Bicycles, Phoenix Park and traffic

beauf

Mercian Pro wrote: »

Incredible numbers of cyclists and walkers/joggers in the Park this morning. Hard to believe even half of them live within 5k but great to see it so well used. A fair bit of confusion over the new "social distancing" measures. They are due to commence tomorrow but a lot of people have pre-empted them with most cyclists now on the road inside of thousands of traffic cones and quite a few walkers already on the bike paths. Then there were this pair:

....

I don't think I have seen so many bikes since the Ring of Kerry! Road bikes, TT bikes, fixies, Dublin bikes, kiddie bikes, striders and even one tandem. Pride of place went to one mature couple who insisted on riding on the footpath over near St Marys - old habits die hard.

A few people said to me it was busy this morning. We did a spin about 6 pm and its was extremely quiet for a Sunday afternoon. So if you are looking for a quieter time, maybe go later. We had the cycle lanes to ourselves, apart from one solitary jogger. Always one. Annoyingly even though the roads were quiet on the way to and from the park, we still had a couple of close passes. Old habits die hard it seems.

I see Famleigh is extending its opening hours which will be great for the summer.

beauf

Weepsie wrote: »

Quays is partly awful because of people coming from and going to the park (not exclusively), but restrict as much private traffic as possibly going to city centre and cycling etc becomes a lot more pleasant.

That what I was saying.

You really have to take the lane and keep the speed up going from south quays, across the bridge and into the park. Heading into town is a doddle.

beauf

Stark wrote: »

Exercise more than once a day has always been allowed here. We're not the UK.

I assume he meant hes not doing club cycles or long spins a decent radius from home. Not that he hasn't been out.

Since the lock down its been mostly great weather, its been great to be able to get out so much. Hard to find routes that aren't full of walkers though.

Mercian Pro

Up for a few circuits around the perimeter this morning and, traffic wise, it's much the same as it was for the last few weeks. The side gates are all still closed so there is no real reason for cars to be on the perimeter roads. The only car park that seems to be open is the one at the visitor centre at Ashtown Castle and that was about half-full during the cocooners' period in the walled garden. Had a nice coffee and scone there and noticed the kiosk near the zoo was also open. Very few cars on the main avenue so I assume the Gardaí are still manning the Castlenock and City entrances.
Most cyclists I saw were solo but there were a few in groups of 2 or 3.

beauf

Cool I'll take a spin down after work.

Hurrache

Mercian Pro wrote: »

Up for a few circuits around the perimeter this morning and, traffic wise, it's much the same as it was for the last few weeks. The side gates are all still closed so there is no real reason for cars to be on the perimeter roads. The only car park that seems to be open is the one at the visitor centre at Ashtown Castle and that was about half-full during the cocooners' period in the walled garden. Had a nice coffee and scone there and noticed the kiosk near the zoo was also open. Very few cars on the main avenue so I assume the Gardaí are still manning the Castlenock and City entrances.
Most cyclists I saw were solo but there were a few in groups of 2 or 3.

Yeah, OPW have kept things as is


https://twitter.com/phoenixparkopw/status/1262676005212356608

Mercian Pro

That's pretty much the same as what was announced last week (post #30) but with a better spin put on the Chesterfield Avenue changes. No mention that the other gates are still due to reopen on 8th June which will have a significant effect on the enjoyment of the Park by both walkers and cyclists. I see the Furze Road rather than the Khyber now has "shared recreation space", which I presume refers to the centre section that has been blocked off for quite a while.

Hurrache

I didn't realise the other gates weren't due to open until June, I thought it was this week.

Tenzor07

Took a quick lap of the park there earlier today for the first time in a while...

Have to say it's amazing not to have all the motor vehicles whizzing around the roads, much more peaceful and relaxing!

Also a few families cycling around with young kids on bikes, which just goes to show that people now realise the park has become a safe place.

Loads of people around walking, jogging, cycling etc. It felt like a park for people...

Even the Deer are coming out further to places i've not noticed them before...

I hope the OPW keep the motor traffic low and don't allow the park to go back to being a shortcut for motorists...

MojoMaker

No chance though.

magicbastarder

https://twitter.com/Paulcorcoran10/status/1262851513141075975

bazermc

magicbastarder wrote: »

https://twitter.com/Paulcorcoran10/status/1262851513141075975

I watched that whole video waiting for something and nothing.

I was at least expecting them to right those cones towards the end my OCD would not have allowed me pass them

I counted 40 odd cars before the video cut out, the highlight was the 4 white ones bunched together in the middle.

Mercian Pro

From the OPW website:
"Vehicular access to the Phoenix Park remains unchanged and access to the Park is via Castleknock Gate and Park Gate Street only. Any future changes to vehicular access to the Phoenix Park will be made in consultation with An Garda Síochána, Dublin City Council, Fingal County Council and others. Future decisions about vehicles routing through the Phoenix Park are part of the traffic policy of the city and are not made by OPW unilaterally."
I don't think people's quiet enjoyment of the Phoenix Park would feature highly in Garda policies but hopefully most Councillors in Dublin and Fingal would support keeping the perimeter roads car-free.

Hurrache

magicbastarder wrote: »

https://twitter.com/Paulcorcoran10/status/1262851513141075975

Took me a while to figure out that was yesterday, and not a comparison video of how it used to be.
Has to be from people using the park as they can't all be using it to commute, however the timestamp indicates it rush hour.

https://twitter.com/kevteljeur/status/1262855443715690496

Mercian Pro

Commuters one and all. At 10.30am yesterday, I could see about 4 cars on a long section of the Avenue with about 30 cars max in the Visitor Centre car park. I suspect the Gardaí at the Parkgate St entrance left or decided to let commuters through.

Hurrache

Why commute through the park when it would have been faster for them to take the Navan Road, or other alternatives. Stuck in a routine they can't get out of I suppose. Even a cursory glance at google maps would have told them that.

Stark

Mercian Pro wrote: »

Commuters one and all. At 10.30am yesterday, I could see about 4 cars on a long section of the Avenue with about 30 cars max in the Visitor Centre car park. I suspect the Gardaí at the Parkgate St entrance left or decided to let commuters through.

Or they all just lied at the gate and told the Gardaí they were "going for a walk".

Tenzor07

Hurrache wrote: »

Why commute through the park when it would have been faster for them to take the Navan Road, or other alternatives. Stuck in a routine they can't get out of I suppose. Even a cursory glance at google maps would have told them that.

I'm sure they're all within the 5km limit or traveling for "essential" reasons...:rolleyes: (not)

Mercian Pro

A couple of Gardaí checking traffic just inside the Castlknock gate this morning around 11.30. The only two cars parked on the road were directly opposite them! Don't know if they turned many back but it was reasonably quiet on the main Avenue. It would be interesting to know if there is a checkpoint at the Parkgate St entrance this evening.

When doing a circuit of the perimeter, I counted about 50 cyclists, 120 walkers/joggers and 3 cars. Ashtown Castle was quiet enough but there were a lot of cars at the Papal Cross.

magicbastarder

mod note - i changed the thread title as the discussion had gone a little more wide ranging

Hamsterchops

Stark wrote: »

Some good ones (proper sheffield stand type) at the visitor centre.

Sheffield stands for sure, very secure stands.

Stark

Cycling there this morning. A lot better than it was pre-pandemic with the hard shoulders of Chesterfield coned off and the side gates closed but nowhere near as nice as it was before May 18th. No sign of the dozens of lesser experienced cyclists and families on bikes who were enjoying the Park last time round, only the usual people who are comfortable cycling in traffic. And the usual coming head to head with motorists taking the racing line on the bendier roads in the Park.

magicbastarder

The wind today probably kept a lot of people away.

Tenzor07

Stark wrote: »

No sign of the dozens of lesser experienced cyclists and families on bikes who were enjoying the Park last time round, only the usual people who are comfortable cycling in traffic. And the usual coming head to head with motorists taking the racing line on the bendier roads in the Park.

I hope we haven't seen the end of this mini-increase in people on bicycles, now that the Lockdown is loosening....
If the lines of traffic at my local McDonalds is anything to go by then it may have been a short lived resurgence... But we shall see!

thebourke

what route can you do through phoenix park..is it just up and down chesterfield avenue?

Mercian Pro

thebourke wrote: »

what route can you do through phoenix park..is it just up and down chesterfield avenue?

Absolutely not. Around the perimeter is more attractive, quieter and a lot more sheltered from the wind. That's why it's so important that OPW don't reopen the side gates to cars on the 8th June.

Up walking in the Park for a change and there seemed to be a lot more "serious cyclists" and fewer family groups than last Sunday. Most were riding solo but there were plenty of 2s and 3s as well chatting and drafting well within the 2m zone. Coming back along the Liffey from Chapelizod, there were a good few solo sculls on the water so rowing seems to be gradually returning as well.

bazermc

thebourke wrote: »

what route can you do through phoenix park..is it just up and down chesterfield avenue?

Oh there is loads of great cycle routes/loops around the outer area of the park. My favourite one is the Liffey side along by the magazine fort, upper Glenn road area.

Hurrache

Looks like the side roads and around by the glen are no longer as pleasant as they once were

https://twitter.com/Jackfire13/status/1264563268103921665?s=19

And cyclists, don't be holding up "traffic" in a 15kph zone
https://twitter.com/theconjob/status/1264551631204605953?s=19

But sense subsequently came their way
https://twitter.com/donna_cooney1/status/1264562314902220800?s=19

Pa ElGrande

thebourke wrote: »

what route can you do through phoenix park..is it just up and down chesterfield avenue?

Click on this link for a suggested route.

You can start at Infirmary Road/NCR entrance or the Chesterfield avenue entrance from Conyngham Road.
Make your way through the centre of the park along Chesterfield avenue.
Turn left onto Ordnance survey road and follow on through into Upper Glen Road, once at the Chapelizod entrance turn left, then right on to Military road and when you get to the the magazine fort you can go straight ahead onto Wellington road towards the monument then through the roundabout onto the North Road and repeat the outer loop once more. That's about 20 KM, would take about an hour to complete. You can break it off anytime you want and head home.