Parking and traffic in Phoenix Park

There is ample parking in the park for those that wish to use the park.
The problem is lazy drivers who want to drive in the side gates & park right beside them!.
Keep parking away from the avenue & in car parks only. Much safer for pedestrians & park users.
They need to start clamping or towing cars parked on grass, then the drivers would go as far as a car park.
It's laziness from weekend users, & meanness from city commuters that ruin the park.

beauf

You've pretty much got what you asked for.

Side gates locked, no parking on the ave. And it's the weekend. No commuters.

...and ye are still complaining....

.. Only now its about the people using the park...

Just ban everyone.

Oh I don't think anyone is complaining about the way it is now!
We can see that is so much better in the park now that commuter parking is gone!
The only thing needed now is that people using the park, actually park in the car parks available.
No lazy parking please!

Larbre34

bubblypop wrote: »

Oh I don't think anyone is complaining about the way it is now!
We can see that is so much better in the park now that commuter parking is gone!
The only thing needed now is that people using the park, actually park in the car parks available.
No lazy parking please!

I'm absolutely complaining about the way it is now. There wasn't a thing wrong with how the Park operated prior to March and the consequences of what OPW are trying to make permanent now will come back to bite them.

I've given an extensive list of reasons in other posts so I won't rehearse them again, but I'm making it my business to lobby every Councillor and TD who represents the districts adjoining the Park to put the pressure on. Not all of them will agree but many of them tell me they are getting it in the neck over it from local communities and some of them agree with me outright.

OPW have acted unilaterally and over-zealously and they'll be skewered over it, its a national amenity that they take care of, not their private domain.

Skylinehead

Larbre34 wrote: »

There wasn't a thing wrong with how the Park operated prior to March

Other than it being a rat run completely chocked with traffic on every single park road every single weekday?

jams100

Skylinehead wrote: »

Other than it being a rat run completely chocked with traffic on every single park road every single weekday?

So just put bollards in certain areas no? So the side gates lead don't lead to castleknock gate for instance, that way it will give people a chance to park and use the park without clogging up Parkgate Street entrance

beauf

Skylinehead wrote: »

Other than it being a rat run completely chocked with traffic on every single park road every single weekday?

Problem with your theory is that its also been exactly the same (even worse) at the weekends and with half the country working from home. Some of the worst queues in a decade or more have been at the weekend. Likewise the parking.

Best just to avoid the place.

The fix is simply ban all cars, all the time, all gates. No exceptions.

beauf

jams100 wrote: »

So just put bollards in certain areas no? So the side gates lead don't lead to castleknock gate for instance, that way it will give people a chance to park and use the park without clogging up Parkgate Street entrance

Its the people using the park causing the problem as well.

Try parking at the Zoo on a bank holiday. There's cars everywhere. Every scrap of grass, every car park, every road. In a mile in every direction.

Larbre34

Skylinehead wrote: »

Other than it being a rat run completely chocked with traffic on every single park road every single weekday?

For the two rush hours. And now it'll just be the main Avenue even more busy with traffic at rush hour, at least the way it was, with all 8 gates open managed it better.

The City Council would never let them close it to through traffic anyway, not so long as the Áras, Deerfield and Garda HQ are in there, aside from obvious traffic consequences for the City generally, so there is no good reason not to manage it properly and deal with things realistically, which they are failing to do now.

Larbre34

beauf wrote: »

The fix is simply ban all cars, all the time, all gates. No exceptions.

Thats among the stupidest things I've ever heard and utterly fails to acknowledge the function of the Park and the consequences of doing what you suggest.

Larbre34

beauf wrote: »

Its the people using the park causing the problem as well.

Try parking at the Zoo on a bank holiday. There's cars everywhere. Every scrap of grass, every car park, every road. In a mile in every direction.

The bastards. How dare people use that amenity as an amenity.

Its not a bloody ornament.

beauf

Larbre34 wrote: »

Thats among the stupidest things I've ever heard and utterly fails to acknowledge the function of the Park and the consequences of doing what you suggest.

They actually did do it before. They closed the main road for 6~9 months when they rebuilt it. I used to cycle past the roadworks. Center of the park was so quiet, it was like a scene from I am Legend.

Usually they were working on about 10% of the road at anyone time, often you'd see no one working on it for days. They still closed the whole road for most of year though. Did the same with the north road. Closed for no reason for weeks, until public pressure got it reopened.

Did the same with the Gates. When they changed to one way, they had planned to close more gates, etc. Again public/political pressure meant they had to pull back on their plans.

So I say give them enough rope this time also. Traffic is light at the moment. Once everyone back at work, only then you'll see if it works or not.

ronivek

I live relatively close to the park and used to enjoy driving there in the evenings, parking just inside the Castleknock gate and going for a walk. Seems a bit silly that not even many of the locals can easily enjoy the park anymore.

I mean I get the whole Covid-19 and social distancing thing; but from the OPW's perspective it looks like they're happy enough to keep things as they are forevermore. I suppose it makes sense from their perspective as presumably their costs go right down the less traffic and people flow through the park. I'm sure it's also a benefit to the general biodiversity and health of the wildlife in the park; but it kinda takes away from the whole amenity aspect of it.

beauf

Larbre34 wrote: »

The bastards. How dare people use that amenity as an amenity.

Its not a bloody ornament.

OPW want it as a nature reserve.

jams100

beauf wrote: »

Its the people using the park causing the problem as well.

Try parking at the Zoo on a bank holiday. There's cars everywhere. Every scrap of grass, every car park, every road. In a mile in every direction.

God forbid people actually use Dublin's biggest park!

My suggestion still stands, put bollards up in certain areas to stop the rat run problem, if your solution is to entirely ban cars parking in the park then we are never going to agree with each other. The park should be able to be enjoyed by everyone, not everyone can use public transport and especially so with the social distancing on public transport at the minute.

Shefwedfan

Larbre34 wrote: »

Thats among the stupidest things I've ever heard and utterly fails to acknowledge the function of the Park and the consequences of doing what you suggest.

That is the plan, Dublin City council long term is shut the park, all gates with no access. It was a few years ago now but I think the whol main road would be converted from a slab of road.

If I remember it would have a bus service and parknride somewhere for people to get in/out

So yes it will happen just how soon but the plan and everything are done up

Larbre34

Larbre34 wrote: »

I'm absolutely complaining about the way it is now. There wasn't a thing wrong with how the Park operated prior to March and the consequences of what OPW are trying to make permanent now will come back to bite them.

I've given an extensive list of reasons in other posts so I won't rehearse them again, but I'm making it my business to lobby every Councillor and TD who represents the districts adjoining the Park to put the pressure on. Not all of them will agree but many of them tell me they are getting it in the neck over it from local communities and some of them agree with me outright.

OPW have acted unilaterally and over-zealously and they'll be skewered over it, its a national amenity that they take care of, not their private domain.

I'm not sure why you think there is a problem now?
No parking on Chesterfield ave is great & it is so much safer now.
Tow all cars that park in grass, people won't be long parking in car parks then.

ronivek

ronivek wrote: »

I live relatively close to the park and used to enjoy driving there in the evenings, parking just inside the Castleknock gate and going for a walk. Seems a bit silly that not even many of the locals can easily enjoy the park anymore..

What?
Why can't people enjoy the park?
You won't go now because you can't park just right inside the gate? Drive a bit further in & park somewhere else!
Jaysis.

brucky

I live right next to the park and think that all cars should be banned from the park and the surrounding areas as that would suit me and my family who I have to put first.

beauf

jams100 wrote: »

God forbid people actually use Dublin's biggest park!

My suggestion still stands, put bollards up in certain areas to stop the rat run problem, if your solution is to entirely ban cars parking in the park then we are never going to agree with each other. The park should be able to be enjoyed by everyone, not everyone can use public transport and especially so with the social distancing on public transport at the minute.

The fact remains is people using the park causing these problems. Closing the side gates and stopping people from parking on the ave hasn't fixed those issues.

People saying it's much nicer now that it's quieter. So the solution is obvious. Ban cars.

The flip side it takes out a major transport hub and shrinks it's catchment dramatically. But that's what they want. They want to exclude vastv amounts of people from the park.

Another end result is that popping into the zoo on your annual pass becomes a lengthy trek on public transport. The Zoo have realised that a lot of people can't get to the zoo because of the lockdown that been in place for 3 months so they've extended it for 1 month (stingy) if you're outside the 5 and 20k zones. Better get used to it zoo because with reduced access and less parking and more restrictions to come. The annual pass just became pointless for a lot of regulars.

Still there will enough people still using the park to make it viable. Hopefully....

beauf

bubblypop wrote: »

What?
Why can't people enjoy the park?
You won't go now because you can't park just right inside the gate? Drive a bit further in & park somewhere else!
Jaysis.

So you want cars to drive longer and further in the park. Where the nearest car park to the Castleknock gate. The visitor center? Pope's cross?

Shefwedfan

beauf wrote: »

The fact remains is people using the park causing these problems. Closing the side gates and stopping people from parking on the ave hasn't fixed those issues.

People saying it's much nicer now that it's quieter. So the solution is obvious. Ban cars.

The flip side it takes out a major transport hub and shrinks it's catchment dramatically. But that's what they want. They want to exclude vastv amounts of people from the park.

Another end result is that popping into the zoo on your annual pass becomes a lengthy trek on public transport. The Zoo have realised that a lot of people can't get to the zoo because of the lockdown that been in place for 3 months so they've extended it for 1 month (stingy) if you're outside the 5 and 20k zones. Better get used to it zoo because with reduced access and less parking and more restrictions to come. The annual pass just became pointless for a lot of regulars.

Still there will enough people still using the park to make it viable. Hopefully....

If they got space just before the halfway house and put in a parknride I dont see it stopping the visit to the zoo. Something like the little train thing you can get up the park now, would make more of a day for the kids to be honest.


The days the park has been shut down its a joy, you can walk around, kids run around and your not looking out for some idiot who thinks the park is a racing track. If shut down they could have more and more public events in the park. More fun runs etc....


In my eyes it makes perfect sense. I used to love beside the park, well close enough that I could cycle down. I dont anymore and would have to drive to a car park but I still see the benefits of closing the entire park.

jams100

jams100 wrote: »

My suggestion still stands, put bollards up in certain areas to stop the rat run problem, if your solution is to entirely ban cars parking in the park then we are never going to agree with each other. The park should be able to be enjoyed by everyone, not everyone can use public transport and especially so with the social distancing on public transport at the minute.

Agree with this. We cannot make the park accessible only to locals. But we have to stop it being used as a rat run and for Dublin city parking. Bollards would be sensible, to allow cars into car parks beside each peripheral gate but stop all through traffic except for down the ave. There was loads of frustration from motorists when the bollards were put into Military road years ago, but it has made that part of the park so much more pleasant for everyone. I cant imagine cars racing around the S-bends now like they used to.

beauf

Shefwedfan wrote: »

If they got space just before the halfway house and put in a parknride I dont see it stopping the visit to the zoo. Something like the little train thing you can get up the park now, would make more of a day for the kids to be honest.


The days the park has been shut down its a joy, you can walk around, kids run around and your not looking out for some idiot who thinks the park is a racing track. If shut down they could have more and more public events in the park. More fun runs etc....


In my eyes it makes perfect sense. I used to love beside the park, well close enough that I could cycle down. I dont anymore and would have to drive to a car park but I still see the benefits of closing the entire park.

Kinda pointless putting it before the halfway house as there already is on at the Navan Road parkway.

I'm pretty sure they will eventally build apartments on all of this land. |They tend to build on useful land for infrastructure. Then go ooops sorry, afterwards.

beauf

beauf wrote: »

So you want cars to drive longer and further in the park. Where the nearest car park to the Castleknock gate. The visitor center? Pope's cross?

Yep, no issue with park users parking in car parks, why would I?

Shefwedfan

beauf wrote: »

Kinda pointless putting it before the halfway house as there already is on at the Navan Road parkway.

I'm pretty sure they will eventally build apartments on all of this land. |They tend to build on useful land for infrastructure. Then go ooops sorry, afterwards.

Navan road parkway is too small so if they extended that would be my idea.....not sure what they can build around that with the canal etc....would work for park and ride

beauf

Shefwedfan wrote: »

Navan road parkway is too small so if they extended that would be my idea.....not sure what they can build around that with the canal etc....would work for park and ride

Is it ever full?

beauf

bubblypop wrote: »

Yep, no issue with park users parking in car parks, why would I?

They'll fill them to overflowing as they currently do.

You're dragging traffic into and through the park.

Shefwedfan

beauf wrote: »

Is it ever full?

No idea but it wouldnt have the spaces if you wanted it for the park......if you think the zoo normally gets over 1 mill visitors per year on its own

ronivek

bubblypop wrote: »

What?
Why can't people enjoy the park?
You won't go now because you can't park just right inside the gate? Drive a bit further in & park somewhere else!
Jaysis.

There were always spaces there just inside the gate; meaning I didn’t have to drive all the way through the park just to find parking and take up spaces that could be used by people who want to actually visit the pitches or zoo or whatever.

So now if I want to go for a walk in the park I need to make sure it’s not during peak times so I’m not wasting time finding parking; and even then I’m limited with where I can walk because the places to park are now so limited.

It’s hardly the end of the world; but it’s irritating to have parking spaces clearly available and an amenity I’ve used for a significant amount of time restricting access off the back of forced closures due to Covid-19.