far to either end. Especially not someone who is planning to go a walk in the first place.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119548406#Comment_119548406

If you constantly miss-represent things expect not be taken seriously and/or assume your just stirring deliberately.

Coolmine is monstrosity because of bad design no other reason. It entirely unrelated to the other bridge.

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119548543#Comment_119548543

The cycle bridge aspect at Coolmine wouldn't be needed if the other bridge had gone ahead. The monstrosity of the design only appeared after the other bridge was rejected and was in response to that bridge being rejected.

I said at the time that people should be careful what they wished for, and it came true. Anyway DART+ West is for another thread, so I'll leave it there.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119548319#Comment_119548319

Bit dubious to say its not possible when the track is already that side and used for 100yrs or more. If I go down it today thats where I'll be.

Likewise saying is technically impossible. Its not. Its about cost and other things.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119548551#Comment_119548551

Digging deeper won't change you're wrong.

They want the Coolmine bridge so they don't have to walk/cycle/wheelchair access around the other new bridge.

A lift and a pedestrian bridge could be fraction of the footprint of what they designed. you'd almost think they did it deliberately so bad no one would accept it. Its grossly over engineered and over spec'd.

magicbastarder

Its not 4k. Gross exaggeration.

can you show me a route where if someone wanted to walk that section of canal without retracing their steps, it won't be 4km? perhaps we're at cross purposes here (and maybe i should have been clearer that i was talking about the 'disputed' section of canal?

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119548583#Comment_119548583

Ok, I've gone back and checked and you are correct, they did include a cycle bridge in the original proposals.

However, the design has changed from one report to the next.

A lift and a pedestrian bridge would only be feasible if the other bridge at Riverwood catered for cyclists. But it doesn't exist.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119548511#Comment_119548511

Well I guess that implies all associations are full of crazy people or something? Guess we should ignore them entirely?

Incidentally I played football on those greens, kids from other estates used to organize friendlies against each other. Maybe that's why tried they to stop it. Their kids were getting hammered. ; )

magicbastarder

wasn't me who was being hammered anyway, i wasn't good enough at football to even subject myself to that beating.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119548623#Comment_119548623

There's cycle lanes on the existing Dr Troy bridge. Never mind the new bridge they want to build. These are miniscule distances on a bicycle. I doubt you've ever cycled it. You seem constantly so unfamiliar with the area.

The bridge at Castleknock station does 95% of whats needed at Coolmine in a fraction of the footprint. I know it's too step blah blah. See I'm used to getting my bike into lifts at all the other stations. Even the tiny Docklands station has a lift. It's has like 4 trains a day.

AlanG

As a local I think this will be a great addition to the Delwood, Brompton and Glenville area. It will make it so much safer for kids to cycle in thr area and it will be far more pleasant for people walking to the stations. This will really help the area a lot as we have very few amenities due partially to objections from residents for play facilities and community facilities.

Some neighbours are concerned about the lack of parking but if you look at other places along the greenway such as at Ashtown there has been no great increase in cars parked close to the greenway. Teh vast majority of people using the greenway are walking to it.

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119548714#Comment_119548714

The bridge at Castleknock Station is a death trap. No room for pedestrians, no room for cyclists.

There is provision for a second bridge adjacent to the west side of that bridge for cyclists and pedestrians.

The cycle bridge isn't about station access, it is about through traffic for sustainable modes of transport.

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119548753#Comment_119548753

If you read the report, there are an extraordinary number of red herrings being raised by the NIMBYs.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119548911#Comment_119548911

If they built a bridge like the one at Castleknock at Coolmine it would have no cars on it. ... That's the whole point. No cars.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119548914#Comment_119548914

Lol.

Trying hard to create a fake narrative. Maybe they stopped you playing on a green in the 1950s.

Former Former Former

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119548753#Comment_119548753

if you look at other places along the greenway such as at Ashtown there has been no great increase in cars parked close to the greenway. Teh vast majority of people using the greenway are walking to it.

The concern was as much about people parking in residential streets and walking via the greenway to the train station rather than recreational greenway users. How real that risk is, debatable.

getoutadodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119548555#Comment_119548555

C'mon you're flogging a dead horse. I know that stretch since my childhood. Even navigated it years ago on motorbikes tanked up with flagons. But its simply not possible to transform it into a combined cycle/ footpath given its width. Some people just hate change.. Fair enough....i know the feeling. I met a committed cyclist oldie the other day on the canal who lamented the new tarmac surface compared to the good old days of mud and tree roots and the occasional dead rat?

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119549240#Comment_119549240

You've gone down it on a Motorbike.... I rest my case.

Its not as wide as they want. But they could clear that bank and make it useable for a fraction of the cost of all this. it would 10 times better than what it is now. and I've been down it not years ago.

I'm not saying it should be that bank. But the difficulty is way over stated. They blew a flipping canal through it. We can't built a path. Lol.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119549214#Comment_119549214

They've had historical and on going problems with parking at the 12th lock, Roselawn, Coolmine/Riverwood and Clonsilla. Seems real to me.

Ashtown has underground parking. So how would you know. Parking on street is a pain there though.

But I don't think its about the greenway. But who knows. Kinda saying it is or isn't a problem based on nothing. just by plucking it out of mid air.

Flinty997

My personal opinion is they should build it on the south side with no entrances and a high fence and compulsory purchased the house across from train station to make an entrance.

Then stage 2 open the entrances on a trial bases with timed gates.

But the north bank wasn't impossible, and wouldn't have had any of these objections. But it would have been compromised by the width. It could be a park on the south bank like opposite the 12th lock.

Flinty997

Currently you can just bypass this stretch on the road if on a bike. It's holding no one back if they really want to use the canal into town they can.

daymobrew

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119549614#Comment_119549614

Which route(s) would you suggest? Delwood Road/Roselawn Road or Sycamore Ave/Castleknock Rise/LL Road? Those would be less direct than a towpath route.

muckwarrior

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119549614#Comment_119549614

You could say that about the whole bloody thing. Silly argument.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119550414#Comment_119550414

🚲️ Google maps bridge to bridge.

LaurelLodge 2.2k 7 mins. 
Delwood 2k 7 mins. 
Canal 1.5k 4 mins. 

But its not allowing for the terrain on the canal. Since it gives the same 4 mins for 1.5k on a straight road.

So if there was a greenway in place. You'd save 3 mins. (if empty)

But if you've actually cycled the Greenway you'll know you have to slow down due to pedestrians. (assuming you slow down for pedestrians. So maybe 1~2 mins in the difference. I assume you don't start your journey from the Coolmine bridge. So you'd have bias from which side you start from.

Currently the deep siding takes quite a bit longer on the bike due to the vines/concrete and meeting pedestrians. Its not pleasant on a rigid frame.

I've only done these stretches canal/greenway recently at peak times, sunny day etc. Its been a good year or more since I cycled all the way into town via the canal, and it would have been (off peak) a lot less busy than its now.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119550641#Comment_119550641

This is short stretch easily bypassed, with quiet-ish parallel routes either side of it. That's actually not true of other parts of the canal, especially the longer stretches.

I feel I'm talking with people who never actually use the canal or greenway.

Chrisam

So many experts. Not a single mention of biodiversity. That's 40 years of untouched wilderness, on the north bank, that the council wants to put a 4 metre trackway through. It won't even be a greenway, like the greenway west of Maynooth (which incidentally only has access points every 14kms). This will be an "urban active travel route", which is fine, but let's be clear, it's at the expense of the wildlife. The 24/7 lighting, along the bridges and trackway east of Castleknock (eg Pelletstown), has driven the wildlife out. Now it is proposed to drive it further west, into Kildare. Utterly disgraceful. Forget the residents, these are the actual victims, all because cyclists don't want to cycle 1.5 kms between Coolmine and Castleknock.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119554551#Comment_119554551

I think it more about locals out for a stroll than cyclist. But whatever.

How would you you do it.

magicbastarder

they could plant delwood green up with native woodland as a compensating measure.

getoutadodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119555156#Comment_119555156

Luv it. Re-wild Delwood😉